Mar 11 (edited) • 📊 Stock Screening
Zoya vs Musaffa vs manual screening: Which should you actually use?
Three main options exist for screening halal stocks. Here's an honest comparison so you can pick the right one for your situation.
OPTION 1: ZOYA
Zoya is a mobile app (iOS and Android) that gives you an instant halal/haram rating for any stock.
What it does well:
- Instant results — type a ticker and get a clear pass/fail in seconds
- Clean, simple interface
- Free tier covers most needs (basic screening, portfolio tracking)
- Uses AAOIFI standards, which is the most widely accepted methodology
- Includes a Zakat calculator
- Covers US, UK, and many international stocks
- ETF screener included
Limitations:
- Free tier limits the number of searches per month
- Doesn't always show the full breakdown of WHY a stock passed or failed
- Premium subscription required for unlimited searches (~$10/month)
Best for: Casual investors who want quick checks on individual stocks. Anyone starting out.
OPTION 2: MUSAFFA
Musaffa is a web-based platform with more detailed analysis than Zoya.
What it does well:
- More transparent — shows you the actual financial ratios for each screen
- Includes a "purification ratio" — tells you what percentage of dividends to donate
- Research reports on individual stocks
- Portfolio management tools
- Broader international coverage
Limitations:
- Less intuitive interface than Zoya
- Free tier is more limited
- Better suited to more experienced investors who want to see the data
Best for: Investors who want to understand the "why" behind a rating. Anyone building a serious portfolio who wants full transparency.
OPTION 3: MANUAL SCREENING
Using SEC filings, company annual reports, and a spreadsheet to apply the AAOIFI criteria yourself.
What it does well:
- Complete control and transparency
- No subscription fees
- You understand exactly what you own and why
- Useful for companies not covered by apps (smaller stocks, international markets)
Limitations:
- Time-consuming — 30-60 minutes per company
- Requires understanding how to read financial statements
- Easy to make errors without experience — the most common mistake is using "Total Debt" from Yahoo Finance or Google Finance, which includes lease liabilities (IFRS 16) that AAOIFI screening explicitly excludes. This alone can make a compliant company appear non-compliant.
- Non-compliant income is not always obvious from headline figures — derivatives gains, prohibited transaction fees, and other items may be buried in income statement notes
Best for: Advanced investors. Anyone researching a company deeply before a large investment. Investors in markets not covered by the apps.
MY RECOMMENDATION BY SITUATION
Just getting started → Zoya (free tier). Download it, use it for every stock you consider.
Building a serious portfolio → Zoya for quick checks + Musaffa for detailed verification on larger positions.
Investing in non-US/UK markets → Manual screening or Musaffa, as Zoya's coverage is thinner outside major markets.
Want to verify an ETF's screening → Musaffa has better ETF-level analysis.
THE HONEST TRUTH
Both apps are tools, not fatwas. They apply a methodology (AAOIFI) — they don't replace scholarly judgement for complex cases. For the vast majority of mainstream stocks, the apps are reliable and consistent. For borderline cases, treat their output as a starting point, not a final verdict.
Which are you currently using? Or are you still doing it manually? Share below — I'm curious what the community's experience has been.
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Zoya vs Musaffa vs manual screening: Which should you actually use?
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