Marketing or advertising agency companies in Edinburgh
303 marketing or advertising agency companies have a registered office in Edinburgh, and 99 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £36,503 in cash and owed £15,893 at year end.
The numbers
| Measure | Edinburgh | UK |
|---|---|---|
| Registered companies | 303 | 33,083 |
| Formed in 2025 or 2026 | 99 (33%) | 33% |
| Being struck off or in liquidation | 24 (7.9%) | 9.2% |
| Typical cash at year end | £36,50362 accounts | £17,802 |
| Typical amount owed at year end | £15,893153 accounts | £14,687 |
| Typical number of employees | 1154 accounts | 1 |
What this means if you’re starting one
You can start without much equipment
The typical marketing or advertising agency company in Edinburgh carries £2,242 of equipment and other fixed assets after depreciation, lower than 94% of UK industries.
Most of the cost of entry is time and running costs rather than kit, so a small test is cheap.
Most of your competition will be other newcomers
33% of the 303 marketing or advertising agency companies in Edinburgh were formed in 2025–26, against 23% of all companies in Edinburgh. Nationally, that share of new companies is higher than 92% of UK industries.
New rivals are arriving faster than in most trades, so your customers already have fresh options. Being new is not a difference on its own.
Most of these businesses are run by one or two people
The typical marketing or advertising agency company in Edinburgh reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 2 or more (154 filings).
You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.
Planning a business like this in Edinburgh?
Answer two questions about your customer and what makes you different, and get a free three-week plan to test the idea before you spend real money. No account or card.
Check my ideaWhat these figures can’t tell you
Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.
Marketing or advertising agency in other places
- Glasgow397 companies
- London10,410 companies
- Manchester1,001 companies
- Birmingham767 companies
- Cardiff549 companies
- Brighton499 companies
- Ipswich468 companies
- Leeds467 companies
Other businesses in Edinburgh
- Buy-to-let landlord3,027 companies
- Business consultancy2,252 companies
- IT support or consultancy1,469 companies
- Dog grooming and other personal services1,334 companies
- Online shop1,300 companies
- Web design and software1,293 companies
- Takeaway and street food964 companies
- Restaurant937 companies