When a free Irish company profile may be enough
If your immediate question is which company a name refers to, start with the free profile. Available registration details can help distinguish the legal entity from similarly named businesses. Match the company number to the quotation, invoice or agreement where possible. An exact identifier is more useful than choosing the first result because its name looks familiar.
You might only need to establish the company's recorded name, type, incorporation details or registered address. Where those fields are available, a purchase may not add anything necessary to that narrow question. Save the page reference and review date if you are passing the finding to a colleague, and avoid implying that an identity check was a complete supplier investigation.
When a paid PDF company report becomes useful
A PDF company report can be useful when you need fuller company information organised as a delivered document rather than only a profile page. The actual value depends on the record available for the selected company and the question you need answered. Read its description to establish whether the contents are appropriate before purchasing.
At CompanyReports.ie the current full PDF price is EUR 11.99 in total. Fuller director and filing information is subject to availability; do not infer that every financial statement, historic filing or assessment is included. Paying for a report changes the item you receive, not the underlying limits of the public record or the date of its evidence.
When a specific filing is a better match
A precise question can require a precise document. If you need the accounts for a particular year-end or wording in a particular filing, an overview is not automatically a substitute. Establish the company number, document type and required period. Review the available list on the company page and the price of the selected item where document purchase is offered.
Treat a document order as separate from the general PDF report unless the description explicitly says otherwise. If the listing is unavailable, that is an availability limitation, not proof that no filing exists. Ask about an essential document before placing an order whose usefulness depends on it, rather than guessing from a date or a short label.
A simple comparison before you spend
The right option is the smallest evidence purchase that genuinely addresses the question, not necessarily the cheapest-looking label. Free information may answer an identity query. A company report may supply fuller context. A particular filing may be required for a document-specific review. If your process needs a provider credit assessment, do not silently substitute any of these for it.
A practical buying checklist records the entity, intended question, contents, total price and delivery arrangements. It also states what is not included. This gives the requester and purchaser a shared understanding, especially when one person asks for a report and another person places the order without knowing the reason behind it.
| Option | Useful for | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Free company profile | Initial identity and available registration details | Exact legal company and source dates |
| PDF company report: EUR 11.99 | Fuller company information in the described PDF | Available contents and delivery scope |
| Individual filing: listed item price | One specified source document | Company, document type and period |
| Further specialist evidence | Questions beyond the selected product | Required assessment or professional scope |
Worked example: three questions, three different next steps
Imagine a fictional administrator asked to check a potential supplier. The first request is simply to identify the company behind a quotation. A free profile and an exact number match may answer that question. The second request asks for fuller company information in a document for the research file; the administrator reviews the PDF report description before ordering.
A third request asks for the balance sheet for a specified reporting period. That is a document-specific requirement. The administrator checks for the relevant accounts rather than assuming the PDF overview includes them. The company number connects all three tasks, but the evidence required is different in each case.
A useful handoff explains which request has been answered and which remains open. It does not state that the supplier passed every possible check because one report was bought. This fictional example is about document selection, not a judgement about any actual business or an instruction to approve a transaction.
Price, delivery and what happens after payment
The displayed report price is the total payable amount. Individual documents have their own listed prices and should be considered as separate items. Review the company selected and order description before continuing to secure payment. Use an email address you can access, and include a specific document requirement in any enquiry rather than relying on a broad request for everything.
The usual company-report delivery window is 10 minutes to 3 hours during business hours. Unusual records or service interruptions can take longer, so the service should not be described as instant delivery. After ordering, retain the reference, check the purchase inbox and spam folder, and use the delivery policy for support if needed.
If an item cannot be supplied or a report appears to identify a different company, contact support with the order reference and purchase email. The published policy describes correction, replacement and refund handling where applicable. Do not send full payment-card details by email or assume a missing message means payment should be repeated.
A paid report still needs careful reading
A report is a collection of evidence within a stated scope. Registration status is not a credit score, a registered address is not necessarily a trading site, and missing data is not proof that a person or document does not exist. Read the methodology so that the presentation does not lead you to stronger conclusions than the underlying record supports.
Before using the PDF in a decision, match the entity, inspect the evidence dates and note the questions it did not answer. Where current financial position, legal enforceability or another specialist issue matters, obtain the appropriate additional evidence and advice. Free and paid sources can work together without either being presented as certification or a guarantee.