Choosing a Domain Registrar in Singapore: Prices and Transfers

What to look for in a domain registrar

Domain names are a commodity: the same .com costs roughly the same everywhere. What differs is the service around it, and the risks when something goes wrong. Use these criteria rather than the headline price.

If a web agency registered your domain in its own name, fix that before anything else. Our guide to getting your website and domain back from an agency explains how.

SGNIC-accredited registrars for .sg domains

SGNIC (Singapore Network Information Centre) runs the .sg registry. Its list of accredited registrars states that applicants can register .sg names with any accredited registrar and that prices vary between them. As of October 2026 the list includes:

• Local providers: Domain Registration Pte Ltd, Exabytes Network (Singapore), GoCloudEasy, Pacific Internet (S), Singnet, Vodien Internet Solutions (for Dreamscape Networks), Vooju, Web Commerce Communications (S).
• International and corporate registrars: Ascio Technologies, CSC Corporate Domains, Gandi, IP Twins, Key-Systems, MarkMonitor, Nameshield, Safenames, United Domains.

SGNIC's registration FAQ adds some .sg-specific rules: new registrations can be for 1, 2 or 3 years; renewals are for 1 or 2 years, and the expiry date cannot go more than 3 years ahead. SGNIC does not charge registrants directly, and it does not show NRIC numbers in WHOIS records.

Popular global registrars that are not on the SGNIC list cannot register .sg names directly. If you want all your domains in one account, check that the registrar supports .sg before moving a .com there. Unsure whether you need a .sg or .com.sg at all? Read our .sg vs .com.sg guide.

Domain prices: the promotional pricing trap

Many registrars advertise a low first-year price and charge more on renewal. Exabytes' .sg domain page, for example, advertised .sg at S$27.99 for the first year with a 2-year registration required, and states that the deal applies to new registrations only, with renewals at the default price (October 2026). That is normal practice, not a criticism of one provider.

Over five years, a renewal price that is S$20 higher per year costs more than any first-year discount saves. Cloudflare Registrar, for example, states that its registration, transfer and renewal prices are at cost, with no mark-up, for the domain extensions it supports.

How to transfer a .com domain to another registrar

Generic domains like .com follow ICANN's Transfer Policy. The main rules: a registrar may refuse a transfer within 60 days of the domain's creation or a previous transfer, and must give you the transfer code (AuthInfo) within 5 calendar days of your request if you cannot get it yourself.

1. 1

   Check the dates and the registrant

   Look up the domain in WHOIS. Make sure it is not within 60 days of registration or a previous transfer, and that the registrant is your company.

2. 2

   Make sure the email contact works

   Approval emails go to the registrant contact. Update it to an address you can read before starting.

3. 3

   Note your DNS records

   Export or screenshot every DNS record (MX, SPF, DKIM, website records) so nothing is lost if DNS moves too.

4. 4

   Unlock the domain and get the transfer code

   Turn off the transfer lock and copy the AuthInfo or EPP code from the current registrar's dashboard.

5. 5

   Start the transfer at the new registrar

   Enter the domain and code, pay (usually one year is added to the expiry), and approve any confirmation email.

6. 6

   Check and lock again

   Once complete, confirm DNS still resolves, turn the transfer lock back on, and enable auto-renew and two-factor login.

How to transfer a .sg domain

The .sg process is similar but run by SGNIC. Per SGNIC's FAQ:

1. Get the domain transfer password from your current registrar.
2. Give it to the new (winning) registrar, which submits a transfer request to SGNIC.
3. The current registrar may ask you to settle any outstanding payment, and may approve or reject the request.
4. If the current registrar does neither, SGNIC approves the transfer 7 days after the request.

Changing the registrant (for example, from your agency's name to your company's) is a different process handled by the registrar, so ask them for their procedure before transferring.

Protecting your domain after you choose

Two-factor login matters because a takeover of the registrar account lets an attacker point your domain and email anywhere. Our MFA set-up guide covers the main business accounts.

Do it yourself or get help?

Registering a new domain is easy. Transfers are where things go wrong: missing DNS records, an expired contact email or a domain held in someone else's name.

Domain & DNS Setup (S$99) registers or transfers your domain in your name, sets the DNS records for your website and email, checks HTTPS and turns on auto-renew. If the domain move is part of a bigger change of host, Website Migration (S$490) plans the DNS cut-over so email does not go down. IT Sorted does not resell domains or earn registrar commissions.