Trading Online Voucher: €2,500 Towards Your Website
The Irish government will cover half the cost of getting your business online, up to €2,500. Here's who qualifies for the Trading Online Voucher, what it covers, and how to apply through your Local Enterprise Office.
Most Irish small business owners have never heard of it, but the Trading Online Voucher is one of the best supports in the country: your Local Enterprise Office will cover 50% of the cost of getting your business trading online, up to €2,500 in matched funding. A €1,699 professional website could effectively cost you €850 out of pocket. Here's how it works and how to get it.
Who qualifies
The headline rules are refreshingly simple. Your business should have:
- Fewer than 10 employees
- At least 6 months of trading history
- Turnover under €2 million
- No previous Trading Online Voucher (a second voucher is sometimes possible, ask your LEO)
- A location in the Republic of Ireland
What it covers
The scheme is about trading online, not just having a web page. That means the strongest applications involve a site that can take orders, bookings or payments, or that clearly supports selling: think online ordering for a restaurant, a booking system for a salon or clinic, or an online shop for a retailer. Development costs, related software and some digital marketing spend can all fall under the voucher.
If you're only after a simple brochure site with no trading element, talk to your LEO first, the fit varies. Our advice: if you're getting a site anyway, build in the booking or ordering capability the voucher is designed for. It usually pays for itself.
How to apply, step by step
The process is straightforward and handled entirely through your county's Local Enterprise Office:
- Find your LEO at localenterprise.ie (every county has one)
- Sit the short information session, it's free, online and usually required
- Get a written quote from your website provider (that's where we come in)
- Submit the application form with your quote attached
- Wait for approval BEFORE any work starts, spend before approval isn't covered
- After the work is done, submit your invoices and the voucher pays out its share
The small print worth knowing
Approval must come before the project starts, so don't commission work and apply afterwards. The voucher is matched funding, meaning you pay your half (and typically the full invoice first, reclaiming the voucher's share, your LEO will confirm the exact payment process). And each LEO has an annual budget, so availability can vary through the year, apply early rather than late.
If you want a hand, talk to us before you apply: we'll scope your project, give you the written quote your application needs, and build the site once you're approved. Fixed pricing from €399 means your application has a clean, exact number on it.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Trading Online Voucher worth?
Up to €2,500, structured as matched funding: the scheme covers 50% of your approved costs. So a €3,400 project gets €1,700 of support, and anything from €5,000 up gets the full €2,500.
Who is eligible for the Trading Online Voucher?
Businesses in the Republic of Ireland with fewer than 10 employees, at least 6 months of trading, turnover under €2 million and no previous voucher. You apply through your county's Local Enterprise Office, and most LEOs ask you to attend a short free information session first.
Can the voucher pay for a new website?
Yes, when the site supports trading online: taking orders, bookings or payments, or clearly enabling sales. A pure brochure site with no trading element is a weaker fit, so check with your LEO, or simply build in the booking or ordering feature the scheme is designed to fund.
How long does the voucher process take?
Allow a few weeks from information session to approval, though it varies by LEO and time of year. The key rule: get approval before any work begins, because costs incurred before approval aren't covered.