OCTIS vs a traditional company secretary — summary
A traditional company secretary wins on the headline price for a dormant or ultra-simple company (basic retainers start from around RM60/month) and on genuine human judgement for messy, non-standard corporate matters. But that headline is misleading: per-event fees, plus the separate accountant, tax agent and (if not exempt) auditor you must hire alongside, push real all-in Sdn Bhd upkeep to roughly RM3,200–RM11,500/year — spread across multiple vendors, with no software, no AI and no integration. OCTIS wins on value-for-money by delivering the same licensed-secretary compliance as one module inside an all-in-one platform (LAUNCH from RM50/month = RM600/year) that also bundles banking, invoicing, CRM and legal — usually a lower total cost of ownership once the manual model's hidden and multi-vendor costs are added up. Your accountant, tax agent and statutory auditor remain separate, licensed professionals — OCTIS doesn't replace them. The reason OCTIS can price lower is structural: AI and automation handle the repetitive work — filings, reminders, data entry and document prep — so we run lean with far less manual labour, and pass that lower cost straight to you.
- AI and automation handle the repetitive work, so we run lean and pass the savings on — lower price, same outcomes.
- Real licensed secretaries — backed by software, not replaced by a bot.
- LAUNCH from RM50/month (RM600/year) — flat, no surprise per-resolution or per-change fees.
- One platform, not four vendors — cosec, banking, invoicing, CRM and legal together.
- Incorporation RM200 one-time (RM0 with a valid referral link) —, no padded mark-up.
- Self-service records, e-signature and AI deadline reminders so an SSM filing is never quietly missed.
Is OCTIS a real licensed company secretary?
Yes. OCTIS provides a named, licensed company secretary who performs the same statutory work a traditional firm does and satisfies the Companies Act 2016 requirement. The difference is the software around them — flat pricing, e-signature, self-service records and AI reminders — and that the secretary is one module of a wider platform, not the whole product.
Is OCTIS really cheaper than a traditional company secretary?
It depends on what you compare. A basic retainer for a dormant company (from ~RM60/month) can be cheaper on the headline than OCTIS LAUNCH at RM50/month. But once you add per-event fees and the separate accountant, tax agent and auditor a Sdn Bhd needs, real all-in upkeep commonly runs RM3,200–RM11,500/year. OCTIS folds the licensed secretary, banking, invoicing and CRM into one platform from RM50/month — one fewer vendor with its own paperwork and fees — which is usually a lower total cost of ownership. Figures are typical 2026 ranges, not an official price list.
Why is the traditional cost often higher than quoted?
Because the headline retainer usually covers only a named secretary and registers. Every resolution (RM20–RM500), share transfer (RM200–RM600), director change (RM100–RM300) and the annual return (RM200–RM500) is billed separately, and the cosec is just one vendor — you still hire an accountant, tax agent and, if not exempt, an auditor. 2026 fee guides describe the real cost as often two to three times the advertised retainer. OCTIS folds standard work into one flat plan.
Does OCTIS replace my statutory audit?
No. A statutory audit by an independent licensed auditor remains a legal requirement unless your company qualifies for audit exemption. OCTIS's plans cover your licensed company secretary and the software around it — banking, invoicing, e-signature, CRM — not bookkeeping, tax filing or audit coordination. Your bookkeeper, tax agent and auditor stay separate, independent professionals; we never claim to replace them.
How do I switch my company secretary to OCTIS?
OCTIS manages the transfer for you — taking over your statutory registers, resolutions and SSM filings — and sets up your records and compliance calendar inside the platform. The handover is handled so you don't face a compliance gap during the move. Note that your outgoing firm may charge its own resignation or transfer-out file fee (commonly RM300–RM500), which is set by them, not OCTIS.
Is OCTIS more than just a company secretary?
Yes. The secretary is one module of an AI-first business operating system spanning eight pillars: compliance, banking and finance, HR, IT, sales and marketing (powered by the built-in market-intelligence CRM), legal, strategy and coaching, and capital and fundraising. The same platform handles your business account, payments, invoicing, CRM, e-sign and documents, so your compliance data and your day-to-day operations finally live in one place with one AI across everything. Bookkeeping, tax filing and statutory audit stay with your separate, independent professionals.