Singpass vs MyInfo: What Is the Difference and When Do You Need Each?

Singpass is the login. MyInfo is the data. The two are often said in the same breath, but they do different jobs — and a Singapore business does not always need both. Here is the clear distinction and how to pick the right combination for your use case.

The short version

• Singpass is the national digital identity service operated by GovTech. It proves that an individual is who they claim to be, and issues an authenticated session.
• MyInfo is the verified personal-data service that runs on top of Singpass. Once a user is authenticated, MyInfo can return a consented subset of their verified government records.
• You use Singpass when you need an identity. You use MyInfo when you need verified facts about that identity (name, address, NRIC, CPF, employment, and so on).

What Singpass does

A user taps “Sign in with Singpass” on your website, opens the Singpass app on their phone, and confirms the action with biometrics or a passcode. Your system receives a verified identity assertion back from GovTech, proving that the person on the other end holds a valid Singpass account.

That identity assertion contains the minimum amount of information needed to recognise the user — enough to create an account or resume a session, but not their full personal profile. Think of Singpass as equivalent to “Sign in with Google” for the Singapore government: it verifies the person, but does not hand over their data.

What MyInfo does

MyInfo is a separate service that, after a Singpass authentication, can return verified personal data sourced directly from government records — ICA, HDB, CPF, IRAS, MOM, LTA, and others. Every field requested is shown to the user at a consent screen; they see exactly what your business will receive and tap “Authorize” to release it.

Because the data comes from the source agency (not from the user typing it in), it is considered verified. Your business does not need to ask for a photo of an IC, a CPF statement, or an employment letter — those facts arrive already authenticated.

When you need Singpass only

• Login and account continuity. Your business has a customer portal, a booking system, or an employee self-service site, and you want customers to log in safely without a password. Singpass alone does this.
• Replacing NRIC-based authentication ahead of the 1 January 2027 PDPC deadline. If your current login uses NRIC + DOB, swapping it for Singpass login satisfies the rule without you needing any MyInfo data.
• Binding actions in an existing account. You already know who the customer is and what data you hold; you just need them to prove it is them before they transfer money, change a password, or submit a sensitive form.

When you need MyInfo

• Customer onboarding and sign-up. You need verified name, NRIC, address, date of birth and contact details to create an account. Instead of asking the user to type all that in, pull it from MyInfo in one tap.
• Age or eligibility checks. Alcohol, tobacco, licensed retail, Singapore-only promotions, members-only venues — you need verified date-of-birth or citizenship, not just the user’s self-declaration.
• KYC for regulated services. Financial services, lending, property transactions, recruitment — the regulator expects verified identity + address + employment. MyInfo delivers the full dataset in one call.
• Licence applications that need director details. SPF agency licences, MAS payment licences, MOM work-pass processes — the application form needs director NRIC, residential address, and often CPF history. MyInfo returns all of it, cleanly formatted.

When you need both

The common pattern for most Singapore businesses: Singpass for login every visit; MyInfo once at onboarding. The customer taps Singpass to create an account and immediately consents to MyInfo data release; your business uses that verified data to pre-fill the sign-up form. After that, the customer logs back in with plain Singpass (no MyInfo) for each subsequent session, and you only re-request MyInfo fields if something needs to change (new address, updated employment) or the user explicitly consents again.

A concrete example

Imagine a gym chain in Singapore. On first sign-up at the kiosk, a new member taps Singpass and authorises MyInfo fields for name, NRIC, date of birth, residential address, mobile, and email. The gym’s membership system creates the account with all that data verified — no forms typed, no IC photocopied. From the second visit onwards, the member scans a QR code, taps Singpass, and is recognised instantly. The gym only re-requests MyInfo if, for example, a membership tier-upgrade needs re-confirmation of citizenship.

Can you use MyInfo without Singpass?

No. MyInfo always runs on top of a Singpass authentication. The two are separable concepts, but at the technical level every MyInfo request requires the user to log in with Singpass first and then consent to each field.

Can you use Singpass without MyInfo?

Yes — and this is the lighter, faster integration path. If your business only needs to know “is this really the customer?” without any personal data, Singpass alone is enough. GovTech’s approval process for Singpass-only integrations tends to be shorter than for integrations that request MyInfo data.

What does each cost?

From the end user’s point of view, both Singpass and MyInfo are free. From a business’s point of view, GovTech does not charge a per-transaction fee for either service. What you pay for is the integration, infrastructure, and ongoing compliance — which is where a service like ours comes in.

Because MyInfo integrations require GovTech justification for every field requested, they carry a slightly higher setup cost than a Singpass- only integration. The per-verification cost once live is the same. See our full implementation guide for the end-to-end breakdown.

The decision checklist

1. Do you need to know who the customer is, at login? → Use Singpass.
2. Do you need verified facts about the customer (name, NRIC, DOB, address, CPF, employment, etc.)? → Use MyInfo.
3. Do you need both? → Most businesses do. Singpass for every session, MyInfo for sign-up and periodic re-verification.

If you want help picking the right combination for your specific use case, book a free 20-minute scoping call. We will look at your signup flow and tell you which pieces you actually need.