Top Companies in Manchester
Manchester is one of the UK's most important regional business centres, with a diverse economy spanning technology, media, financial services, and manufacturing. Here are the top companies in Manchester for 2026, ranked by employee count.
| # | Company | Location | Employees | Revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CO-OPERATIVE GROUP LIMITED | Manchester | 60,000 | £11.5B |
| One of the world's largest consumer co-operatives, operating food retail, insurance, legal services, and funeral care. The Co-op has been headquartered in Manchester for over 160 years. | ||||
| 2 | JD SPORTS FASHION PLC | Bury | 51,000 | £10.4B |
| FTSE 100 sports fashion retailer operating over 4,850 stores across 49 countries. JD Sports has grown from a single store in Bury to become one of the world's leading multi-brand retailers. | ||||
| 3 | THG PLC | Manchester | 6,000 | £1.9B |
| Global e-commerce technology group operating beauty, nutrition, and technology businesses. THG's Ingenuity platform provides end-to-end e-commerce solutions to major brands worldwide. | ||||
| 4 | BOOHOO.COM UK LIMITED | Manchester | 3,000 | £1.8B |
| Online fast fashion retailer operating 13 brands including boohoo, PrettyLittleThing, Nasty Gal, Karen Millen, and Debenhams. Boohoo is one of Manchester's biggest startup success stories. | ||||
| 5 | AO WORLD PLC | Bolton | 3,000 | £1.2B |
| Online electricals retailer delivering appliances, TVs, computing, and smart home technology. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, AO World has grown from a Bolton startup to a major online retailer. | ||||
| 6 | NCC GROUP PLC | Manchester | 2,300 | £350.0M |
| Global cybersecurity and risk mitigation specialist providing penetration testing, security consulting, and managed detection and response. Listed on the London Stock Exchange. | ||||
| 7 | DARKTRACE HOLDINGS LIMITED | Cambridge | 2,400 | £600.0M |
| AI-powered cybersecurity company using self-learning technology to detect and respond to cyber threats in real time. Darktrace has a significant engineering presence in Manchester. | ||||
| 8 | MULTIVERSE GROUP LIMITED | London | 1,000 | £120.0M |
| Professional apprenticeship platform with a major Manchester office, providing technology apprenticeships to companies across the North West. Multiverse is one of the UK's fastest-growing edtech companies. | ||||
| 9 | PEAK AI LIMITED | Manchester | 250 | £30.0M |
| Manchester-headquartered decision intelligence platform helping commercial teams optimise pricing, inventory, demand forecasting, and customer engagement using AI. | ||||
| 10 | AVECTO LTD | Manchester | 275 | £38.9M |
| Manchester-based endpoint privilege management company (now BeyondTrust) that pioneered solutions for removing admin rights from endpoints while maintaining user productivity. | ||||
| 11 | BRIDEWELL GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED | Reading | 268 | £38.6M |
| Cybersecurity services provider offering managed detection and response, penetration testing, and security consultancy with offices in Manchester and across the UK. | ||||
| 12 | CLEO AI LTD. | London | 300 | £100.0M |
| AI-powered personal finance assistant with a growing Manchester engineering team. Cleo helps millions of users manage their money through conversational AI. | ||||
| 13 | SPARX LIMITED | Exeter | 200 | £25.0M |
| Evidence-based maths learning platform widely used across Greater Manchester schools. Sparx Maths uses AI to personalise homework for secondary school students. | ||||
| 14 | MY TUTORWEB LIMITED | London | 200 | £25.0M |
| Online tutoring marketplace connecting Manchester school students with university tutors. MyTutor partners with schools across Greater Manchester to provide targeted academic support. | ||||
| 15 | SNYK LIMITED | London | 1,100 | £250.0M |
| Developer security platform with a Manchester engineering hub. Snyk helps software teams find and fix vulnerabilities in code across the Northern tech ecosystem. | ||||
| 16 | FEATURESPACE LIMITED | Cambridge | 500 | £60.0M |
| Adaptive behavioural analytics company with operations in the North West. Featurespace uses machine learning to detect financial crime and fraud in real time. | ||||
| 17 | IWOCA LTD | London | 500 | £130.0M |
| Small business lending platform providing flexible credit facilities to Manchester's thriving SME sector. iwoca has lent over £3 billion to more than 100,000 small businesses. | ||||
| 18 | TIDE PLATFORM LTD | London | 1,600 | £170.0M |
| Business banking platform used by thousands of Manchester SMEs and freelancers for current accounts, invoicing, and expense management. | ||||
| 19 | SUMUP PAYMENTS LIMITED | London | 700 | £150.0M |
| Mobile payment platform used by Manchester's independent retailers, market traders, and hospitality businesses to accept card payments through portable terminals. | ||||
| 20 | KALLIDUS LIMITED | Altrincham | 400 | £50.0M |
| Learning and talent management platform headquartered in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. Kallidus serves hundreds of companies with e-learning, compliance training, and recruitment tools. | ||||
Manchester has established itself as one of the UK's most dynamic business cities outside London, with a thriving economy built on a diverse mix of industries. The city and its surrounding area form the heart of the Northern Powerhouse, an initiative aimed at boosting economic growth across the north of England.
The city has a particularly strong presence in media and creative industries, anchored by MediaCityUK at Salford Quays which houses the BBC, ITV, and numerous production companies. Manchester is also a significant centre for financial services, technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
Manchester benefits from excellent transport links including an international airport, strong rail connections, and proximity to other major northern cities. The city's universities, including the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, provide a steady pipeline of graduates and support research and innovation in key sectors.
This ranking lists the largest companies in the Manchester area by employee count, covering all industries and sectors. Click on any company to access their detailed CompanyTrack profile with financial accounts, director details, and filing history.
Frequently Asked Questions
What area does this Manchester list cover?
The list includes companies with registered offices within approximately 15 kilometres of Manchester city centre. This covers the wider Greater Manchester area including Salford, Stockport, Trafford, and other surrounding boroughs.
What are Manchester's strongest business sectors?
Manchester has particular strengths in media and creative industries, financial and professional services, technology, life sciences, and advanced manufacturing. The city is also a growing centre for e-commerce and digital businesses.
How does Manchester compare to other UK cities for business?
Manchester is generally considered the most significant UK business centre outside London. It has the largest regional office market, one of the fastest-growing tech sectors, and a large concentration of financial services companies.
Where can I find more information about these companies?
Click on any company name to view their full profile on CompanyTrack, which provides financial data, director information, shareholder details, and a complete history of Companies House filings.