How to Choose a Web Design Company in Singapore
Short answer: choose a web design company by its written answers to 8 questions: who owns the domain, code and hosting; who writes the copy; how many edit rounds are included; every monthly fee; how existing URLs are migrated; how the site is prepared for AI search; the weeks to a first draft; and references you can contact. Compare the answers side by side. The lowest quote often excludes copy, migration or hosting after year one.
Price ranges below come from published Singapore packages and price guides, checked October 2026.
What does a website cost in Singapore?
| Type of site | Published range |
|---|---|
| Small business site, up to about 5 pages | From about S$2,500 |
| Larger site, 10 to 15 pages | From about S$4,500 |
| E-commerce package | From about S$6,500 |
| Custom corporate site | About S$6,000 to S$35,000 |
| E-commerce, custom | About S$5,000 to S$50,000 |
Several published packages say "starting from" and then "contact for pricing". Ask for one fixed figure in writing. The full breakdown is in website design cost in Singapore.
The 8 questions to ask
1. Who owns the domain, the code and the hosting?
Ask for each one by name. The domain should be registered to your company in an account you control. The code should sit in a repository you can access, such as your own GitHub account. The hosting account should be in your name or transferable on request.
If the agency holds any of the three, leaving later means rebuilding or negotiating. Get the answer in the contract.
2. Who writes the copy?
Many quotes assume you supply every word. Copy is the most common cause of delay, because the site waits for text. Ask whether the agency writes the pages, how many pages are included, and how you approve them.
3. How many rounds of edits are included?
Two or three rounds are common in published packages. Ask what counts as a round, what an extra round costs, and whether new pages count as edits. "Unlimited revisions" with no defined scope usually ends in a dispute about scope.
4. What are the monthly fees, all of them?
List every recurring cost:
- Hosting.
- Domain renewal.
- Email accounts.
- Page builder, theme or plugin licences.
- Maintenance and security updates.
- SEO or content retainers.
Some published packages include hosting for 6 or 12 months and support for 1 to 3 months, then charge after. Ask what the bill is in month 13. See website maintenance cost in Singapore for what a maintenance fee covers.
5. How will you migrate my existing site and redirect old URLs?
If you already have a site, Google has indexed its URLs. Changing them without redirects sends visitors and search engines to error pages. Ask for:
- A list of every indexed URL from Google Search Console.
- A map of each old URL to its new URL.
- 301 redirects in place at launch.
- A Search Console check in the weeks after launch.
Read website redesign without losing rankings before you sign a redesign.
6. How is the site prepared for AI search?
ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude now answer questions that used to go to a search results page. Ask what the agency does for that:
- Page titles and descriptions written for each page.
- Structured data (schema) for the business, services and FAQs.
- A sitemap submitted to Search Console.
- Pages that answer specific buyer questions in plain text.
- Fast pages that load without heavy scripts.
No agency can promise a ranking or a mention in an AI answer. Ask what is built, not what is guaranteed. See SEO and AI search.
7. How many weeks to a first draft, and to launch?
Published Singapore timelines run from about 2 weeks for templated packages to 2 to 3 months for custom builds. Ask for two dates: the first draft and the launch. Ask what the agency needs from you before each one. Details in how long it takes to build a website in Singapore.
8. Can I speak to two recent clients?
A portfolio shows design. A conversation shows delivery. Ask for two clients from the last 12 months and ask them three things: was the first draft on time, were there extra charges, and do they control their own domain and code.
Red flags in a quote
| Red flag | Why it matters | What to ask for |
|---|---|---|
| Price on request only | You cannot compare quotes | One fixed figure in writing |
| Domain registered in the agency's name | You cannot leave cleanly | Domain in your company's name |
| No access to code or hosting | Changes depend on one supplier | Repository and hosting access |
| Copy "to be provided by client" with no help | Launch waits for you | Who writes which pages |
| Unlimited revisions, undefined scope | Disputes over what counts | A fixed number of rounds and a scope list |
| Recurring fees not listed | The year-two cost is unknown | Every monthly and yearly fee |
| No redirect plan for an existing site | Lost search traffic | A URL map and 301 redirects |
| Guaranteed rankings | No one controls Google or AI answers | What will be built and measured |
| No launch date in the contract | Open-ended timeline | Dates for draft and launch |
Freelancer, agency or builder?
| Option | Suits | Check |
|---|---|---|
| DIY builder | A one-page presence on a small budget | Your time, template limits, monthly fees |
| Freelancer | A defined site with a clear brief | Availability, ownership, support after launch |
| Agency | Custom design, copy and integrations | Scope, first-draft date, recurring fees |
See AI website builder vs web designer for the builder route.
How to compare quotes
Put every quote in one table with the same 8 rows as the questions above. Add one row for the total cost over 24 months, including every recurring fee. Two quotes that look S$1,000 apart at signing can be further apart by year two.
How cense answers the 8 questions
cense builds a custom website from S$2,000 one-off, with S$0 a month maintenance and S$0 hosting on the standard plan for most business sites. The client owns the domain, the code on GitHub and the hosting. Copy is written from one call, 20 rounds of edits are included, the first draft arrives 14 days after the call, and migrations keep or redirect every indexed URL. Request a free website analysis or see pricing.
What should I ask a web design company before signing?+
Ask who owns the domain, code and hosting, who writes the copy, how many edit rounds are included, every monthly fee, how old URLs are redirected, how the site is prepared for AI search, the weeks to a first draft, and for references you can contact.
How much does a website cost in Singapore?+
Published Singapore packages start at about S$2,500 for a small site and S$4,500 to S$6,500 for larger or e-commerce sites. Published guides put custom corporate sites at about S$6,000 to S$35,000.
Who should own my website domain?+
You should. The domain should be registered in your company's name, in an account you can log in to.
What is a red flag in a web design quote?+
Price on request only, no written list of recurring fees, the agency holding the domain in its own name, unlimited revisions with no defined scope, and no plan for redirecting existing URLs.
How long should a website take to build?+
Published Singapore timelines run from about 2 weeks for templated packages to 2 to 3 months for custom builds. Ask for the date of the first draft, not only the launch date.
