Comparing company incorporation packages in Singapore is harder than it should be. The headline price rarely tells the full story, because one provider quotes S$700 "all-in" while another quotes S$2,800 for the identical legal entity.
The official fees themselves are fixed and public. In 2026, the Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority (ACRA) charges S$15 to reserve a company name and S$300 to register a new business entity, so your baseline is S$315 before any professional service fee. What separates packages is everything layered on top: the registered office address, corporate secretarial support, accounting, tax filing and, for many foreign founders, a local nominee director.
Why does this matter? A package that looks cheap can cost more once renewals and add-ons are counted. A package that omits compliance support can also leave you scrambling when the first annual return falls due. Processing time matters too, because most founders want a company number in hand before opening a bank account or signing contracts.
In this blog, we put typical Singapore incorporation packages side by side. We set out the confirmed 2026 ACRA fees, compare what each package tier usually includes, explain nominee director pricing and give realistic processing times so you can judge any quote like a local.
Table of Contents
What Should You Compare in a Singapore Incorporation Package?
Five things matter most: the fixed government fees, the registered address, secretarial support, nominee director arrangements and recurring accounting work. Two providers can differ by more than S$2,000 while registering the identical company. Here is what to look for in each.
1. Government fees and disbursements
ACRA sets these fees by regulation, so they are identical everywhere. In 2026 the baseline is S$315: S$15 to reserve the name and S$300 to register the entity. A fair quote tells you plainly whether those official fees sit inside or outside the package price.
2. Registered office address
Every Singapore company must keep a registered office, but there is no longer a minimum daily public opening-hours requirement. If you do not have your own address, expect an address line item, usually billed monthly or yearly.
3. Corporate secretarial support
Companies must appoint a secretary, and the statutory workload continues long after incorporation. Check whether the package covers the first twelve months of secretarial work or only lodges the incorporation itself.
4. Nominee director arrangements
Every company needs at least one director who is locally resident. Foreign founders without their own local director usually add a nominee director service, which may be bundled or priced separately and is renewed each year.
5. Accounting, tax and GST add-ons
Bookkeeping, financial statements and tax filing are recurring obligations. Some packages bundle a first year of accounting. Others bill monthly, which changes the two-year maths considerably.
How Much Are the Official Company Registration Fees in Singapore?
S$315 in total covers the incorporation itself, before any professional service fee. According to ACRA's published fee schedule, the fees below applied as at the guide's January 2026 update. They are payable whether you file yourself or engage a corporate services provider.
The process runs in two steps. The S$15 name application is submitted first through ACRA's Bizfile portal, and the S$300 registration fee follows at the filing stage. Position holders must provide a contact address at registration, and ACRA charges no fee to register it.
Post-incorporation filings carry their own fees. Annual returns cost S$60 each year, and an extension of time application costs S$200 if your accounts run late. Most providers bill these separately, so renewal terms deserve a line in your notes.
ACRA Fees for Company Registration in 2026
| ACRA eService or filing | Fee (S$) | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Apply for a new business entity name | 15 | Before incorporation, for every company |
| Register a new business entity | 300 | One-off, at the incorporation filing |
| Provision of a contact address | 0 | Required for each position holder at registration |
| File annual returns | 60 | Every year after incorporation |
| Extension of time for accounts or annual general meeting | 200 | If you need longer to file |
| Register a new charge | 60 | When a lender takes security over company assets |
| Convert company type | 40 | If you change structure later |
What Do Typical Singapore Incorporation Package Tiers Include?
These indicative package and nominee director price ranges are drawn from the market quotes our team reviews for clients; most Singapore providers cluster into three tiers. The table below compares them with indicative market ranges; only the government fees inside them are fixed. Pricing varies with scope, bundled duration and the firm's own overheads.
The maths barely changes across industries. A founder starting a jewelry business in Singapore pays the same S$315 in ACRA fees as a deep-tech start-up. What differs is the support wrapped around the filing, and that is where packages earn or lose their price.
Treat the ranges as orientation, not a quotation. If you would like our team to check a quote for your structure, contact us. Locals with their own address, director and secretary can start at the basic tier. Foreigners must engage a registered filing agent, such as a corporate services firm, which usually lands them in the comprehensive tier.
One discipline keeps the evaluation fair: any honest Singapore company incorporation package comparison should weigh the second-year cost, not just the sign-up fee. Renewals for address, secretary, accounting and nominee services are where the real differences hide.
For a rough two-year picture:
- Basic tier: S$600 – S$1,000 in year one; year two adds no package renewals, but you still pay separately for any address, secretary, accounting and annual return services you use.
- Standard tier: S$1,500 – S$2,500 in year one; year two typically adds about S$300 – S$600 for the registered address plus any secretarial or accounting renewals.
- Comprehensive tier: S$3,000 – S$5,000 and up in year one; year two typically adds about S$1,800 – S$3,600 for the nominee director and about S$300 – S$600 for the address, plus accounting and tax renewals.
1. Basic incorporation-only packages
These cover the name reservation, the incorporation filing and the core documents, such as the company constitution and share certificates. Almost nothing here recurs into year two, so budget separately for ongoing compliance.
2. Standard start-up packages
The most common tier adds a registered office address, twelve months of corporate secretarial service and often bank account opening support. Once trading starts, our guide on how to optimise your tax filing process in Singapore can also keep the recurring cost down.
3. Comprehensive investor packages
Built for overseas shareholders, these add nominee director services, accounting, tax filing and multi-shareholder structuring. Expect stricter know-your-client checks and a signed service agreement covering the nominee arrangement.
Typical Singapore Incorporation Package Tiers Compared
| Package tier | Indicative price (S$) | Common inclusions | Best suited to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (incorporation only) | 600 – 1,000 | Name reservation, incorporation filing, government fees, constitution and share certificates | Locals with their own address, director and secretary |
| Standard (start-up) | 1,500 – 2,500 | Basic scope plus registered office address and 12 months of corporate secretarial service | First-time founders wanting year-one compliance handled |
| Comprehensive (investor) | 3,000 – 5,000 and up | Standard scope plus nominee director, accounting, tax filing and bank opening support | Foreign founders and multi-shareholder structures |
Which Singapore Incorporation Packages Include a Nominee Director?
Most comprehensive packages do, and the reason is legal. The Companies Act requires every company to have at least one director who is ordinarily resident in Singapore. The director must be ordinarily resident in Singapore and meet the applicable eligibility requirements, including any relevant work-pass conditions.
Employment Pass holders need a Letter of Consent from the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) before taking a directorship in another company. Founders who stay overseas may appoint a nominee director if they do not already have an eligible ordinarily resident director. Owners can retain beneficial ownership and manage day-to-day operations, but a nominee director retains statutory duties and cannot simply surrender their responsibilities to the owners.
Because the nominee carries personal compliance exposure, the service is priced per year and involves rigorous know-your-client checks. Indicative market pricing runs from about S$1,800 to S$3,600 per year. The fee is included in the comprehensive tier described above but may be charged separately with other packages; check the included period and renewal cost. Most firms also require a security deposit, and some charge a replacement fee when you later install your own director.
1. When you need a nominee director
You need to appoint an eligible ordinarily resident director if your board does not already have one; that director need not be a nominee. That covers most founders who plan to run the company from overseas, at least initially.
2. What a proper arrangement includes
Expect a signed service agreement, documented know-your-client onboarding, and a local resident individual who consents to act as director. Directors give their consent using the prescribed Form 45, which does not need to be lodged with ACRA.
3. What to check before signing
Confirm the nominee's residency status, the termination notice period, and who handles bank mandates and routine filings day to day. Vague terms in these contracts cause the most friction we see when clients switch providers.
What a Nominee Director Package Costs and Covers
| Component | What it covers | Typical cost |
|---|---|---|
| Nominee director service | A Singapore resident individual appointed as local director | About S$1,800 – 3,600 per year, indicative |
| KYC and onboarding | Identity and background checks on the owners | Often bundled, sometimes a one-off fee |
| Registered office address | Use of the provider's address for ACRA records | About S$300 – 600 per year, indicative |
| Security deposit or indemnity | Protection required by some providers | Varies by provider |
| Replacement or exit | Resignation and handover once your own director is appointed | Check the contract before signing |
How Long Does Singapore Company Registration Take in 2026?
Faster than most founders expect. GoBusiness guidance states that registrations are usually approved within 15 minutes of the registration fee being paid. ACRA says most applications are approved soon after payment; separate position-holder endorsements are not required when a corporate service provider files the registration.
The clock actually starts earlier. Name reservation typically clears within minutes to a working day. Where endorsements are required, directors, secretaries and shareholders must endorse within 60 days; a position holder who files the registration does not need a separate endorsement. Registrations involving regulated activities, such as finance or education, are referred to the relevant authority.
Three situations stretch the timeline. ACRA allows complex applications up to 15 working days for review, and referred applications can take 14 to 60 days depending on the authority involved. Beyond that, bank account opening adds its own verification, typically days to weeks.
We cover these sticking points in more detail in our article on common challenges in company incorporation and how to overcome them. The short version: prepare clean identity documents early, choose your company name carefully, and respond to endorsement requests the same day.
Singapore Company Registration Processing Times in 2026
| Stage | Typical timing | When it takes longer |
|---|---|---|
| Name reservation | Minutes to 1 working day | If the name must be referred to another authority |
| Incorporation approval | Usually within 15 minutes of payment | Complex applications may take up to 15 working days |
| Referral authority review | 14 to 60 days | For regulated activities such as finance or education |
| Position holder endorsements | Within 60 days of submission | If a director or shareholder is slow to endorse |
| Bank account opening | Days to weeks | Depends on the bank's own verification checks |
Conclusion
A useful comparison starts with the fixed numbers: S$315 in 2026 ACRA fees for the name and the registration itself. From there, weigh each package against what your situation actually needs. Registered address, corporate secretary, accounting and, for overseas founders, a nominee director are the levers that move both price and value. Then compare second-year costs and timeline promises before you sign.
At SG Company Incorporation, we register companies for local founders and foreign investors every week. We scope packages the way this comparison does: itemised government fees, clear service inclusions and honest renewal pricing. Corporate secretarial support, local nominee directors, tax filing and compliance management are available as your company grows.
If you are weighing quotes right now, send them over. We will show you what is included, what is missing and what a fair package comparison looks like for your structure.
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Frequently Asked Questions
ACRA's fixed fees are S$15 for the name application and S$300 for registration, or S$315 in total. Provider packages then range from roughly S$600 for basic incorporation-only help to S$3,000 or more for comprehensive packages with a nominee director, accounting and tax support. Renewals and add-ons are billed separately in the cheaper tiers.
A standard package typically includes name reservation, incorporation filing, government fees, core documents, a registered office address and 12 months of corporate secretarial service. Bank account opening support is often included.
Straightforward cases are usually approved within 15 minutes of the fee being paid, per GoBusiness guidance. ACRA allows up to 15 working days for complex applications, and referred applications can take 14 to 60 days. Where endorsements are required, they must be completed within 60 days of submission; separate endorsements are not required when a corporate service provider files the registration.
Not necessarily. Your company needs an eligible ordinarily resident director, but that director need not be a nominee. Foreign founders must also engage a registered filing agent to submit the application. Nominee director services typically cost about S$1,800 to S$3,600 per year, with know-your-client checks required.
Scope and duration. Differences usually come from whether the registered address, corporate secretary, accounting and nominee director are included, how many months of service are bundled, and whether the S$315 in government fees sits inside or outside the headline price. Comparing second-year costs often reveals the real difference.
SG Company Incorporation
Author
SG Company Incorporation is a Singapore corporate services provider that helps entrepreneurs and foreign investors register a company in Singapore and keep it compliant, with support for company secretarial, nominee director and tax filing needs.
