Short answer
Use a virtual address if you need a registered office or a professional business address. A PO Box is a mail redirection number, cannot be used on its own as a Companies House registered office, and is not accepted by most UK banks.
Side-by-side comparison
| Virtual address | PO Box | |
|---|---|---|
| Usable as Companies House registered office | Yes | No, not on its own |
| Looks like a real street address | Yes | No — shown as a PO Box |
| Mail scanned and emailed to you | Yes | No |
| Mail forwarding worldwide | Yes | UK redirection only |
| Accepted by most UK banks | Usually | Rarely |
| Can receive couriers and parcels | Yes | Limited |
| Typical UK cost | From £9.99/month | From about £30/month |
When a PO Box still makes sense
A PO Box is reasonable if you only want to keep a home address off marketing material and have no company filing, banking or credibility requirement. For anything company-facing, a virtual street address is the stronger option and usually cheaper.
Related questions
Keep reading
Last reviewed 2026-08-07. General information, not legal advice.