SharedOut FAQ

 

Everything You Need to Know About Singapore's Community Sharing App

Whether you've just discovered SharedOut or you're already on the waitlist, this page answers the most common questions about how Singapore's peer-to-peer community sharing app works — for both renters and home-based service providers.

About SharedOut

Q: What is SharedOut?

SharedOut is Singapore's first hyperlocal peer-to-peer marketplace for HDB communities. It connects neighbours for two things: borrowing and lending household tools and equipment, and booking trusted home-based services — all within 500 metres of your home. Think of it as your neighbourhood sharing platform, where the things you need and the skills you're looking for are probably already right outside your door.

Q: Who is SharedOut for?

SharedOut is built for two types of people:

Renters and consumers — Singaporeans who need something for a short period (a drill, a ladder, a pressure cooker, a baby stroller) without having to buy it, or who want to book a trusted home-based service (manicure, haircut, beauty treatment) from a verified neighbour nearby.

Providers and home-based businesses — Singaporeans who want to earn from idle tools or equipment sitting in their storeroom, or who run a home-based skill or service and want to reach customers in their own HDB estate.

Q: Is SharedOut available in Singapore only?

Yes — SharedOut is built specifically for Singapore's HDB heartland communities. We are launching town by town across Singapore's 24 HDB towns, starting with pilot areas before expanding island-wide. Join the waitlist at sharedout.com.sg/Register to be notified when SharedOut launches in your town.

Q: Is SharedOut a second-hand marketplace like Carousell?

No. SharedOut is fundamentally different from Carousell or any buy-sell platform. SharedOut is for temporary sharing and borrowing — not permanent ownership transfer. When you borrow a drill on SharedOut, it comes back to its owner when you're done. When a home-based provider completes a service booking, payment is handled securely and automatically. SharedOut is a rental and services marketplace, not a resale platform.

Borrowing and Renting Equipment

Q: What kinds of items can I borrow on SharedOut?

SharedOut covers a wide range of household and personal items, including:

  • Power tools: drills, sanders, jigsaws, screwdrivers
  • Home equipment: ladders, trolleys, pressure cookers, kitchen appliances
  • Baby and kids items: strollers, cots, playpens, bicycles, bouncers, high chairs
  • Outdoor and camping gear: tents, coolers, sleeping bags, portable BBQ grills
  • Party and event supplies: folding chairs, tables, PA systems
  • Moving and storage: boxes, trolleys, packing equipment

If it can be temporarily borrowed rather than permanently bought, it belongs on SharedOut.

Q: How much does it cost to borrow something on SharedOut?

Pricing is set by the individual provider who owns the item. Typical rental rates in Singapore range from S$5 to S$20 per day depending on the item. A drill might cost S$8 per day, a ladder S$5, and a baby stroller S$15 per week. You can filter listings by price and see full costs — including any security deposit — before you confirm a booking.

Q: Why would I rent instead of just buying?

For items you only need once or a few times a year, borrowing from a neighbour on SharedOut saves you money, storage space, and the hassle of disposing of something you no longer need. A pressure cooker that costs S$180 to buy costs you S$5–8 to borrow for a day on SharedOut. A ladder that costs S$80 costs a few dollars to borrow for an afternoon. The same logic applies to baby gear — a stroller used for 18 months and then outgrown is far better borrowed for a few weeks than bought brand new.

Q: How does the security deposit work?

Security deposits on SharedOut use Stripe's Auth & Capture (pre-authorisation) system. This means the deposit amount is reserved on your card but never actually charged unless there is a verified damage issue. If the item is returned in good condition, the pre-authorisation is simply released. You are never charged upfront and refunded later — the money only moves if there is a genuine, evidenced problem. This protects both renters and providers.

Q: What if the item I borrowed is damaged or not as described?

SharedOut has a structured dispute resolution process. Before every handover, both the renter and provider are required to take and upload condition photographs of the item. These timestamped photos serve as the evidence baseline. If there is a dispute, both parties submit their case through the app and SharedOut's admin team reviews the evidence and makes a fair determination. Payouts to providers are automatically paused the moment a dispute is raised — nobody profits from a problem until it is resolved.

Q: What if I need to cancel my booking?

SharedOut has a clear cancellation policy:

  • Cancel more than 48 hours before the booking: full refund of the rental fee
  • Cancel between 24 and 48 hours before: 50% refund of the rental fee
  • Cancel less than 24 hours before, or no-show: no refund

All cancellations must be made through the SharedOut app. Cancellations via chat or WhatsApp are not recognised for refund purposes.

Home-Based Services

Q: What home-based services can I book on SharedOut?

SharedOut connects you with verified home-based service providers offering a range of personal and household services, including:

  • Beauty and personal care: manicures, pedicures, gel nails, lash extensions
  • Hair services: haircuts, blowouts, hair treatments, colouring
  • Wellness: facials, massage, personal training
  • Childcare: babysitting, nannying, tutoring
  • Home and lifestyle: baking and catering, laundry services, handyman work
  • Creative skills: photography, art classes, music lessons

Q: How do I find a home-based nail technician or hairdresser near me in Singapore?

On SharedOut, open the app and search by category — tap "Nail & Beauty" or "Hair Services" — and the app will show you verified providers within your selected radius (default 500m). You can filter by distance, price, rating, and availability. Each provider profile shows their Singpass-verified identity, ratings from previous customers, and available booking slots. Tap to book, pay securely, and confirm your appointment — no WhatsApp back-and-forth required.

Q: Are home-based service providers on SharedOut verified?

Yes. Every service provider on SharedOut must complete Singpass identity verification before their listing goes live. Singpass is Singapore's national digital identity system, which means every provider's identity is confirmed against government records before they can accept a single booking. This is the same verification level used across Singapore's government digital services. SharedOut does not allow anonymous or unverified providers on the platform.

Q: What if I need a last-minute manicure or haircut in Singapore?

SharedOut is designed for exactly this situation. Because providers are hyperlocal — within 500m of your location — same-day bookings are often possible. Search your area, filter by "Available today," and browse verified providers with open slots. This is one of the core problems SharedOut solves: the regular salon is full, but there's a skilled, verified provider nearby who has availability right now.

For Providers and Home-Based Businesses

Q: Can I list my home-based services on SharedOut?

Yes. If you run a home-based business — nails, hair, beauty, baking, tutoring, babysitting, or any other skill-based service — you can list your services on SharedOut and reach customers within your own HDB estate. You set your own prices, your own availability, and manage your own bookings through the app. Payments are handled automatically via Stripe — no more chasing payment over WhatsApp.

Q: Do I need a licence to run a home-based business in Singapore and list on SharedOut?

Singapore's Home-Based Business Scheme (administered by HDB and URA) allows residents to run small-scale businesses from their HDB flat without a separate licence, as long as the business does not cause excessive noise, foot traffic, or signage. However, if you are earning regularly from your business, you are encouraged to register with ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) as a sole proprietor. SharedOut requires all providers to self-declare compliance with HDB/URA home-based business guidelines during onboarding.

Q: Can I list tools and equipment to earn extra income on SharedOut?

Yes. If you own items that are sitting idle — a drill, a ladder, a pressure cooker, camping gear, baby equipment — you can list them on SharedOut and earn rental income from neighbours who need them temporarily. You set your own rental rate and availability. The security deposit system protects your items, and handover photos document their condition at every collection and return.

Q: Why should I list on SharedOut instead of selling on Carousell?

Selling on Carousell means permanently giving up an item you may still need — or will need again. SharedOut is the smarter choice when your item has a future use. A baby stroller you will need again in six months when your second child arrives is better listed on SharedOut for that six-month window than sold permanently. A bicycle your older child has outgrown but your younger child will grow into in two years earns you money on SharedOut for those two years and then comes home. You keep ownership. You earn during the idle gap. You take it back when you need it.

Q: How do I get paid as a provider on SharedOut?

Payments on SharedOut are processed through Stripe Connect. Once a booking is completed and confirmed, your earnings — minus the platform commission — are automatically transferred to your registered bank account. There is no manual payment collection, no chasing customers, and no handling of cash. For home-based service providers, this also means payouts are automatically paused if a customer raises a dispute, protecting both parties until the issue is resolved.

Trust and Safety

Q: Is SharedOut safe to use?

SharedOut was built with trust as the foundation, not an afterthought. Every provider is verified with Singpass before listing. Every payment is protected by Stripe. Every equipment handover requires condition photographs from both sides. Disputes are handled by a human review team, not an automated algorithm. Two-way ratings mean both renters and providers are accountable to each other. SharedOut is safer than any informal arrangement made through Facebook Marketplace, classified ads, or WhatsApp groups.

Q: How does Singpass verification work on SharedOut?

When a new provider registers on SharedOut, they are required to verify their identity through Singpass — Singapore's national digital identity platform developed by GovTech. The Singpass verification process confirms the provider's legal identity against government records and, via Myinfo, can pre-fill their profile with verified personal information. This one-time process means every provider on SharedOut is a real, identified individual — not an anonymous listing.

Q: Is my personal data safe on SharedOut?

Yes. SharedOut is fully PDPA (Personal Data Protection Act) compliant. All application data is stored in Singapore (asia-southeast1 region on Google Cloud) and never transferred outside Singapore without appropriate safeguards. SharedOut has a designated Data Protection Officer and provides users with the right to access, correct, and delete their personal data at any time. SharedOut never sells user data to third parties for advertising purposes. For full details, read the Privacy Policy at sharedout.com.sg/privacy-policy.

Q: What payment methods does SharedOut accept?

SharedOut accepts payment via Stripe (credit and debit cards) and PayNow — the two most widely used payment methods in Singapore. Security deposits are pre-authorised via Stripe and only captured if there is a verified damage issue. Provider payouts are made directly to a registered Singapore bank account via Stripe Connect.

Getting Started

Q: When is SharedOut launching?

SharedOut is currently in pre-launch, building our community before going live. We are launching town by town across Singapore's HDB estates. Join the waitlist at sharedout.com.sg/Register and we will notify you the moment SharedOut launches in your area. Early waitlist members get priority access.

Q: How do I join the SharedOut waitlist?

Visit sharedout.com.sg/Register, fill in your name, email address, HDB town, and whether you want to join as a renter, provider, or both. You will receive a confirmation and we will notify you when SharedOut launches in your town. Joining the waitlist is free and takes less than two minutes.

Q: How do I follow SharedOut for updates?

Follow SharedOut on:

  • Instagram: @shareitshareinsharedout — www.instagram.com/shareitshareinsharedout
  • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SharedOut
  • Website: www.sharedout.com.sg

Have a question not answered here? Contact us at sharedout.com.sg/contact and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

SharedOut — Share it, Share in, Shared Out.

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