我应该选择什么样的公司类型？

The type of company determines the company's responsibilities, taxation, and your relationship with other business partners. Below we will use some simple examples to illustrate to you.

What types of companies are there in Singapore?

There are 3 basic types of companies for you to choose from:

• 有限责任公司（私人有限公司或有限责任公司）
• 独资企业
• 合伙企业：
  • 普通合伙公司
  • 有限合伙公司
  • 有限责任合伙公司（LLP）

They vary in terms of responsibility, number of owners, and relationship between partners. Below we introduce their main features, advantages and disadvantages for your reference, so that you can choose the most suitable type of company for you.

Limited liability company (private limited company or limited liability company)

A limited liability company is the most common choice for Singaporean entrepreneurs. It is a private limited company with limited liability in accordance with the shares held. The company can have 1 to 20 individual shareholders (only natural persons, not companies) and the directors you need (the number depends on your needs). A limited liability company is a separate legal entity from its owner, so your related responsibilities are limited (as its name implies). In other words, debts, risks and responsibilities are assumed in the name of the company, not in your own name. This also means that you need to pay corporate tax (up to 17%) instead of personal income tax (up to 22%), and your company is eligible for tax exemption.

The disadvantage is that a private limited company needs to meet certain requirements, such as hiring a company secretary and submitting an annual report to ACRA.

Example: You want to open a cake shop, plan to borrow from a bank, equip a food preparation area, hire a few chefs, and provide a large event service. You Incorporated " Paradise Cake Pte Ltd " .

Sole proprietorship

Sole proprietorship is an enterprise established by an individual, not an independent legal entity: all risks are borne by the owner of the enterprise. For example, you must go to a bank loan in your own name and pay off the debt yourself. The advantage is that it is easy to create and manage. Since the sole proprietorship only needs to pay personal income tax, the sole proprietorship in the initial stage of the company may be more cost-effective than the private limited company. Owned enterprises is not suitable for foreigners: Foreigners can only registered private limited company.

Example: You want to open an online cake shop. You don’t need any employees and you plan to handle everything in your kitchen.

Partnership

合伙企业由2-20个合伙人组成。有以下几种形式：

• 普通合伙公司（或直接称作合伙企业）类似于独资企业，但所有者不止一个。合伙人责任无限，每一位合伙人都要缴纳个人所得税。
  示例：您和您的朋友合伙开了一个“蛋糕和马卡龙”咨询室，每位合伙人独自管理，向自己的客户收费。
• 有限合伙公司的合伙人责任不同：一种是普通合伙人，另一种是有限（或休眠）合伙人。有限合伙人的作用通常仅限于提供资金。
  示例：您想要开一个网上蛋糕店。您打算自己负责所有事情，但是您邀请了两个朋友投资并让他们成为休眠合伙人，那他们就不能参与公司管理。
• 有限责任合伙公司（LLP）是类似于私人有限公司的合伙企业：拥有独立的法律实体。但是，对有限责任合伙公司的合规要求较少，如不需要提交年报。每一位合伙人都要缴纳个人所得税，如果合伙人是公司，则需要缴纳公司税，并且企业免税政策不适用于有限责任合伙公司（LLP）。
  示例：您的公司“天堂蛋糕私人有限公司”、您及您的朋友合伙开了“糕点大师有限责任合伙公司”，您提供纸杯蛋糕服务及纸杯蛋糕咨询服务，您的朋友专注于马卡龙。

我该如何选择最适合我的公司类型？

您需要考虑以下几个因素：

• Liability : Only private limited companies and limited liability partnerships provide separate legal entities and limited liability. Choose another company form, you will face personal risk.
• Taxation : Only private limited companies pay corporate tax and can apply for tax exemption. For other forms of companies, you need to pay personal income tax. After your turnover reaches a certain amount, it is more beneficial for you to pay corporate tax.
• Compliance requirements : Private limited companies need to hire a company secretary and submit an annual report to ACRA. The work of the company secretary can be outsourced to agents.
• Financing : Independent legal entities are more conducive to applying for loans and attracting investment.

特点	有限责任公司（私人有限公司Pte Ltd或有限责任公司LLC）	独资企业	普通合伙公司	有限合伙公司	有限责任合伙公司（LLP）
公司拥有者	至少1名董事和1-50名股东	1人	2-20个合伙人	2个以上合伙人	2个以上合伙人
法律实体	是	否	否	否	是
责任	有限	无限	无限	无限	有限
税务	公司税（最高17％），有资格获得豁免	个人所得税（最高22％）	个人所得税（最高22％）	个人合伙人按个人所得税征税（最高22％），公司合伙人按公司税征税（最高17％）	个人合伙人按个人所得税征税（最高22％），公司合伙人按公司税征税（最高17％）
合规要求	公司秘书向ACRA提交年度报告	简单	简单	简单	简单
融资	容易	困难	困难	困难	困难

In short, private companies (Pte Ltd) are preferred. The foreign company registered in Singapore must be a private limited company. Owned enterprises is an alternative to choose a slightly higher risk in the early establishment of the company to maintain it may be easier and more cost-effective. A partnership is more suitable for a few partners who do not want to set up a private limited company.