The #1 alternative
Commenda vs TMF Group vs Healy Consultants
A South Africa Pty Ltd needs a Public Officer, a Local Representative, and CIPC filings. All three set it up. The cost comes after.
Comparison at a glance
TMF Group and Healy Consultants deliver South Africa as a quoted, advisor-led engagement. Commenda runs four suites across 70+ countries, so one platform takes you from your South Africa Pty Ltd to a full multi-country group.
Commenda
Global entity management with complete compliance. Sets up your South Africa Pty Ltd (CIPC filing, MOI, UBO lodgement, Public Officer and Local Representative, registered address, bank account) and runs it alongside entities in 70+ countries, with consolidation and transfer pricing.
TMF Group
Global corporate service provider, in South Africa since 2003. Company formation, entity management, accounting and tax, HR and payroll, delivered through local offices. Pricing is quote-based. Good for an enterprise that wants a named local provider per country.
Healy Consultants
Global corporate service provider serving foreigners. Incorporation, bank account opening, Public Officer, accounting and tax for a South Africa entity. Pricing is quote-based; published Public Officer fee US$2,950/year. Good for a one-off foreign setup.
Feature comparison
Why we do it better
 | TMF Group | Healy Consultants | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Starting price (incorporation) | $2,000 | Quote-based | Quote-based |
| CIPC registration & MOI | |||
| UBO lodgement with CIPC | |||
| Public Officer + Local Representative | |||
| Registered office address | |||
| Corporate bank account | |||
| VAT registration & bi-monthly filing | |||
| Ongoing accounting & Corporate Income Tax | |||
| Transfer pricing (cross-border + CbCR) | Advisory | Model-specific | |
| Multi-entity consolidation / audit trail | Model-specific | ||
| Manage entities in other countries | ~80, local | Model-specific | |
| Self-serve software platform | |||
| 100+ ERP integration support |
Built for different buyers
Pricing compared
Advertised rates as of June 2026. Competitor pricing changes often.
Commenda
$2,000incorporation (billed USD)
- Modular: Public Officer + Local Representative $1,800/yr, registered office $2,000/yr, bank $400, VAT registration $400
- Annual Compliance Package $1,500/yr; Tax Accounting $4,000/yr; payroll $2,400/yr + $50/employee
- A full first-year setup with all registrations runs about $7,000, every line published up front
- South Africa entity set up and managed, plus the cross-border layer (transfer pricing, consolidation)
TMF Group
Quoteper engagement
- No public price; fees scoped per engagement and per country
- Company formation, entity management, accounting and tax, HR and payroll through local offices
- Enterprise-oriented; expect a sales process and a per-country quote
Healy Consultants
Quoteadvisor-led
- South Africa engagement is quoted; published anchors include Public Officer US$2,950/year
- Resident director (if elected) US$9,950/year; incorporation, bank account, accounting and tax
- Advisor-led, one-off foreign setup model
How each model works
What's the difference?
How TMF Group and Healy Consultants stack up against Commenda for entity management in South Africa.
Commenda: South Africa managed as part of your global group
- Sets up the Pty Ltd (CIPC filing, MOI, UBO, Public Officer, Local Representative, address, bank)
- Then runs accounting, Corporate Income Tax, VAT, and transfer pricing
- Consolidates South Africa with your entities in 70+ countries, one audit trail, on a software platform
TMF Group and Healy Consultants: advisor-led, delivered per country
- Local offices or advisors handling formation, accounting, tax, payroll
- Quote-based, advisor-led; no self-serve software layer or published pricing
- Consolidation across countries is coordinated by people, not a single audit trail
Making a decision
Which one should you choose?
The right fit depends on your footprint and stage in South Africa.
Choose Commenda if…
- You operate in South Africa and at least one other country
- You want South Africa managed alongside the rest of your group, with consolidation
- You want CIPC filing, Public Officer, VAT, accounting, and transfer pricing in one place, priced up front
Choose TMF Group if…
- You are an enterprise that wants a named local provider in each country
- You are comfortable with quote-based, advisor-led delivery and a sales process
Choose Healy Consultants if…
- South Africa is a one-off foreign setup
- You want an advisor-led engagement for a single entity
Common questions
Yes. Full foreign ownership of a Pty Ltd is permitted and no South African resident director is required. You must appoint a resident Public Officer (for SARS, within one month) and a Local Representative (for CIPC), and maintain a registered office address in South Africa. Commenda, TMF Group, and Healy Consultants all provide the Public Officer and local roles.
For a one-off South Africa entity with advisor-led delivery, TMF Group and Healy Consultants are a fair choice. Commenda is the better fit for a cross-border group: it manages South Africa alongside entities in 70+ countries on one software platform, with transfer pricing and consolidation, and publishes its pricing up front.
No. A Pty Ltd can be 100% foreign-owned with no resident director. It does require a resident Public Officer (Tax Administration Act) and a Local Representative (Companies Act). Commenda's $1,800/year Public Officer appointment covers both roles through its local partner.
$2,000 for incorporation of the Pty Ltd, billed in USD. A full first-year setup with all registrations (Public Officer, registered address, bank account, VAT, PAYE/UIF/SDL) runs about $7,000, with every line published up front.
About 2 to 3 weeks for CIPC registration, with SARS registrations and bank account opening running in parallel and taking a further 1 to 2 weeks, excluding time to gather KYC documents.
100 questions, from real customer calls.
The questions finance teams actually ask about entity management: EINs for non-residents, Delaware vs Wyoming, cleaning up the entities a previous provider left behind, and more. If you're looking for something, you'll find it here.
