Forus vs. Funding Souq

Shariah Compliant Investment Platforms in Saudi Arabia Review & Features Comparison

Overview

The chart below highlights the core features offered by Funding Souq versus Foru. Both are shariah-compliant platforms that offer investors access to SMEs by investing in their debt.

A key difference is geography: Forus is restricted to Saudi-based investors and Saudi-based businesses. Funding Souq offers both a Saudi-based platform and a UAE-based platform that’s also open to global investors.

The other differences – like returns and types of financing available, are less obvious, so we’ve broken down the features of these platforms so you can make a smart decision.

Features Comparison

For Investors

Platform feature	Funding Souq	Forus Platform
What are you investing in?	You are investing in pre-screened SMEs based in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, providing them with working capital finance to help them grow.	You are investing in Saudi Arabia-based SMEs that need working capital financing, invoice finance, or POS financing.
Who can invest?	- Funding Souq’s Global platform can onboard nearly all nationalities, allowing almost anyone to invest in UAE-based businesses. - Funding Souq’s KSA platform can onboard only Saudi nationals and residents as per Saudi Central Bank regulation.	Forus’ platform can only onboard Saudi nationals and residents with local bank accounts.
What is the minimum investment?	The minimum investment is SAR/AED 1,000, or approximately $270.	The minimum investment is SAR 1,000 ($270).
What is the maximum investment?	In Saudi Arabia - Retail investors can invest up to SAR 250,000 per year and up to 25% of any opportunity’s total requested amount. In the UAE - Retail investors can invest up to AED 365,000 per year and AED 36,000 per business	Retail investors can invest up to 20% of the requested financing, up to SAR 50,000 per investment, and a maximum of 200,000 SAR per year for all financing opportunities on the platform.
What returns can investors expect?	Investors can expect a net yield of up to 15% and an IRR of up to 23% as monthly repayments allow for compound return. To understand the difference between Yield and IRR read our blog here.	Investors can expect IRR from 9.7% to 30% subject to market demand.
When are investors paid?	Investors receive monthly principal and profit repayments. This enables compounding as these repayments are returned.	Balloon repayment (one time) at the end of the finance term. In most cases it is every 3, 6 or 9 months.
What are the fees for investors?	Zero hidden fees. The returns displayed on the platform are net of any applicable fees. The presented return is what you should expect to earn.	Zero Fees "Cost-Free Investment"
Does the platform have an Auto-Investment option?	Yes. Once enabled, the Auto-Invest system will automatically allocate your available funds into new opportunities based on your selected investment strategy.	Yes. An automated trading option allows you to choose a strategy based on your risk profile.
Are all finance and investment operations sharia-compliant?	Yes. You can find more details about our Shariah certification here.	Yes.

For Businesses

Platform feature	Funding Souq	Forus Platform
Who is eligible for borrowing?	Any established business in Saudi Arabia or the UAE with a minimum of two years of trading. The business should have SAR / AED 2 million of revenue and be profitable or on path to profitability.	Any established business in Saudi Arabia with a valid commercial registration, a minimum operating history of one year, and a business plan that demonstrates systematic growth and a clear strategy.
What is the maximum financing duration?	Request financing for periods of 3-24 months.	Request financing for periods of 1-36 months.
What level of financing is available?	Typically between SAR/AED 100,000 to 1,000,000, but up to a maximum of SAR/AED 7.5 million.	Working capital finance: up to 5 million SAR Invoice Finance: up to 80% of invoices. POS Financing: up to SAR 500,000.
What are the fees for borrowers?	- Administration fees: 2% to 3% - Monthly profit rate: 1% to 1.5%	- Administration fees: 2% to 6% - Annual Percentage Rate (APR): range from 9.7% to 27.7%
How long does it take to get a funding decision?	Typically within 72 hours	Typically within 72 hours.

Invest with no hidden fees and get returns of up to 23%

Up to 23% return by financing SMEs

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