← Singapore hubs Dropshipper
Singapore English (English) $ SGD
Ivan is a solo e-commerce entrepreneur navigating the fast-paced world of dropshipping from his home office. He balances the need for low-cost business compliance, digital upskilling, and managing his personal CPF savings while scaling his online storefronts.
Ensuring my ACRA filings and tax obligations are handled so I don't get flagged by the authorities.
BizFile+ Portal national · Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority
Who qualifies Any individual starting a sole proprietorship or private limited company.
What you get Legal registration of business name and entity status.
What it actually costs you Registration fee from $15, plus annual renewal fees; requires Singpass.
Common gotcha Forgetting to renew the business registration annually leads to late penalties.
IRAS Income Tax Filing national · Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore
Who qualifies All business owners earning income in Singapore.
What you get Compliance with national tax laws and avoidance of penalties.
What it actually costs you Requires detailed record-keeping of expenses; no fee to file.
Common gotcha Dropshippers often forget to declare foreign-sourced income if it's not remitted, which is now taxable under certain conditions.
InvoiceNow national · Infocomm Media Development Authority
Who qualifies Businesses looking to digitalise invoicing processes.
What you get Faster payment cycles and integration with accounting software.
What it actually costs you Requires compatible accounting software; free to register.
Common gotcha It is not mandatory for small dropshippers, but highly recommended for efficiency.
Corppass national · Government Technology Agency
Who qualifies Registered business entities.
What you get Digital identity for accessing government services as a business.
What it actually costs you Free; requires Singpass to set up.
Common gotcha Confusing personal Singpass with Corppass for business transactions.
IPOS Trademark Registration national · Intellectual Property Office of Singapore
Who qualifies Business owners wanting to protect their brand name/logo.
What you get Legal protection of brand assets.
What it actually costs you Application fees starting from $240; process takes 6-12 months.
Common gotcha Trademarking is territorial; it only protects you in Singapore.
PDPA Advisory national · Personal Data Protection Commission
Who qualifies Any business handling customer data.
What you get Guidelines on how to store and process customer information legally.
What it actually costs you Free; requires time to implement data policies.
Common gotcha Dropshippers often neglect privacy policies on their websites. Using government credits to learn digital marketing and e-commerce without paying full price.
SkillsFuture Credit national · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Singaporeans aged 25 and above.
What you get $500 initial credit + $500 top-up for approved courses.
What it actually costs you Free; must use for accredited courses.
Common gotcha Credits expire if not used, though top-ups have been extended.
Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Local SMEs looking to adopt pre-approved digital solutions.
What you get Up to 50% funding for IT solutions like accounting or CRM software.
What it actually costs you Requires upfront payment; reimbursement after implementation.
Common gotcha Must apply before purchasing the software.
WSQ Accredited Courses national · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Any Singaporean looking to upskill.
What you get Subsidised fees for professional digital marketing training.
What it actually costs you Out-of-pocket costs after subsidies; usually 70-90% covered.
Common gotcha Only courses listed on the SkillsFuture portal are eligible.
Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) national · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies SMEs with at least 30% local shareholding.
What you get Funding for business upgrading projects.
What it actually costs you Requires detailed project proposal; competitive application.
Common gotcha High barrier to entry for solo dropshippers.
SMEs Go Digital national · IMDA
Who qualifies Local SMEs.
What you get Advisory and access to digital consultants.
What it actually costs you Free consultation.
Common gotcha Often overlooked by solo entrepreneurs.
Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy national · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Singaporeans aged 40 and above.
What you get Higher subsidy for course fees (up to 90%).
What it actually costs you Remaining course fee balance.
Common gotcha Must be 40+ at the time of course registration. As a freelancer/business owner, I need to manage my own CPF contributions to ensure I have a retirement safety net.
CPF Voluntary Contribution national · Central Provident Fund Board
Who qualifies Self-employed individuals.
What you get Tax relief and interest on retirement savings.
What it actually costs you Voluntary cash top-ups.
Common gotcha Contributions are non-refundable once made.
MediSave Top-up national · Central Provident Fund Board
Who qualifies Self-employed individuals.
What you get Funds for future medical expenses.
What it actually costs you Voluntary contributions.
Common gotcha Mandatory if you have net trade income above a certain threshold.
Supplementary Retirement Scheme (SRS) national · Ministry of Finance
Who qualifies Singaporeans and PRs.
What you get Tax-deferred savings for retirement.
What it actually costs you Annual contribution limits apply; withdrawal penalties before age 62.
Common gotcha Money in SRS is not invested by default; you must choose the investment products.
Workfare Income Supplement (WIS) national · CPF Board
Who qualifies Low-income self-employed persons meeting specific criteria.
What you get Cash and CPF top-ups.
What it actually costs you Must declare net trade income to IRAS.
Common gotcha You must have declared your income to qualify.
Dependants' Protection Scheme national · Great Eastern (under CPF)
Who qualifies CPF members.
What you get Term life insurance coverage.
What it actually costs you Annual premiums deducted from CPF Ordinary Account.
Common gotcha Coverage is basic; you might need additional private insurance.
MediShield Life national · CPF Board
Who qualifies All Singaporeans and PRs.
What you get Basic health insurance for large hospital bills.
What it actually costs you Annual premiums paid via MediSave.
Common gotcha It is a basic plan; private integrated plans are separate. Using public portals and services to handle logistics and digital identity.
Singpass national · GovTech
Who qualifies All citizens and residents.
What you get Access to all government digital services.
What it actually costs you Free; requires smartphone.
Common gotcha Losing access to your phone makes logging in difficult.
SingPost SmartPac national · Singapore Post
Who qualifies General public.
What you get Flat-rate shipping for small parcels.
What it actually costs you Purchase price of the SmartPac envelope.
Common gotcha Weight limits are strict.
MyInfo national · GovTech
Who qualifies All Singpass users.
What you get Auto-filling of personal data for forms.
What it actually costs you Free.
Common gotcha Ensure your data is updated in the system.
NLB Digital Resources national · National Library Board
Who qualifies All citizens/residents.
What you get Free access to e-books, journals, and market research databases.
What it actually costs you Free with library membership.
Common gotcha Requires active NLB account.
TechPass national · GovTech
Who qualifies Vendors working with government agencies.
What you get Access to government development environments.
What it actually costs you Free; requires vetting.
Common gotcha Only for specific B2G projects.
SimplyGo national · Land Transport Authority
Who qualifies General public.
What you get Contactless payment for public transit.
What it actually costs you Standard fare rates.
Common gotcha Check your card balance regularly. 1states & territories — open one to see what it offers.
Singapore新加坡 Singapore offers a highly digitized, low-tax environment for dropshippers to scale their e-commerce operations through government-backed grants and digital transformation support.
Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) 生产力提升津贴 state · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Singapore-registered businesses with at least 30% local shareholding.
What you get Up to 50% funding support for pre-approved digital solutions like e-commerce platforms and inventory management software.
What it actually costs you Requires a valid CorpPass; claimable after purchasing the pre-approved solution.
Common gotcha You must apply for the grant before signing the contract with the vendor.
Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) 企业发展计划 state · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Businesses ready to upgrade, innovate, or expand overseas.
What you get Covers up to 50% of qualifying project costs like consultancy, software development, and certification.
What it actually costs you Requires a detailed project proposal and audited financial statements.
Common gotcha The project must be substantive and not just routine business operations.
SkillsFuture Enterprise Credit (SFEC) 技能创前程企业补助 state · SkillsFuture Singapore
Who qualifies Employers who have contributed at least S$750 in Skills Development Levy over a qualifying period.
What you get One-off S$10,000 credit to cover up to 90% of out-of-pocket expenses for enterprise transformation and workforce training.
What it actually costs you Automatic qualification for eligible firms; no application needed.
Common gotcha The credit expires if not used for approved programs within the stipulated timeframe.
Digital Resilience Bonus 数码韧性奖金 state · IMDA
Who qualifies F&B and Retail businesses adopting PayNow Corporate and e-invoicing.
What you get Payouts of up to S$5,000 for adopting advanced digital solutions.
What it actually costs you Requires proof of transaction volume and digital tool integration.
Common gotcha Only applies to specific sectors; dropshippers must ensure their business code qualifies.
Enterprise Financing Scheme (EFS) 企业融资计划 state · Enterprise Singapore
Who qualifies Singapore-based SMEs needing working capital or trade financing.
What you get Government risk-sharing of up to 70% on loans from participating financial institutions.
What it actually costs you Standard bank interest rates and processing fees apply.
Common gotcha This is a loan, not a grant; you must prove repayment capability.
Double Tax Deduction for Internationalization (DTDi) 国际化双重税务扣除 state · Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore (IRAS)
Who qualifies Businesses expanding into overseas markets.
What you get 200% tax deduction on eligible expenses like overseas marketing and business development.
What it actually costs you Requires meticulous record-keeping of marketing spend and international sales proof.
Common gotcha Must be approved by Enterprise Singapore or Singapore Tourism Board for specific activities.
One honest app. Real lives, real businesses. Free for what people need, paid only for what runs a business — on our own model, our own metal.
Where we run
Bangalore + Czechia
Our own metal · GDPR · DPDPA
