Most UAE stores combine a card gateway such as Telr, Network International or Stripe with Apple Pay, a buy-now-pay-later option like Tabby or Tamara, and sometimes cash on delivery. Fees vary by provider and by your sales, so check each provider's current rate card. Approval can take days to weeks, so apply before your store is finished.
The store is nearly built, the products look great, and then someone asks, "How will customers actually pay?" You search, find six names, and every one of them wants documents you do not have to hand. Payments are the step that most often delays a launch.
What a payment gateway does, in one paragraph
A payment gateway is the secure box on your checkout page that takes card details and passes them to the bank. A payment provider (sometimes called a processor or acquirer) is the company that moves the money into your bank account. Some businesses do both. For you as the owner, the practical question is simple: which companies will approve my business, how fast do I get paid, and what do they take?
When we plan an online store, the payment setup is one of the first things we ask about, because it depends on your licence, your documents and your bank. Our e-commerce website development work always includes working out this list early, so the store is not finished and then stuck.
The options UAE shoppers actually use
| Option | What it is | Good for | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Telr | UAE-based payment gateway for cards and wallets | Local support, AED settlement | Approval documents, fees per transaction. Confirm plugin support for your platform |
| Network International | Large regional acquirer behind many UAE card payments | Established businesses wanting a bank-grade provider | Often a heavier onboarding process and contracts. Confirm integration with your platform |
| Stripe | Global gateway for cards and wallets | Simple developer-friendly setup, international customers | Availability and requirements for UAE businesses should be checked on Stripe's site. A valid trade licence is typically needed |
| Tabby, Tamara | Buy now, pay later: split the price into instalments | Fashion, beauty, electronics and higher-value baskets | Their fee is paid by you, you must be approved, and some product types may be excluded |
| Apple Pay | One-tap payment on Apple devices, run through your card gateway | Mobile shoppers | It is usually enabled through a gateway rather than separately. Ask your gateway whether and how it is supported |
| Cash on delivery (COD) | Customer pays the courier when the order arrives | Customers who distrust online cards | Refused parcels, cash handling, courier fees. Costs money even when no one pays |
If you use Shopify, check which gateways are available for a store with a UAE business address on Shopify's own payments page. The list of supported gateways and the availability of Shopify Payments have differed by country and have changed over time, so do not rely on old forum posts, including ours. Our post on Tabby and Tamara on Shopify shows the steps for buy-now-pay-later.
✓ Gateway availability, plugin support and onboarding rules change. Checked October 2026. Confirm with each provider and with your platform's payments settings before you rely on them.
How fees really work
Provider fees have several parts, and a headline percentage rarely tells the whole story.
- A percentage of each sale, often with a small fixed amount per transaction.
- Extra charges for international cards, currency conversion or American Express.
- Sometimes a setup fee or a monthly minimum.
- A settlement delay: how many days before the money reaches you.
- Chargeback fees when a customer disputes a payment.
- On Shopify, your plan may add its own transaction fee when you use a gateway that is not Shopify Payments. Check this on Shopify's pricing page, and see our post on Shopify fees in the UAE.
We do not quote percentages here. Rates depend on your sales volume, your category and your negotiation, and they change. Ask each provider for its current rate card in writing and compare the same example. A simple way: take an AED 500 order and ask each provider, "What do I receive in my bank, and when?"
| Ask each provider | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| What is the fee on a domestic AED card payment? | Most of your sales |
| What is the fee on an international card? | Tourists and expats with foreign cards |
| How many days until settlement? | Cash flow |
| Is there a setup fee, monthly fee or minimum? | Hidden cost for a small store |
| Which of my products or categories are restricted? | Perfume, supplements, jewellery and electronics are sometimes reviewed more closely |
| Does it work with my platform and Apple Pay? | Avoid surprises at integration time |
Approval takes time, so start early
This is the number-one cause of delayed launches. Every provider checks that your business is real before it handles money. Expect to supply:
- A valid trade licence, and the licence activity should match what you sell.
- Owner or manager Emirates ID and passport copies.
- A UAE bank account in the business name, often with an IBAN letter.
- A live or near-live website showing products, prices, delivery and returns policies, contact details and terms.
- Sometimes a lease agreement or utility bill.
Approval times vary by provider, and can run from a few days to several weeks, especially when documents are incomplete or the provider asks follow-up questions. We suggest you apply as soon as the store design is agreed and the legal pages exist, not on launch day. Also expect that a provider may ask to review a test version of the site first.
Put your returns policy, delivery times, contact details and terms on the site before you apply. Missing policies are a common reason for questions and delays.
Which combination suits which store
| Store type | Sensible starting mix | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New small store, local customers | One card gateway, Apple Pay, one buy-now-pay-later option | Covers most shoppers without too much setup |
| Fashion or abaya brand with larger baskets | Card gateway, Apple Pay, Tabby and Tamara | Instalments help with higher prices |
| Perfume or luxury | Card gateway, Apple Pay, optional instalments, careful COD | Fraud and refused parcels matter more at higher values |
| B2B or wholesale | Bank transfer or invoicing, plus a card gateway for small orders | Large orders rarely go on a card |
| Food and delivery | Card gateway, Apple Pay, COD | Customers expect COD and fast checkout |
Our Haya Modest design study shows how a checkout can place Apple Pay and instalment options so they are visible on mobile without crowding the page.
Cash on delivery: handle with care
COD removes the fear of paying online, and in some categories customers still ask for it. The cost is real, though. Orders get refused at the door, couriers charge extra to collect and return cash, and your team reconciles payments by hand.
- Confirm COD orders by WhatsApp or SMS before shipping.
- Set a maximum COD order value.
- Charge a small COD fee if your margins need it, and say so clearly.
- Offer a discount or free delivery for paying by card, and see if COD usage falls.
What setting this up costs with us
Connecting payments is part of any store build. Our Shopify launch store starts from AED 4,950 and typically ranges between AED 4,950 and AED 12,000, excluding 5% VAT, and the setup package starts from AED 3,450. These include configuring the gateways you are approved for, Apple Pay where supported, and buy-now-pay-later widgets. Provider fees and any platform fees are separate and paid to those providers. See our Shopify store cost guide for the full breakdown. Payment terms: 50% at the start and 50% at launch under AED 20,000.
Tabby and Tamara: when instalments help and when they do not
Buy now, pay later is popular with UAE shoppers, and many stores add it to lift larger baskets. We do not promise that it will increase your sales; that depends on your price level and your customers. What we can say is how it works for you as the merchant.
- You are paid by the provider, and the customer pays the provider in instalments. The provider carries the repayment risk, not you, under their terms. Read those terms.
- You pay a fee on each order, usually higher than a plain card fee. Compare it with your margin before you switch it on for everything.
- Both providers approve merchants. Expect a short review of your store and your category.
- Some low-priced orders are not worth the fee. Consider showing instalments only above a minimum basket.
- Show the instalment amount on product pages and in the cart, so customers see it before checkout. The setup steps are in our post on Tabby and Tamara on Shopify.
For a low-priced everyday product with thin margins, instalments may cost more than they bring. For a higher-priced abaya, watch or fragrance set, they often make sense. Test with one option first, and review your numbers after a month.
Reducing failed payments
Approval is only half the story. Some customers will try to pay and fail. Common causes are a bank's security check, a mistyped code, or a card that is not enabled for online use. A few small things reduce this.
- Offer at least two ways to pay, so a failed card is not a lost order.
- Show clear error messages that tell the customer what to do next.
- Keep checkout short: fewer fields, address autofill, guest checkout.
- Check checkout on a phone every month. Most UAE shoppers will use one.
- Send an abandoned-cart reminder where you have consent.
A short checklist before you apply
- Decide your main card gateway, and shortlist two in case one declines.
- Gather licence, IDs, bank details and your policy pages.
- Ask each provider the six questions in the table above, in writing.
- Apply to your first choice and to a backup at the same time.
- Test payments in a sandbox, then with a real small card payment and a refund.
- Only then announce your launch date to customers.
Questions
There is no single best one. Many stores use a card gateway such as Telr, Network International or Stripe, plus Apple Pay and Tabby or Tamara. Compare current rate cards and approval requirements.
It varies by provider, from a few days to several weeks, especially if documents are incomplete. Apply early, before the store is finished.
They vary by provider, volume and card type, and they change. Ask each provider for its current rate card in writing and compare the same example order.
Usually yes, through your card gateway. Ask your provider whether it supports Apple Pay for your platform and what setup it needs.
Only if your customers expect it. It adds refused parcels and cash handling costs. Confirm orders before shipping and set a maximum value.
Most providers ask for one. Confirm your licence and activity with the Department of Economy and Tourism or your free zone, and ask your provider what it requires.