Building a website or webshop for the Saudi and UAE market: what to know

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are among the most attractive online markets in the region: high smartphone use, strong purchasing power and fast-growing digital payments. But a website or webshop that works well in Europe does not automatically work in Riyadh or Dubai. Customers expect Arabic, local payment methods and a checkout that feels familiar, and businesses face their own rules on invoicing and data.

This article gives a practical overview of what to plan for when you build a website or webshop for the Saudi and UAE market in 2026. Legal and tax topics are covered at a high level only; always check the official sources linked below or a local adviser for your specific situation.

Start Arabic-first, not "translated later"

In both countries, English is widely used in business, especially in the UAE with its large expatriate population. Still, Arabic is the official language, and for many consumers, particularly in Saudi Arabia, an Arabic site builds noticeably more trust. The key decision is to treat Arabic as a first-class version of your site, not as an afterthought.

What that means in practice:

• Right-to-left (RTL) layout. The whole interface is mirrored: navigation, icons with direction, sliders, breadcrumbs and the checkout flow. This is far easier when the design system is built for both directions from day one.
• Real Arabic copy. Machine translation is a starting point. Product names, sizes, delivery promises and legal texts should be written or reviewed by a native speaker who knows the local market.
• Arabic fonts. Choose a typeface with a well-designed Arabic script and matching Latin glyphs, so mixed text looks consistent.
• Bilingual switching. Make it easy to switch between Arabic and English on every page, and keep the cart and account when switching.

We explain the technical side in more depth in our article on Arabic websites and RTL design, and on our pages about websites for Saudi Arabia and websites for Dubai.

Payments: what Gulf customers expect at checkout

The single biggest difference compared with a European webshop is the payment page. A checkout that only offers international credit cards will lose customers.

Saudi Arabia

• mada is the national debit card scheme and one of the most used payment methods online. Supporting mada cards is close to essential for a Saudi webshop.
• Apple Pay is very widely used on mobile, often with a mada card underneath.
• STC Pay (a digital wallet) is also offered by many local shops.
• Buy now, pay later (BNPL) services such as Tabby and Tamara are popular, especially in fashion, electronics and beauty. They let customers split payments, while the merchant is paid by the provider.
• Visa and Mastercard remain important, of course.

United Arab Emirates

• International cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay are standard.
• Tabby and Tamara are also active in the UAE.
• Local wallets and bank-specific options exist, but cards and mobile wallets cover most online checkouts.

Cash on delivery

Cash on delivery (COD) is still offered by many Gulf webshops, even as card and wallet payments grow fast. Offering it can raise conversion, but it also means higher return and refusal risk and more work in logistics. Many shops limit COD to certain order values or regions.

Choosing a payment gateway

Local and regional payment service providers such as Moyasar, HyperPay, PayTabs, Tap Payments and Checkout.com support combinations of mada, cards, Apple Pay and wallets, and several integrate BNPL providers. When comparing gateways, check:

1. Which methods are supported in which country (mada is Saudi-specific).
2. Whether the provider is licensed for your setup and accepts your type of company. Many require a local legal entity.
3. Settlement currency (SAR, AED, USD) and payout times.
4. Integration options: hosted checkout, native mobile SDKs or a direct API, and plugins for your platform.
5. Fees, refund handling and chargeback processes.

Integrating several payment and logistics providers is where custom work often pays off. See our page on websites for the Gulf states for how we approach this.

E-invoicing: ZATCA and the UAE framework (high level)

Both countries are moving to mandatory electronic invoicing, and your webshop or back office needs to produce invoices that fit.

Saudi Arabia (ZATCA / FATOORA)

• VAT-registered businesses in Saudi Arabia must issue electronic invoices under the rules of the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA). Phase 1 (generation) has applied since December 2021.
• Phase 2, the integration phase, requires invoicing systems to connect to ZATCA's FATOORA platform. It is being rolled out in waves by revenue threshold, and ZATCA keeps announcing new waves that bring smaller businesses into scope.
• For a webshop this typically means invoices with the required fields and QR code, generated by a compliant system that is connected to FATOORA, either directly or through an e-invoicing solution provider.

Official information: zatca.gov.sa.

United Arab Emirates (Peppol-based)

• The UAE Ministry of Finance has introduced an Electronic Invoicing System based on the international Peppol standard, working through accredited service providers.
• Voluntary use started in 2026, and mandatory adoption is phased in from 2027, starting with large businesses and followed by smaller businesses and government entities.
• If you sell to UAE businesses (B2B) or government (B2G), plan for your invoicing system to connect to an accredited service provider.

Official information: mof.gov.ae.

VAT basics: Saudi Arabia applies a standard VAT rate of 15% and the UAE 5%. Prices shown to consumers normally include VAT. Thresholds and registration rules depend on your situation.

Domains: .sa, .ae, or .com?

• .sa domains are managed by SaudiNIC and generally require a Saudi presence, such as a Saudi commercial registration for companies or a Saudi ID or residency for individuals.
• .ae domains are managed under the UAE's telecom regulator. Registration rules differ per type of .ae domain, and some second-level variants have extra requirements. Check the current rules with an accredited registrar.
• .com works fine in both markets and is often used for regional or multi-country brands. A local domain can add trust, but it is not required to rank or sell.
• If you serve both countries from one site, use clear language and country paths (for example /ar-sa/ and /ar-ae/, or /ar/ and /en/) with correct hreflang tags.

Hosting and data rules (high level)

• Saudi Arabia has a Personal Data Protection Law (PDPL), supervised by SDAIA and fully enforced since September 2024. It includes rules on consent, privacy notices, data subject rights and conditions for transferring personal data outside the Kingdom.
• The UAE has a federal Personal Data Protection Law as well, while free zones such as DIFC and ADGM have their own data protection regimes.
• Certain sectors (for example finance, health and government work) can have stricter data localisation requirements in both countries.
• Major cloud providers now operate data centre regions in the Gulf, which makes local hosting more practical than a few years ago. Whether you need it depends on your sector, your data and your contracts.

In practice: publish a clear Arabic and English privacy policy, use a proper cookie and consent setup, document where data is stored, and ask your legal adviser whether your data flows need extra safeguards. Official sources: sdaia.gov.sa and u.ae.

Local details that make a difference

• Mobile first. Most traffic in both markets comes from smartphones. Design the checkout for one-handed use, with Apple Pay and saved addresses.
• Addresses and delivery. Saudi Arabia uses the National Address system with short address codes; many customers also share a location pin. Make address fields flexible and allow a map pin or short code.
• WhatsApp. Customers often expect to contact a business via WhatsApp for questions and order updates.
• Working week. Saudi Arabia has a Friday–Saturday weekend; the UAE moved to a Saturday–Sunday weekend in 2022. Plan delivery times and support hours accordingly.
• Calendar and holidays. Ramadan and Eid are the biggest commercial periods of the year. Prepare campaigns, stock and server capacity well in advance. Some customers also expect Hijri dates alongside Gregorian dates.
• Business details. Show your company details, contact information and return policy clearly. Saudi e-commerce regulations require online sellers to disclose key business information.

Platform choice

Standard platforms such as Shopify, WooCommerce and Salla (a Saudi platform) can work well, especially for a quick start. Check carefully how well each one supports Arabic RTL themes, mada and local gateways, ZATCA-compliant invoicing and your logistics partners. When you need several local integrations, multiple countries or a link with an ERP, a custom-built webshop or a hybrid setup often gives more control.

Checklist before you launch

1. Arabic and English versions with RTL design tested on real phones.
2. mada, Apple Pay, cards and (where relevant) Tabby or Tamara at checkout.
3. A licensed payment gateway that accepts your company structure.
4. E-invoicing that fits ZATCA or the UAE framework, depending on where you are registered.
5. A suitable domain and correct hreflang setup.
6. Privacy policy, consent management and a documented data storage location.
7. Delivery, returns and WhatsApp support processes that work in practice.

This article is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; check the official sources and a local adviser for your situation.

Conclusion

A successful website or webshop for Saudi Arabia and the UAE combines an Arabic-first design, familiar local payments, compliant invoicing and attention to local habits. None of this is exotic, but it has to be planned from the start rather than bolted on later.

Smart Design is a web agency based in Haarlem, the Netherlands, with an Arabic-speaking team that builds websites, webshops and integrations for clients worldwide, including the Gulf. Want to discuss your plans for Saudi Arabia or the UAE? Contact us and we will think along with you, in English or Arabic.