The best halal investment app in South Africa depends on what you want to hold. EasyEquities is the broadest, with no minimum, a 0.25% commission per trade and access to the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF, Sentio Hikma unit trusts and a Shariah bundle. SatrixNow is the cheapest way to buy that same ETF directly with no minimums and a built-in tax-free account. Sygnia Alchemy is the platform for building a multi-manager Shariah portfolio from unit trusts at a 0.4025% or 0.46% administration fee. Oasis Crescent is the direct route into the oldest Shariah fund manager in the country from R500 a month. This comparison sets out the costs, the products and who each suits.
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What a halal investment app has to offer
An app is only halal in the sense that the instruments inside it are. Every platform on this list is a conventional business that also sells conventional funds and shares; what makes it usable for a Muslim investor is that it carries Shariah-screened products, keeps uninvested cash in a way you can manage, and does not force you into interest-bearing money market funds. The screening itself is done by the fund managers and index providers, not by the app. The FTSE/JSE Shari'ah Top 40 Index behind the Satrix ETF, and the Shariah boards behind Oasis, Camissa, 27four, Sentio and Sygnia's own Islamic funds, decide what qualifies.
That means the comparison comes down to four practical questions: how little can you start with, what does the platform charge on top of the fund's own fee, which Shariah products can you actually buy, and does the app support a tax-free savings account so your compliant investments also grow free of dividends tax and capital gains tax. If you are new to the subject, our halal investing hub explains the screening rules before you pick a platform.
EasyEquities: broadest shelf, no minimum
EasyEquities charges a 0.25% commission on each trade and has no minimum investment, which is why it is the default first app for many South Africans. Its published list of Shariah-compliant investments includes the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF, the Sentio Hikma Shariah unit trusts and the Emperor Enhanced Shariah Portfolio bundle, alongside the ability to buy individual JSE shares that you screen yourself. Because it is a share-dealing platform rather than a fund administrator, you can hold a Shariah ETF, a managed Shariah fund and a handful of screened shares in one account.
The cost to watch is not the 0.25% but the fund fees underneath. The Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF's August 2026 fact sheet shows a total expense ratio of 0.40% and a total investment charge of 0.48% a year, which you pay whichever app you buy it through. EasyEquities also offers fractional shares, so a R100 purchase of a R6.83 ETF unit is possible, and uninvested cash sits in the account until you deploy it. Our EasyEquities halal investing guide walks through setting up the account and avoiding the non-compliant defaults.
SatrixNow: the cheapest door to the Shari'ah Top 40 ETF
SatrixNow is Satrix's own direct platform. Its FAQ states that, unlike the older Satrix Investment Plan with its R300 a month or R1,000 lump sum minimums, SatrixNow has no minimums, so any amount can be invested or topped up. The platform lets you toggle between a standard account and a tax-free savings account, shows how much tax-free contribution room you have left for the year, and holds one cash balance per account rather than a cash pocket per fund. For someone whose entire halal plan is the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF in a TFSA, this is the simplest setup available.
The ETF itself, JSE code STXSHA, has tracked the FTSE/JSE Shari'ah Top 40 Index since 6 April 2009. The 31 August 2026 minimum disclosure document lists an annual management fee of 0.31%, a TER of 0.40%, transaction costs of 0.08%, a total investment charge of 0.48%, quarterly distributions, a distribution yield of 2.39%, a portfolio value of R255 million and a NAV of R6.83. The limitation is the shelf: SatrixNow sells Satrix products, so it cannot be your platform for Oasis, Camissa or 27four funds. Read our full Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF review before deciding whether a single large-cap index is enough diversification.
Sygnia Alchemy: build a multi-manager Shariah portfolio
Sygnia's Alchemy platform is a linked investment service provider rather than a share-dealing app, which makes it the right tool for combining several managers' Shariah unit trusts in one account. Sygnia's published fee table charges an annual administration fee of 0.4025% including VAT on the first R2 million held in Sygnia's own unit trusts and ETFs, 0.1725% between R2 million and R10 million, and nothing above R10 million. External managers' unit trusts, ETFs and ETNs cost 0.46% on the first R2 million and 0.23% above that. A separate safe custody fee of 0.0345% a year applies to ETFs. Sygnia counts all your accounts, including external funds, when testing the R2 million threshold.
Minimums are higher than the two apps above: Sygnia's terms document sets the initial lump sum for its Direct Investment and Tax-Free Savings Account at R10,000, additional investments at R5,000, and a debit order at R500 a month, of which at least R250 must go into any one ETF. The attraction is the shelf. Sygnia carries its own Islamic funds alongside external Shariah managers such as Camissa and 27four, so a balanced, equity and income split from different houses can be held and rebalanced in one place, and a Sygnia TFSA or retirement annuity can hold the same funds. The administration fee stacks on top of each fund's TER, so compare the all-in cost against buying the ETF directly. See our Sygnia provider page for the retirement products.
Oasis Crescent: direct to the manager
Oasis Crescent is not an app in the EasyEquities sense but a fund manager you can invest with directly, and for many Muslim families it is the first name they know. The Oasis Crescent Equity Fund, launched on 31 July 1998, lists a minimum monthly investment of R500 and a minimum lump sum of R2,000 on its own fund page and fact sheets. The second quarter 2026 fact sheet shows a fund size of R6.4 billion and a total expense ratio of 2.11% for the class quoted, with an initial fee of up to 3% that is limited to 1.5% where the ongoing fee exceeds 0.5%.
That TER is the trade-off. Going direct removes the platform fee but puts you into actively managed funds that cost several times what the Satrix ETF does, in exchange for active stock selection, a long track record and an in-house Shariah process. Oasis also runs its own retirement annuity, preservation and endowment products, so an investor who wants a single Shariah house for everything can get it. Check whether the class you are offered is the retail class or a cheaper direct class before signing. Our Oasis Crescent investing review covers the fund range and performance history.
Side-by-side comparison
The table uses only figures published by each platform or fund manager on its own site as at October 2026. Fund TERs are separate from and additional to platform fees.
| Platform | Minimum to start | Platform fee | Shariah products on the shelf | Tax-free account | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| EasyEquities | None | 0.25% commission per trade | Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF, Sentio Hikma funds, Emperor Shariah bundle, screened JSE shares | Yes | Mixing an ETF, a managed fund and own shares |
| SatrixNow | None | No stated platform minimum; ETF TER 0.40% | Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF | Yes, with contribution tracker | Single-ETF investors and TFSA savers |
| Sygnia Alchemy | R10,000 lump sum or R500 a month | 0.4025% Sygnia funds, 0.46% external, first R2m | Sygnia Islamic funds plus external Shariah unit trusts (Camissa, 27four) | Yes | Multi-manager Shariah portfolios and RAs |
| Oasis Crescent direct | R2,000 lump sum or R500 a month | None; fund TER 2.11% on the quoted class | Oasis Crescent fund range | Through Oasis products | Investors who want one active Shariah house |
Fees over ten years: why the platform matters less than the fund
Platform fees get the attention, but the fund's own TER does most of the damage or the saving. Holding the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF costs 0.40% a year in TER whether you buy it on EasyEquities or SatrixNow; the only difference is EasyEquities' 0.25% on each purchase and sale, which on a buy-and-hold plan is a one-off rather than an annual charge. Holding an actively managed Shariah equity fund with a TER above 2% costs five times as much every year, and on Sygnia you add 0.46% administration on top if it is an external fund.
- Lowest all-in cost: the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF on SatrixNow, paying only the 0.40% TER plus transaction costs.
- Lowest cost with flexibility: the same ETF on EasyEquities, adding 0.25% per trade but gaining access to managed funds and shares in one account.
- Diversified active portfolio: Sygnia Alchemy, where 0.4025% to 0.46% administration buys the ability to hold several Shariah managers and rebalance without selling out.
- Single active manager: Oasis Crescent direct, where no platform fee is charged but the fund TER is the highest of the four.
Our guide to Shariah fund fees in South Africa shows what each tenth of a percent does to a R500-a-month plan over twenty years.
Tax-free accounts and where to put the halal allocation
All four routes can be used inside a tax-free savings account, which removes dividends tax, capital gains tax and tax on distributions within the annual and lifetime contribution limits set by National Treasury. SatrixNow builds the TFSA toggle into the app and tracks remaining room; EasyEquities offers a TFSA account alongside its standard account; Sygnia's TFSA takes the same R10,000 initial and R500 monthly minimums as its Direct Investment and caps debit orders so you do not breach the annual limit; Oasis offers its own tax-free product. Because the Shariah ETF is the lowest-cost long-term holding, it is the natural candidate for the TFSA, with managed funds and screened shares in the taxable account. Our guide to the halal tax-free savings account explains the contribution rules.
Verdict: which app for which investor
A first-time investor with a small monthly amount should open SatrixNow or EasyEquities, buy the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF inside a TFSA, and ignore everything else until the balance is meaningful. An investor who wants to add a managed Shariah fund or screened shares without a second login should choose EasyEquities for its shelf. An investor with R10,000 or more who wants a properly diversified multi-manager Shariah portfolio, or who wants the same funds inside a retirement annuity, should use Sygnia Alchemy and accept the administration fee as the price of the structure. An investor who trusts active management and wants a single Shariah house with a long record should go direct to Oasis Crescent, with eyes open on the TER.
None of the four is a bad choice; the mistake is paying a platform fee for a shelf you do not use, or an active fee for a fund you never compare against the index. If R500 a month is where you are starting, our step-by-step guide to starting halal investing with R500 picks the account for you. Facts checked against easyequities.co.za, satrix.co.za, sygnia.co.za and oasis.co.za on 9 September 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Which app is cheapest for buying the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF?
SatrixNow, because it has no minimums and no stated platform fee on top of the ETF's 0.40% TER. EasyEquities charges 0.25% commission on each trade for the same ETF. On a buy-and-hold plan the difference is small, but on SatrixNow you also get a tax-free account toggle and a contribution tracker built in, which keeps a single-ETF plan simple.
Does EasyEquities have Shariah-compliant investments?
Yes. EasyEquities publishes a list of Shariah-compliant investments on its platform, including the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF, the Sentio Hikma Shariah unit trusts and the Emperor Enhanced Shariah Portfolio bundle. You can also buy individual JSE shares and screen them yourself. The platform charges 0.25% commission per trade and has no minimum investment, and fractional shares are available.
What does Sygnia charge for Shariah unit trusts?
Sygnia's administration fee is 0.4025% a year including VAT on the first R2 million held in Sygnia's own funds and 0.46% on external managers' funds such as Camissa or 27four, falling to 0.1725% and 0.23% between R2 million and R10 million. ETFs carry a 0.0345% safe custody fee. Each fund's own TER is charged in addition. The minimum is R10,000 as a lump sum or R500 a month by debit order.
What is the minimum to invest with Oasis Crescent?
The Oasis Crescent Equity Fund lists a minimum monthly investment of R500 and a minimum lump sum of R2,000 on its fund page and fact sheets. There is no platform fee when you invest directly, but the fund's total expense ratio on the class quoted in the second quarter 2026 fact sheet is 2.11%, and an initial fee of up to 3% may apply, limited to 1.5% where the ongoing fee exceeds 0.5%.
Can I hold halal investments in a tax-free savings account?
Yes, on all four platforms. SatrixNow and EasyEquities offer TFSA accounts that can hold the Satrix Shari'ah Top 40 ETF, Sygnia's Tax-Free Savings Account can hold Sygnia and external Shariah funds, and Oasis offers a tax-free product of its own. Contributions are capped per tax year and over your lifetime by National Treasury, and withdrawals do not restore the room you have used.
Compare providers in your state
See side-by-side comparisons of Shariah-compliant products, or let our matcher recommend the best options for your situation.
Is the cash in my investment app account earning interest?
It can be, depending on the platform's cash arrangement, which is why uninvested balances should be kept small and deployed promptly. Check each platform's terms for how cash is held and whether any interest is credited, and if it is, treat that amount as impermissible income to be given away rather than kept. Our guide to purification of dividends and interest explains the calculation.
