shopify payments uae
Shopify Payments & Gateways in the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Qatar (2026)
11 October 2026 · 9 min read
Short answer: Shopify works in every GCC country, but Shopify Payments is only available in the UAE. If your business is in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or Oman, you take payments through a third-party gateway such as Tap Payments, add buy-now-pay-later with Tamara or Tabby, and offer cash on delivery. The setup you choose affects your fees, your checkout conversion and how fast you get paid.
This guide was checked against Shopify's supported-countries list and UAE pricing page in October 2026. Payment rules change, so confirm anything you'll rely on with the provider.
Shopify payments by GCC country
| Country | Shopify Payments | What to use |
|---|---|---|
| UAE | Yes | Shopify Payments for cards and wallets, plus Tabby or Tamara for BNPL, plus COD |
| Saudi Arabia | No | A gateway with mada (e.g. Tap Payments), plus Tamara or Tabby, plus COD |
| Qatar | No | A gateway licensed in Qatar (e.g. Tap Payments), plus COD |
| Kuwait | No | A gateway with KNET (e.g. Tap Payments), plus Tabby or Tamara, plus COD |
| Bahrain, Oman | No | A GCC gateway such as Tap Payments, plus COD |
Tap Payments says it holds payment licences in all six GCC countries, which makes it the simplest single gateway if you sell across the region. Other gateways serve parts of the GCC; compare fees and settlement times before you choose.
UAE: Shopify Payments, Tabby and Tamara
If your business is located in the UAE, turn on Shopify Payments. It takes cards directly in your Shopify checkout, with no extra third-party fee and no separate gateway contract. The online card rates on Shopify's UAE pricing page in October 2026:
| Shopify plan | Monthly price (billed monthly) | Online card rate | Fee if you use another gateway |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | US$32 | 2.9% + AED 1 | 2% |
| Grow | US$92 | 2.8% + AED 1 | 1% |
| Advanced | US$399 | 2.7% + AED 1 | 0.6% |
| Plus | From US$2,300 | 2.5% + AED 1 | 0.2% |
Then add:
- Tabby: its "Tabby Pay Later" app is on the Shopify App Store, published by Tabby. Customers split the payment; you get paid upfront, minus Tabby's merchant fee.
- Tamara: has its own Shopify payment app. Tamara says the app itself costs nothing extra; its merchant fees still apply.
- Cash on delivery: still expected by many first-time buyers, even though cards and wallets keep taking share.
BNPL works best on higher-priced items, where "4 payments of AED 150" feels easier than AED 600. Show it on the product page, not just at checkout.
Saudi Arabia: mada first
Shopify Payments isn't available to Saudi businesses, so you need a third-party gateway. The rule that matters most: it must support mada, Saudi Arabia's national debit card network. If a Saudi shopper can't pay with mada, many will leave.
- Gateway: Tap Payments supports mada, Apple Pay and STC Pay, and has a Shopify integration. Ask for a written fee quote; card rates are negotiated.
- BNPL: Tamara (Saudi-founded) and Tabby both operate in Saudi Arabia.
- COD: offer it, but confirm orders before dispatch.
- Arabic: a fully Arabic storefront and checkout matters more in Saudi Arabia than anywhere else in the GCC.
Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman
None of these has Shopify Payments. Use a gateway licensed in your country that supports the local debit network (KNET in Kuwait, for example) and Apple Pay, and add COD. Merchants selling into Qatar report that shoppers lean toward cards and digital wallets, so a smooth card checkout matters more than BNPL there.
The hidden fee most GCC stores miss
When an order is paid through a third-party gateway, Shopify charges a transaction fee on top of the gateway's own fee. Shopify doesn't waive it because Shopify Payments isn't available in your country. On a Basic plan at 2%, AED 100,000 a month through Tap costs about AED 2,000 in Shopify fees, before Tap's own charges.
How to keep it down:
- Upgrade at the right point. Moving from Basic (2%) to Grow (1%) pays for itself once 1% of your gateway sales is more than the difference in plan price.
- COD and bank transfer don't carry this fee, because they are manual payment methods.
- Check the pricing page for your country. Rates differ by market and change over time.
Selling into the GCC from abroad
If your company is registered outside the GCC, Shopify Payments depends on your country, not your customer's. A UK- or US-registered store can use Shopify Payments and sell to UAE or Saudi customers in their own currency with Shopify Markets. What you can't easily offer from abroad is local cash on delivery and local methods like mada. If the GCC becomes a big market for you, a local entity and gateway usually pay for themselves.
Setup checklist
- Check your country on Shopify's supported list. UAE businesses: activate Shopify Payments and verify your details.
- Everyone else: open a gateway account (trade license and business bank account ready) and install its Shopify app.
- Add BNPL (Tabby or Tamara) and show the instalment price on product pages.
- Turn on cash on delivery under Settings → Payments, and set a WhatsApp confirmation step.
- Turn on Apple Pay and Google Pay if your gateway supports them. One-tap wallets cut mobile checkout drop-off.
- Place a real test order with each method and check it reaches your bank, and that your Meta and Google tracking records it.
FAQ
Is Shopify Payments available in the UAE?
Yes. The United Arab Emirates is on Shopify's list of supported countries for Shopify Payments, for businesses located in the UAE. You may be asked to verify personal and business details when you activate it.
Is Shopify Payments available in Saudi Arabia or Qatar?
No. As of October 2026, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman are not on Shopify's supported-countries list for Shopify Payments. Stores there use a third-party gateway such as Tap Payments, plus buy-now-pay-later apps like Tamara and Tabby where available.
Does Shopify work in Saudi Arabia and Qatar?
Yes. You can build and run a Shopify store in any GCC country. Only Shopify Payments, Shopify's built-in card processor, is limited by country. Everything else, including themes, apps, Shopify Markets and checkout, works the same.
Does Shopify charge extra if I use Tap or another gateway?
Usually, yes. Shopify charges a third-party transaction fee on orders paid through an external gateway, on top of the gateway's own fee. On Shopify's UAE pricing page it was 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus in October 2026. Manual methods such as cash on delivery and bank transfer are not charged this fee. Check the pricing page for your own country.
Which payment gateway is best for Shopify in Saudi Arabia?
Pick a gateway that supports mada, Saudi Arabia's local debit card network, because most Saudi shoppers pay with it. Tap Payments supports mada, Apple Pay and the main BNPL providers, and has a Shopify integration. Add Tamara or Tabby for buy now, pay later, and offer cash on delivery for first-time buyers.
Can I offer cash on delivery on Shopify in the GCC?
Yes. Cash on delivery is a built-in manual payment method in Shopify. Turn it on under Settings, then Payments. Your courier collects the cash and pays it to you later, so confirm COD orders by WhatsApp before dispatch to cut refusals.
Want it set up for you?
TwinEcom is a Shopify agency for Dubai and the GCC. We build stores for brands in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the wider GCC, with payments, BNPL, COD and ad tracking working before launch. Then we run the Meta and Google ads that fill it. Starting from scratch? Read how to start an ecommerce business in Dubai and the UAE, see Shopify development, or message us on WhatsApp.