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The Big Four are Deloitte, EY, KPMG and PwC. ACRA, which regulates public accountants in Singapore, uses that same grouping when it publishes audit quality data for firms that audit listed companies. A small private company will often not need one of them.
This guide is independent. We are not ACRA, and none of the firms here has paid for a place on this page. Where a firm's own site gave us nothing, we say so.
Who are the Big Four, according to the sources?
ACRA's audit quality indicators page groups its data as "Big Four firms (Deloitte, EY, KPMG, PwC) and non-Big Four firms serving listed companies". That is the clearest official naming we found, .
| Firm | What its Singapore or regional site states |
|---|---|
| Deloitte | Audit, consulting, tax, legal and risk services, on its Southeast Asia site; no Singapore headcount on the page read |
| EY | Assurance, Consulting, Strategy and Transactions, and Tax; about 400,000 people in 150 countries worldwide; Nam Soon Liew leads EY Singapore and Brunei |
| KPMG | Audit and assurance, consulting, deal advisory and tax; marks 85 years in Singapore |
| PwC | Its Singapore site refused our request, so we quote nothing from it |
The EY figure is global, not Singapore. We found no firm-published Singapore headcount on the pages we could read, and we will not estimate one.
What does ACRA publish about audit quality?
ACRA publishes industry averages for three indicators: staff oversight, experience and attrition. They are released on 30 June, for the 6 months to 31 March, and on 31 December, for the 12 months to 30 September. The data is grouped as Big Four against non-Big Four firms serving listed companies. The figures sit in downloadable PDFs on ACRA's page, which we did not reproduce.
Under the Accountants Act you must be a registered public accountant to provide audit and reporting on financial statements. That applies to every firm, large or small.
Does my company need a Big Four firm?
For most small companies, no. ACRA's audit exemption test for a private company needs at least 2 of 3 conditions in each of the last 2 consecutive years: revenue of S$10 million or less, total assets of S$10 million or less, and 50 employees or fewer. A company that qualifies does not need an audit. It still prepares and files financial statements. ACRA announced a review of this framework on , so check the current rules. See our audit exemption guide.
A company that is listed, regulated, or owned by a group that requires a Big Four auditor is in a different position. That is usually set by investors, lenders or a parent, not by Singapore law.
What do the Big Four not publish?
- Fee scales or price lists.
- A Singapore client count, in the pages we could read.
- Minimum company size they will take on.
- Turnaround times.
If you are weighing a Big Four firm against a smaller one, compare proposals on scope and named team, not on brand. Our accounting firms page and audit firms page list other firms and what each publishes.
Want a firm that handles books, tax and filings for a company your size? The quote form on the accounting services page passes your request to suitable firms.
How do you compare a Big Four proposal with a smaller firm's?
Ask both for the same things on one page: the scope of work, the named partner and manager, the timetable to your filing dates, the fee basis and what triggers extra fees. Then check each firm's registration with ACRA as a public accountant if audit is in scope. A bigger name changes the brand on the report, and it does not change your own duty to keep records and file on time.
Be careful with ranking lists from third-party blogs. Several of them rank the firms by revenue or staff numbers without a dated source. We left those out and rely on what ACRA and the firms say themselves.
Sources
- ACRA: audit quality indicators and industry average: Big Four naming, indicators, release dates.
- ACRA: audit exemptions: small company tests and the filing rule.
- ACRA: audit regulation: public accountant registration.
- EY Singapore: about us: service lines, global size, Singapore leadership.
- KPMG Singapore: services, 85 years.
- Deloitte Southeast Asia: services.