Quick Verdict
Choose MinuteKeep if you:
- ✓ Already have an incorporated company and need to catch up on minute book records
- ✓ Need PDF and Word format documents you can edit
- ✓ Have past years with missing annual resolutions to fill in
- ✓ Manage multiple corporations (holdco + opco structures)
- ✓ Need an ISC register automatically generated with look-through logic
- ✓ Want the lowest annual cost for ongoing compliance
Ownr may suit you better if you:
- → Are incorporating a new company and want incorporation + compliance bundled
- → Want a more guided onboarding experience for first-time incorporators
- → Are primarily based in Ontario or B.C.
Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | MinuteKeep | Ownr |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | ||
| Full minute book (all required docs) | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| PDF format | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Word (.docx) format — editable | ✓ Yes, always | ~ Limited availability |
| ISC register (auto-generated) | ✓ Yes, with look-through | ~ Basic support |
| Annual resolutions (auto-generated each year) | ✓ Yes, auto-scheduled | ~ Available |
| Past-year minute books (backfill) | ✓ Yes, any past year | ✗ Not supported |
| Professional corporation support (Ontario PC) | ✓ Full support | ✗ Not supported |
| Holding company / multi-corp ISC look-through | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Dividend resolutions | ✓ Yes | ~ Basic |
| Uncertificated shares | ✓ Yes | ✗ Not available |
| Jurisdictions | ||
| Federal CBCA | ✓ Full support | ✓ Full support |
| Ontario (OBCA) | ✓ Full support | ✓ Full support |
| British Columbia | ✓ Supported | ✓ Supported |
| Alberta | ✓ Supported | ~ Limited |
| Pricing | ||
| Free tier | ✓ First resolution free | ✓ Limited free access |
| Full access pricing | $99 CAD/yr per corp | $20–$49 CAD/mo (higher for annual) |
| Incorporation service | ✗ Not offered | ✓ Yes (Ontario/federal) |
Comparison based on publicly available information as of July 2026. Feature sets change — verify current capabilities directly with each vendor before purchasing.
Where MinuteKeep Wins
Past-year minute books and backfilling
MinuteKeep Pro can generate your complete minute book as it stood at the end of any past fiscal year — every register, resolution, and certificate reflecting exactly who the directors, officers, and shareholders were at that year-end. This is essential for corporations whose records have never been kept up, or for corporations you acquired with incomplete books. Ownr does not support retroactive generation.
Professional corporations
MinuteKeep fully supports Ontario professional corporations (dental PCs, medical PCs, law PCs, accounting PCs) — including the restricted share structure where voting shares must be held only by the licensed professional. Share certificates, registers, and resolutions are all generated to reflect the PC-specific restrictions. Ownr does not support professional corporations.
ISC register look-through for holdco structures
When a holding company owns shares in an operating company, the ISC register of the operating company must look through the holdco to identify the ultimate human owners. MinuteKeep handles this automatically when both corporations are in the same account. This is a critical compliance requirement that most tools ignore.
Word format (always editable)
Every MinuteKeep document — minute books, annual resolutions, share certificates — is delivered as both PDF and Word (.docx). The Word version lets you or your lawyer make adjustments before signing, which is essential for corporations with unusual structures or provisions. This is standard at law firms and should be standard in any compliance tool.
Where Ownr Wins
Incorporation bundled with compliance
Ownr offers incorporation services directly in their platform — you can incorporate a federal or Ontario company and immediately get your initial minute book documents in one place. MinuteKeep focuses on compliance for existing corporations and does not offer incorporation. If you haven't incorporated yet and want a single-platform experience, Ownr's all-in-one approach has merit.
Guided experience for first-time incorporators
Ownr is designed for people who are incorporating for the first time and need more guidance. Their UX tends to be more hand-holding for the initial setup. MinuteKeep assumes you already have a corporation and focuses on producing the most legally complete documents as efficiently as possible.
Switching from Ownr to MinuteKeep
Switching is straightforward. Import your corporation directly from the federal or provincial registry and MinuteKeep generates a fresh, complete minute book automatically. If you have existing documents from Ownr, you can upload them to keep everything in one place. Most users are up and running in under 10 minutes.
Try MinuteKeep Free →Common Questions
Is MinuteKeep cheaper than Ownr?
For ongoing compliance (after incorporation), yes — MinuteKeep is $99 CAD/yr per corporation regardless of how many documents you generate. Ownr's ongoing plans range from approximately $20–$49 CAD/month depending on the plan, which works out to $240–$588 CAD/yr.
Can I use MinuteKeep if I incorporated with Ownr?
Yes. MinuteKeep works for any existing Canadian corporation, regardless of how or where you incorporated. Import from the ISED federal registry or enter your details manually, and MinuteKeep generates a complete up-to-date minute book from your information.
Do both tools generate an ISC register?
Both generate some form of ISC register. MinuteKeep's ISC logic automatically looks through corporate shareholders to identify the ultimate individual beneficial owners — essential for holdco structures. This look-through functionality is a specific legal requirement under the CBCA and OBCA that many tools handle incompletely.