How to become a rent-a-friend in Singapore: becoming a Darling
Here is how to become a rent a friend in Singapore on Rentbaby. Be 18 or over, sign up for an account, then send the Darling application from the Be a Darling page. The Rentbaby team reviews every application and approves or rejects it, and no identity document is asked for. This page is for adults who want to share their time.
What a Darling is
On Rentbaby, the people who offer their company are called Darlings. Clients book their time for platonic things: a meal, coffee, a walk in the park, a game, a chat or a video call. Rentbaby is not a dating site, and sexual services, solicitation and anything unlawful are banned.
Darlings choose what they offer from four kinds of booking:
- Meet and hang out: dinner, coffee, brunch, a movie, karaoke or ice cream.
- E-Meet: a chat or a video call, from wherever you are.
- Activities: tennis, hiking, cycling, jogging or a picnic.
- Play games: online games, board games, pool, bowling or the arcade.
Being a Darling is not a job, and Rentbaby does not employ you. You choose your schedule, your services and your rates, and you can accept or decline any request. For how a booking runs from the client's side, read how Rentbaby works.
Who can apply
You need to be 18 or over and have a Rentbaby account. The account is confirmed with a one-time code sent to your phone or email, or with a Google, Facebook or TikTok sign-in. Rentbaby does not ask for a government ID at any point in the application, not even as an option.
It helps if you enjoy meeting new people and reply to messages quickly.
Check two rules before you apply. MOM says that work pass holders may work only for their own employer and must not take on other work to earn extra income in Singapore. And IRAS treats someone who provides a service to others under a contract for service as self-employed. Self-employed income goes into your tax return alongside any salary. If you have a full-time job, read your employment contract too.
How to become a rent a friend on Rentbaby
The Be a Darling page only works once you are signed in, so start with the account.
- Sign up on Rentbaby and confirm your account with the one-time code or a social sign-in.
- Open the Be a Darling page and start the application. Applying is free.
- Set your location, so clients nearby can find you.
- Add your services. Pick each one from the list or name your own, set its hourly price and describe it in your own words. "Coffee and a walk around Tiong Bahru, happy to talk books" tells a client more than "coffee".
- Record a short voice intro, so clients can hear you before they book.
- Choose a few tags for what you are looking for, and the interests you enjoy.
- Say when you are free: weekdays, weekends or every day, and which times of day. You can also mark your schedule as flexible.
- Add a profile photo and at least one more photo. Short selfie videos are optional.
- Agree to the Darling Terms of Service and submit.
Keep phone numbers, handles and other contact details out of your descriptions. Rentbaby blocks them, because all contact stays in the app.
How approval works
The Rentbaby team reviews each application and approves or rejects it. Your photos are part of that review, so use clear, real ones that are not heavily filtered, covered or misleading. You get a notification once your profile is approved.
If the application is rejected, the team emails you its feedback. Change what it points to and apply again. You can have one application waiting at a time.
After you are approved
Your profile shows the services, prices and availability you set, and requests start to come in. Each request shows Rentbaby's commission and what you would earn before you accept it. You can change your rates and services, and turn off your profile's visibility whenever you want a break, without deleting the account.
You earn when a booking is completed and the client releases the credits. Booking earnings can be withdrawn to a local bank, an e-wallet or an international bank. The team reviews each withdrawal, and any fee is shown before you confirm. What you earn is never promised. It depends on your services, your rates, when you are free and how many clients book you.
Over time you may get a badge such as Newcomer, Popular or Top Booked. Badges follow your activity and ratings. They are not proof of identity or a safety guarantee, and nobody may present them that way.
Staying safe as a Darling
You decide who you meet. Read each request carefully, and decline anything that does not fit what you offer.
- Meet first in a busy public place, such as a hawker centre, a mall or a park in daylight.
- Keep the chat and the payment in the app. Money sent another way sits outside the escrow and the refund rules.
- Tell a friend where you are going and when you expect to be back.
- If anything feels wrong, leave. Then block and report the client, and contact Rentbaby support.
The full guide is staying safe on Rentbaby.
If you are 18 or over and like the idea of sharing your time, sign up and send your application on Be a Darling.
Questions
Can you get paid to be a friend in Singapore?
Yes. On Rentbaby, Darlings set their own hourly prices for platonic company, such as a meal, an outing or a game. You earn from completed bookings, and you can withdraw those earnings after the team reviews each request. No income is promised.
Can I be a rent-a-friend online?
Yes. E-Meet bookings are chats and video calls, and online games come under Play Games. You can offer only these, or add meetups as well.
Do I need to show an ID to become a Darling?
No. Rentbaby does not ask for a government ID at any point in the application. Your account is confirmed with a one-time code or a Google, Facebook or TikTok sign-in, and the team reviews your application.
How much do Darlings earn?
There is no fixed amount. You set your own hourly price for each service, and Rentbaby's commission is shown with each request before you accept. What you make depends on your rates, your hours and how often you are booked.
Is being a Darling a job?
No. Rentbaby does not employ Darlings. You choose your schedule, services and rates, and you can pause your profile at any time. If you hold a work pass, MOM's rules on extra income apply to you.
