10 Affordable Maid Agencies in Singapore October 2026
The cheapest agency fee rarely means the cheapest helper. Over a first year, the levy and salary cost far more than the fee, and the most expensive mistake is a mismatch that sends you back to pay a second agency fee. So when we looked for affordable maid agencies in Singapore, we looked for two things: pricing that is clear from the start, and terms that protect you if the placement fails. These ten agencies do one or both well.
Key takeaways
- The agency fee is usually S$1,000 to S$3,000. The levy alone is S$3,600 a year at the standard S$300 a month.
- The levy concession is the biggest single saving. Households that qualify pay S$60 a month instead of S$300, which is S$2,880 less a year.
- A transfer maid already in Singapore avoids airfare and overseas processing, so she usually costs less upfront than a new hire.
- Few agencies publish their full fees. Ask for a written breakdown that lists every item, including insurance, medical and any salary deductions for the helper's placement costs.
- A strong replacement or refund policy is worth paying a little more for. It is what saves you from paying twice.
What we looked for
- Transparent pricing. A written fee breakdown before you commit, with no charges added later.
- Lower-cost routes. Transfer maids, nationalities with lower salary bands, or packages that cut upfront costs.
- Protection if it goes wrong. Free replacements, fee refunds or protected deposits.
- A licence and a track record. Every agency here is licensed by MOM. Where an agency reports its own retention or transfer figures, we say so.
Where each agency saves you money
| Agency | Where the saving comes from | Safety net |
|---|---|---|
| A.W. Maid Agency | Packages priced below typical rates, with shorter helper loan periods | Six-month replacement guarantee |
| Master Maid Agency | No upfront service fee | Unlimited replacements (terms apply) |
| Sunrise Link Maid Agency | Publishes its typical upfront cost (S$2,000 to S$4,000, including salary, insurance and bond) and gives an itemised quote before you commit | Replacement terms set out before you sign; support available 24/7 after placement |
| Status Employment (Status Maids) | Myanmar and Indonesian helpers, whose salaries are usually lower | Reports a retention rate of around 75% |
| Universal Employment Agency | Large pool of transfer maids already in Singapore | Operating since 1986 |
| Green Employment | Walks first-time employers through every cost before they commit | Reports a transfer rate below 0.4% |
| Bliss Helper | Refund guarantee on the agency fee | Unlimited replacements in the first six months |
| Bestmatch Employment Agency | Pricing with no hidden costs | Helpers can start as soon as a week after approval |
| Contact Asia | Fees stated upfront | Ongoing counselling support after placement |
| Crescent Maids | No hidden fees, plus a direct hire option if you already have a helper | More than 200 helpers available |
The ten agencies in detail
1. A.W. Maid Agency
A.W. Maid Agency (MOM licence 24C2126) is based at City Plaza in Geylang. Every helper completes a five-day in-house training course in Singapore before starting work, interviews and paperwork can be done remotely, and placements come with a six-month replacement guarantee. The agency prices its packages below typical market rates, partly by keeping helper loan periods short.
2. Master Maid Agency
Master Maid Agency has operated in Singapore for over two decades, matching families with domestic helpers for elderly care, newborn/childcare, pet care and household management via a "Harmonious Home Helper Management System." It works with over 50 supplier agencies, charges no upfront service fees, and offers unlimited replacements (terms apply).
3. Sunrise Link Maid Agency
Sunrise Link is a MOM-licensed maid agency in Singapore specializing in domestic helper placement with a quality-over-quantity philosophy. Sunrise Link's retention rate and transfer rate perform far better than the industry average. They offer fresh and transfer placements with rigorous background checks, personalized matching, end-to-end Chinese language support.
4. Status Employment (Status Maids)
Status Maids started out supplying helpers to other agencies before serving families directly, and says it has placed helpers with more than 30,000 households over 20-plus years. It focuses on Myanmar and Indonesian helpers, runs its own screening and training, and reports a retention rate of around 75%. Transfer placements typically take 7 to 10 days.
5. Universal Employment Agency
Universal Employment Agency has operated since 1986 and says it has served more than 10,000 families across three branches. It is best known for transfer maids already working in Singapore, with candidates from Indonesia, the Philippines and Myanmar, and reports an MOM retention rate of 75.35%.
6. Green Employment
Green Employment has branches in Toa Payoh and Serangoon and is accredited by the Indonesian and Philippine embassies. Its service is built around walking first-time employers through MOM obligations, levy and insurance before they commit, and it reports a transfer rate below 0.4%.
7. Bliss Helper
Bliss Helper matches domestic helpers with employers for elderly care, infant/child care, and household chores, with helpers trained under an in-house "InfantAide" program using a certified PEM syllabus. It offers unlimited replacement for the first 6 months and a money-back guarantee on agency fees.
8. Bestmatch Employment Agency
Bestmatch, accredited by AEAS, describes itself as an "ethical startup" that prioritizes honesty over profit when matching employers with domestic helpers. It offers doorstep service with maids delivered as fast as one week after approval, strict interview-based filtering, and transparent no-hidden-cost pricing.
9. Contact Asia
Contact Asia, led by founder Helen Tan, has operated since 1998 with more than 28 years of experience. It emphasizes transparent, upfront pricing with no hidden costs, offering transfer, direct hire, and new helper placement services with ongoing counselling support.
10. Crescent Maids
Crescent Maids says it has more than 20 years of experience and over 200 qualified maids available, offering maid employment, insurance renewals, and direct hire services. It emphasizes transparent, no-hidden-fee pricing and hassle-free handling of paperwork and logistics.
What a helper really costs in the first year
| Cost | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Agency fee | Usually S$1,000 to S$3,000 | Transfers are often at the lower end |
| Helper's salary | Usually S$450 to S$800 a month | Myanmar and Indonesian helpers are usually at the lower end, Filipino helpers higher |
| Foreign worker levy | S$300 a month | S$60 with the concession; S$450 for a second helper |
| Security bond | S$5,000 guarantee | Usually bought from an insurer, often bundled with insurance |
| Medical and personal accident insurance | At least S$60,000 of cover each | Required by MOM. You cannot pass the cost to your helper. |
| Work Permit | S$35 to apply, S$35 when issued | |
| Settling-In Programme | S$76.40 to S$92.65 | First-time helpers only |
| Employers' Orientation Programme | S$29 to S$36 online | First-time employers only |
The agency fee and salary ranges are typical market figures, not quotes. Government fees and insurance minimums come from MOM.
A worked example. Take a helper on S$550 a month, hired through an agency charging S$1,500. With the standard levy, salary and levy come to S$10,200 for the year. Add the agency fee, insurance and the one-off government fees, and the first year lands at roughly S$12,000. If your household qualifies for the levy concession, the same hire costs about S$2,900 less.
How to keep the cost down
- Check whether you qualify for the levy concession. It applies to households with a Singapore Citizen child under 16, a family member aged 67 or above, or a family member with a disability who needs help with daily activities. MOM sets citizenship and residency conditions, so check its levy concession page.
- Consider a transfer maid. You skip airfare and overseas processing, and she can start sooner.
- Compare the total, not the fee. Ask each agency for an all-in quote for your first year.
- Ask how the helper's placement costs are recovered. Many agencies recover them through deductions from her salary over the first months. Shorter recovery periods mean she takes home more sooner, which helps retention.
- Read the replacement and refund terms. A cheap fee with no replacement can end up costing more.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the cheapest maid agency in Singapore?
There is no single answer, because few agencies publish their full fees and the agency fee is a small part of the total. Ask three agencies for an itemised first-year quote and compare the totals, along with their replacement terms.
How much is a maid agency fee in Singapore?
Usually S$1,000 to S$3,000, depending on the agency, the helper's nationality and whether she is a transfer or a new hire. Ask what the fee includes, since some agencies bundle insurance and medical checks and others charge for them separately.
Is a cheap maid agency worth the risk?
Only if it is licensed and its terms protect you. Check the agency in MOM's Employment Agencies Directory, then read its replacement and refund terms. An agency that is cheap but offers no replacement can cost you a second fee.
How do I avoid hidden fees?
Ask for a written, itemised quote before paying anything, and check that the contract lists the same items. Ask specifically about insurance, the medical check, the Settling-In Programme, transport and any administrative charges.
Sources
- MOM: Paying levy for a migrant domestic worker and levy concession
- MOM: Insurance requirements and security bond
- MOM: Settling-in Programme and Employers' Orientation Programme
Last reviewed: October 2026.