Sarwa vs StashAway vs DIY ETFs: UAE Robo-Advisors Compared 2026

Choosing between Sarwa, StashAway and doing it yourself comes down to one trade-off: robo-advisors charge roughly 0.2 to 0.9% a year to automate everything, while a DIY ETF portfolio at a broker costs a fraction of that but requires you to pick funds, convert currency and rebalance on your own. All three routes beat the high-fee products covered in the savings plan trap by a wide margin. Here is the detailed 2026 comparison.

Fee figures below were checked against provider disclosures in mid-2026. Providers revise pricing, so treat these as verified snapshots and check the current schedule before you sign up.

How do Sarwa and StashAway compare at a glance?

	Sarwa Invest	StashAway MENA	DIY ETFs (broker)
Management fee (2026)	0.85%/yr under USD 100k; 0.70% to USD 500k; 0.50% above; 0.40% above USD 5m	0.8% on first USD 25k, tiering down to 0.2% above USD 1m (incl. VAT)	None; commissions roughly USD 1 to 5/trade
Minimum fee / balance	USD 7/month minimum fee (waived first 3 months); USD 500 to start	No general minimum	Usually none
Underlying fund TER	~0.05 to 0.25%	~0.15 to 0.25%	~0.03 to 0.25%
FX cost AED to USD	Included in flows; check current terms	0.29% conversion spread	~0.02 to 1% depending on broker
Regulator	ADGM FSRA; DFSA entity for Sarwa Trade	DFSA (StashAway Management DIFC Ltd)	Depends on broker (DFSA for Saxo's Dubai entity, US/UK entities for IBKR)
Halal option	Yes, halal portfolios	Yes, Sharia-compliant portfolios	Build your own with Islamic ETFs
Effort required	Minimal	Minimal	A few hours to set up, ~1 hour/year

Both robos build diversified ETF portfolios matched to a risk questionnaire, rebalance automatically, and support recurring AED deposits, which makes them a natural home for the monthly habit described in how to invest monthly from your salary.

What do the fees actually cost in dirhams?

Take a portfolio of AED 100,000 (about USD 27,200 at the 3.6725 peg):

Sarwa: 0.85% = about AED 850 a year in management fees.
StashAway: 0.8% on the first USD 25,000 plus 0.7% on the rest = about USD 215, or AED 790 a year.
DIY at a low-cost broker: twelve monthly buys at USD 1 to 2 each plus minor FX costs = roughly AED 100 to 300 a year.

Add roughly 0.1 to 0.25% of ETF fund TER in every case, since robos also hold ETFs inside your portfolio.

The gap compounds. Investing AED 3,000 a month for 20 years at 7% gross returns: a DIY portfolio with all-in costs near 0.3% ends around AED 1.51 million, while a robo portfolio with all-in costs near 1% ends around AED 1.39 million. The convenience of a robo costs roughly AED 120,000 over two decades on those assumptions. That is real money, but note the contrast: a 25-year unit-linked savings plan can cost you six to eight times more than that. Run your own numbers in the savings plan fee calculator and set your target monthly amount with the retirement gap calculator.

Are robo-advisors safe and regulated in the UAE?

Yes, the two major players are licensed onshore in the UAE's financial free zones. Sarwa is regulated by the Financial Services Regulatory Authority (FSRA) of Abu Dhabi Global Market, with a DFSA-regulated Dubai entity for its trading product. StashAway operates in the region as StashAway Management (DIFC) Limited, regulated by the Dubai Financial Services Authority. Client assets are held with third-party custodians, separate from company money; US-custodied assets typically carry SIPC brokerage insurance up to USD 500,000 against broker failure (not against market losses).

Regulation protects you from platform misconduct, not from markets going down. A 60/40 portfolio can still fall 20% in a bad year on any platform.

When should you choose each route?

Choose a robo-advisor if: you are starting out, you value automation over the last 0.5% of return, or you know you will not actually get around to DIY. An expensive-sounding 0.8% fee on AED 50,000 is AED 400 a year, a cheap price for actually being invested.

Choose DIY if: your portfolio is large (the robo fee on AED 1 million is AED 5,000 to 8,000 a year), you are comfortable placing trades, and you want full control over fund domicile, which matters for the withholding and estate tax reasons explained in ETF investing for expats in the UAE. The mechanics are covered in how to access US markets from the UAE.

A common hybrid: start with a robo, learn for a year or two, then move to DIY as the balance grows, keeping the robo for automation if you like it. Whichever you pick, the platform decision matters far less than the amount you invest and the years you stay invested; see the full beginner sequence in how to start investing in the UAE.

FAQ

Which is cheaper, Sarwa or StashAway?

At most balance levels their headline fees are close. As of mid-2026 StashAway's entry tier (0.8%, VAT inclusive, no minimum investment) undercuts Sarwa's 0.85% plus USD 7 monthly minimum for small balances; at higher balances the tiers converge at 0.4 to 0.7%. Both change pricing periodically, so check both current fee pages before deciding.

Do Sarwa and StashAway offer halal portfolios?

Yes. Both offer Sharia-screened portfolios built from Islamic ETFs, typically with slightly higher underlying fund TERs than their conventional equivalents. For the wider halal landscape, see Sharia-compliant savings and investment options.

Can I withdraw my money from a robo-advisor at any time?

Yes. Unlike contractual savings plans, robo accounts have no lock-in or surrender penalties; withdrawals normally arrive in your bank account within a few business days once holdings are sold.

What happens to my robo account if I leave the UAE?

Policies vary: some platforms let you keep the account with an updated residency, others may ask you to close or transfer it. Check the provider's policy before you rely on it as a long-term vehicle, especially if a move is likely.

Sources and References

Sarwa help centre; Sarwa Invest management fee tiers and the USD 7 monthly minimum fee (help.sarwa.co)
StashAway MENA pricing page; tiered fees from 0.8% down to 0.2%, 0.29% currency conversion spread, VAT-inclusive pricing (stashaway.ae)
DFSA public register; licence of StashAway Management (DIFC) Limited (dfsa.ae)
Brokermatch UAE; Sarwa's FSRA and DFSA regulation and per-trade fees (brokermatch.ae)

This article is for general information and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Fee schedules, minimums and promotions change frequently, so always confirm current pricing on each provider's official page before opening an account. Capital is at risk: the value of investments can fall as well as rise, and past performance does not guarantee future results.

Published on 9 September 2026.