Best Payment Gateway in the UAE for Online Sellers in 2026: Published Fees, What Is Not Published and How to Compare

There is no single best payment gateway in the UAE; the right one depends on your volume, your platform and whether you sell to customers abroad. What you can compare today is what each provider publishes. Stripe lists 2.9% + AED 1.00 for domestic cards, plus 1% for international cards and 1% when currency conversion is needed. Shopify Payments lists 2.9% + AED 1.00 on its Basic plan. Checkout.com and PayTabs do not publish UAE rates on the pages we checked in October 2026. This page shows how to compare them on equal terms.

How do the main UAE payment gateways compare in 2026?

The table uses only what each provider's own pages say, as of October 2026. "Not published" means the page we opened did not show it.

If a provider you are considering is not in the table, we did not verify it. Treat any rate you see on a comparison blog as a lead, not a quote.

What does a gateway really cost per sale?

The percentage is only part of it. Add these before you compare:

1. The fixed amount. AED 1.00 per sale hurts more on small baskets. On an AED 50 order it adds 2 percentage points.
2. International card and currency conversion fees. Stripe adds 1% for international cards and another 1% if currency conversion is required.
3. Platform surcharges. Shopify charges an extra fee when you use a third-party gateway: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus.
4. Payout fees and timing. Stripe's standard payouts are free; instant payouts cost 1.5% with a AED 2.00 minimum.
5. Refund, dispute and chargeback fees. Most providers do not show these on their headline pages. Ask.

Worked example, illustrative only, using the published Stripe rates. A UAE shop takes an AED 200 order from a foreign card with currency conversion. The fee is 2.9% + 1% + 1% = 4.9% of AED 200 = AED 9.80, plus AED 1.00, so AED 10.80. The same order on a domestic card is AED 6.80. The difference is AED 4.00 per order, which is why a shop with many foreign customers should price on its real card mix.

How do you check a UAE gateway is licensed?

Under the UAE e-commerce law, the Ministry of Economy says Central Bank requirements apply to digital payment gateways. Telr states on its homepage that it is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE.

Ask every provider you shortlist:

• Which entity will hold the contract with you, and in which country is it licensed?
• In which currency and to which bank account will it settle?
• Does it support UAE cards, Apple Pay and the instalment providers you want?

An overseas provider can still work for a UAE company, but check the settlement currency and whether payouts go to a UAE account. The Central Bank register is the authority to confirm a licensed status; this page does not replace that check.

Which gateway fits which seller?

• You run a Shopify store. Shopify Payments is the simplest route and avoids the third-party surcharge. Read Shopify Payments in the UAE and the Shopify UAE guide.
• You build your own site and want published rates. Stripe publishes UAE pricing, which makes it the easiest to model in advance.
• You process high volume. Providers that quote by negotiation, such as Checkout.com, make sense only once you can ask for a written, volume-based quote.
• You want a local licensed provider. Ask Telr, PayTabs and similar providers for their UAE rate card in writing.

What about buy now pay later and cash on delivery?

Instalment methods are separate contracts, not part of your card gateway. Tabby says merchants receive the full amount in days and gives set-up times of both 24 hours and minutes on the same page; it does not list its merchant fees on its business page. Tamara's merchant terms say its fees are set in the onboarding form. See the Tabby merchant guide and the Tamara merchant guide. For cash payment at the door, see cash on delivery for UAE sellers.

What documents does a gateway ask for?

Providers publish different lists, and we could not verify one common list for the UAE. Shopify says it may need identification, proof of address and business registration documents. Expect a trade license, passport and Emirates ID of the owners, and proof of a company bank account. You will find the bank side in business bank account for UAE e-commerce. General information; confirm requirements with each provider.

How do you run a fair comparison in four steps?

1. Pull your numbers. Write down your expected monthly orders, average basket in AED and the share paid by foreign cards.
2. Ask each provider for a written rate card. It should name the percentage, the fixed fee, the international and conversion surcharges, refund and chargeback fees, and the settlement schedule.
3. Model one month. Use the same orders for each provider and add any platform surcharge. The cheapest headline rate is often not the cheapest month.
4. Check the contract terms. Look for rolling reserves, holdbacks on new merchants, minimum monthly fees and notice periods for rate changes. Tamara's terms, for example, let it raise fees on ten days' written notice, or vary them on seven calendar days' notice in some cases.

FAQ

What is the cheapest payment gateway in the UAE? We cannot name one, because most providers do not publish UAE rates. Among those that do, Stripe lists 2.9% + AED 1.00 for domestic cards and Shopify Payments lists 2.9% + AED 1.00 on Basic, falling to 2.5% + AED 1.00 on Plus. Get written quotes for the same volume.

Does Stripe work for UAE businesses? Stripe publishes UAE pricing in dirhams and says it charges no setup or monthly fees. Check Stripe's current eligibility and onboarding requirements for your business type on its own site before you build around it.

Which gateway works best with Shopify in the UAE? Shopify Payments, because Shopify charges extra for third-party gateways: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow and 0.6% on Advanced. If you need another provider, include that surcharge when comparing.

Do I need a Central Bank licensed gateway? The Ministry of Economy says Central Bank requirements apply to digital payment gateways under the e-commerce law. Ask each provider to show its licensing in writing and confirm with the Central Bank.

Are payment gateway fees subject to VAT? Ask the provider whether its fees are quoted with or without VAT, and whether its invoice shows a tax registration number you can use for your own VAT return. This is general information, not tax advice; confirm with the Federal Tax Authority.

How long do payouts take? It depends on the provider and your risk profile. Stripe lets you choose rolling, weekly or monthly payouts. Other providers do not publish a UAE settlement time on the pages we opened, so ask.

What to do next

Shortlist two or three providers, send each the same volume and basket assumptions, and compare every fee in writing. If your products also sell on Amazon.ae or noon, the marketplace handles checkout for those orders, and Blooprint, an Amazon SPN verified partner, can run your Amazon.ae account management and noon account management. For the whole launch plan, see how to start an online business in Dubai.