Tax deductions for streamers & gamers in Singapore
As a streamer you can generally claim the PC, peripherals and capture gear you stream with, plus the work share of your internet — and subs, bits, donations and tournament winnings from a business activity are income you declare. In Singapore you report it through Form B as a self-employed person.
Gaming and streaming is one of the largest digital side hustles among under-35s, and the setup behind it carries real deductions — the streaming PC and peripherals, capture gear, broadcasting software and the upload-heavy share of your internet. Noting the work-versus-personal split on your gear as you buy it is what turns that into a clean claim, and it also makes the income side — subs, bits, sponsorships and prize money — simple to total.
The three rules for any claim
- You paid for it yourself and weren’t reimbursed.
- It directly relates to earning your income.
- You have a record — a receipt, invoice or bank statement.
Where you stand in Singapore
Self-employed income is reported as trade income and taxed at the personal resident rates, which are progressive and comparatively low. Singapore does not tax capital gains, and income is assessed for the Year of Assessment following the year you earned it.
- GST rate
- 9%
- Registration
- SGD 1 million turnover/yr
- Returns
- Quarterly (GST F5)
Specific to streamers & gamers in Singapore
Rules that apply to this work in Singapore in particular, each from the official page it was checked against on 4 October 2026.
Subscriptions from followers are taxable, even part-time
IRAS’s tax guide for online sellers and service providers treats subscription fees from followers on platforms such as Twitch or Patreon as taxable income when you post content regularly — its own example is a student sharing gaming tips. That holds whether you stream full-time or alongside study or a job, and the income goes under Trade, Business, Profession or Vocation in your return.
Under 21? Your guardian handles the filing
If you are under 21 and earning online, IRAS still assesses the income in your own name, while a parent or guardian is responsible for filing it. You generally need to file once your annual net trade income exceeds $6,000, or your total taxable income passes $22,000, even if IRAS has not contacted you. IRAS’s guide illustrates this with an affiliate marketer, but the rule applies to streaming income the same way.
What you can usually claim
These are the costs of doing the work — the same list wherever you are based. How each one is claimed follows the rules in Singapore, set out below.
Streaming PC, console and peripherals
The work-related share of the machine you stream on, plus capture cards, microphones, cameras, stream decks and headsets.
Internet and connectivity
The work-related portion of your internet — often significant for streamers given upload requirements. Keep a record supporting the split you use.
Software, overlays and music licences
Broadcasting and editing software, overlay and alert services, and properly licensed music or sound effects used on stream.
Platform and payment fees
Fees deducted by platforms, payment processors or your talent agency on income you earn are generally deductible against that income.
Home streaming space running costs
The running costs of the area you stream from — electricity, heating and cooling — apportioned to work use.
How Singapore treats them
Vehicle and travel
Private motor car expenses are generally not deductible, which is a sharper rule than most countries — other business travel costs remain claimable.
Home workspace
The business-use share of workspace costs such as electricity and internet is claimable where it relates to earning trade income.
Equipment and higher-cost gear
Equipment is claimed through capital allowances, with lower-value assets often written off over a shorter period. Two things happen when you buy higher-cost gear, and they are separate: any GST or VAT credit is claimed on the purchase itself under your local consumption-tax rules, while the cost is spread over the asset’s useful life rather than deducted once. Private use reduces the share you claim each year, not the value you carry. The asset register inside 2Fin tracks both for you; its built-in effective-life list covers Australia today, with other markets following.
This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with IRAS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim. Official guidance from Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore →
Keep in mind
- Games, hardware and subscriptions bought purely for personal enjoyment.
- The private share of your internet, power or console use.
- Everyday clothing worn on stream.
- The private-car rule surprises people. Expenses for a private motor car are generally not deductible even when the trip was for work, so plan around it rather than assuming a mileage claim exists.
Streamers & gamers in Singapore — common questions
What can streamers & gamers claim in Singapore?
The spending travels even though the rules do not: streaming pc, console and peripherals, internet and connectivity, software, overlays and music licences, platform and payment fees and home streaming space running costs. What changes is how you claim it — in Singapore, equipment is claimed through capital allowances, with lower-value assets often written off over a shorter period. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with IRAS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
How do streamers & gamers in Singapore report self-employed income?
You report it through Form B as a self-employed person. Self-employed income is reported as trade income and taxed at the personal resident rates, which are progressive and comparatively low. Singapore does not tax capital gains, and income is assessed for the Year of Assessment following the year you earned it. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with IRAS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
Can streamers & gamers in Singapore claim a home workspace?
The business-use share of workspace costs such as electricity and internet is claimable where it relates to earning trade income. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with IRAS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
Do streamers & gamers in Singapore need to register for GST?
GST in Singapore — rate: 9%; registration: SGD 1 million turnover/yr; returns: Quarterly (GST F5). Whether you have to register turns on your own turnover and where your customers are, so check the current position with Inland Revenue Authority of Singapore before assuming you are under it. This is general information, not personal tax advice — what you can claim depends on your circumstances, so check with IRAS or a registered tax adviser, and keep records to back up every claim.
More on self-employed tax in Singapore — the Singapore hub.
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