The verdict in three sentences
When a Singapore biotech startup receives quotes of 9,000, 24,000 and 50,000 SGD for an investor facing website, the cheapest quote is rarely the cheapest outcome. The gaps hide in items that are missing, capped or locked in: scientific illustrations, investor relations features, PDPA compliant forms, grant branding, hosting and account ownership. Normalise every quote to a two year real cost and add a written clause for each trap before you sign.
Three quotes for the same site, compared
The brief: a 15 to 20 page site for investors, pharma partners and candidates, with pipeline, science, team, investor relations, news and careers. Amounts are illustrative examples built on the 2026 market ballpark.
| Item | Quote A | Quote B | Quote C |
|---|---|---|---|
| Headline price | 9,000 SGD | 24,000 SGD | 50,000 SGD |
| Scientific illustrations | Not mentioned | 6 included | 12 included, animated |
| Investor relations section | Static page | Document library and news feed | Data room style portal |
| PDPA consent wording | Not mentioned | Forms built to client wording | Included with legal review partner |
| Hosting | Locked, 180 SGD per month | Client's choice | Locked, 220 SGD per month |
| Revisions | 2 rounds | 3 rounds per template | Unlimited for 6 weeks |
| Account ownership | Not specified | In company name | Code transferred, accounts in agency name |
Quote A looks unbeatable until you notice that the investor section is a single static page and every mechanism of action diagram will be billed separately.
Six traps, line by line
| Typical quote line | Trap | Hidden cost (2026 market ballpark) | Clause to demand |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visuals supplied by client | Scientific illustrations billed separately | 400 to 1,600 SGD each | Number included and unit price beyond |
| Premium theme | Theme or font licences not counted | 80 to 800 SGD per year | List of licences, holder and renewal |
| Hosting and care plan included | Locked hosting with markup | 60 to 220 SGD per month | Free choice of host, zero exit fee |
| Launch on our servers | Domain and accounts in agency name | 0 to 4,000 SGD migration | Domain, hosting and tools in company name |
| Contact and newsletter forms | No PDPA consent or notice wording | 500 to 1,500 SGD to retrofit | Forms built to your approved consent text |
| Brand compliant design | Grant agency branding rules ignored | 1 to 2 days of rework | Grant acknowledgement requirements in the brief |
If you received public grant funding, your grant letter or agency guidelines may set acknowledgement and logo rules: share them with the agency at kickoff. For forms and newsletters, use the Personal Data Protection Commission's guidance on consent and notification, and have your counsel approve the final text.
Two year real cost
| Element | Quote A | Quote B |
|---|---|---|
| Headline price | 9,000 SGD | 24,000 SGD |
| 8 extra illustrations at 1,000 SGD | 8,000 SGD | 2,000 SGD (2 beyond the 6 included) |
| Investor document library | 3,500 SGD | 0 |
| Licences over 2 years | 600 SGD | 0 |
| Hosting over 24 months | 4,320 SGD (locked) | 1,200 SGD (50 SGD per month) |
| PDPA form retrofit and extra revisions | 3,000 SGD | 0 |
| Two year real total | 28,420 SGD | 27,200 SGD |
Once the holes are filled, Quote A ends up more expensive than Quote B, and B leaves you owning everything. For a nearshore comparison, Kolonell's prices are 1,830 to 3,050 EUR for a Growth site (8 to 12 pages with blog) and 3,050 to 5,340 EUR for Premium, with copywriting at 90 EUR per page if you outsource it.
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Illustrative example, fictional persona: Wei Ling is head of communications at a 22 person Singapore biotech preparing a Series A. She asks all three agencies to fill in the table above. Agency A cannot price the illustrations; agency C confirms the hosting account would stay in its name. She signs B at 24,000 SGD and adds 2 illustrations for 2,000 SGD. Against Quote A's real cost of 28,420 SGD, she saves about 1,200 SGD over two years and walks into investor meetings with a site the company fully controls.
FAQ
Why do biotech website quotes range from 9,000 to 50,000 SGD?
They rarely include the same items: illustrations, investor features, consent wording, hosting and ownership. Normalised to two year real cost, the gap between the two cheapest quotes often disappears.
How much does a scientific illustration cost in Singapore?
As a 2026 market ballpark, 400 to 1,600 SGD each depending on complexity and animation. Biotech sites typically need 6 to 12.
What should an investor relations section include?
At minimum a document library, press releases and a contact for investors, usually 3,000 to 6,000 SGD as a 2026 ballpark. A full data room belongs in a dedicated tool, not on the public site.
How do we make forms PDPA compliant?
State the purpose, collect only what you need and record consent for marketing messages, following PDPC guidance. Retrofitting forms after launch costs around 500 to 1,500 SGD.
How do we secure ownership of the site?
Require the domain, hosting and tools to be opened in the company's name and a written assignment of rights in custom code. A forced migration can cost up to 4,000 SGD.
Let's scope your project. Send us your current quotes or brief, and we will return a complete scope with no hidden lines, an indicative budget and a timeline. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
