Do you need a shopping app? App vs website for UAE online stores
When an app for your online store is worth it in the UAE, what it costs, how notifications bring customers back, and why the website comes first.
By the Samay.ae teamUpdated 10 min read
The e-commerce app vs website question has a simple answer for most UAE stores: build the website first, always. Add an app later, once many orders come from repeat customers and you have reasons to bring them back, such as new products and regular offers.
A website wins new customers. People find it on Google, open it from an Instagram or WhatsApp link, and buy without installing anything. An app keeps the customers you already have. It sits on their home screen and lets you send offers straight to their phone.
E-commerce app vs website: what each one does best
Your website works in any browser. A shopping app is a separate program that customers download from the App Store or Google Play. When the app is connected to your store, both share the same products and orders.
| Factor | Website | Shopping app |
|---|---|---|
| Found on Google | Yes | No, people find it in the app stores |
| Opens from an ad or a shared link | Yes, in one tap | Only if the customer already has it |
| Needs an install | No | Yes |
| Messages to customers | Email and WhatsApp, with permission | Push notifications to the phone, with permission |
| Repeat shopping | Customers open a browser and find you again | One tap from the home screen, often already logged in |
| Best for | Winning new customers | Bringing loyal customers back |
What a shopping app adds to your store
An app gives you a direct line to your best customers.
- Push notifications: short messages that pop up on the customer's phone, such as "Your favourite abaya is back in stock".
- A place on the home screen: your logo sits next to their other apps, a reminder every time they use their phone.
- Faster repeat shopping: customers usually stay logged in, so ordering again takes a few taps.
- Loyalty and app-only offers: reward app users with early access to sales, or with offers they cannot get anywhere else.
What a website does that an app cannot
Your website does the hard work of finding new customers.
- Google search: people find products on Google through web pages, not app screens. Our guide to SEO for online stores in the UAE explains how to get found.
- Ads: an Instagram or Google ad takes someone straight to a product page, ready to buy.
- Sharing: a product link sent on WhatsApp opens for anyone, on any phone.
- No install: a new customer can buy in a few taps. Asking them to install an app first adds a step, and every extra step loses some buyers.
So the choice is not app or website. It is website alone, or website plus app.
Do you need an app for your business?
Signs you are ready for an app
An app is worth a serious look if most of these are true.
- Many of your orders come from customers who bought before.
- You add new products often, such as weekly drops or new collections.
- You have a loyal Instagram or WhatsApp following that keeps asking what is new.
- You run offers regularly, around Ramadan, White Friday and the other seasons in our UAE sales calendar.
- You have a big range that customers enjoy browsing.
An app makes most sense for things people buy often: fashion and abayas, perfume and oud, beauty, coffee or everyday goods.
Signs you are not ready yet
- You launched recently and are still finding your first buyers. Focus on getting your first 100 customers instead.
- Most customers buy once, for example because you sell furniture or other things people rarely replace.
- You have no plan to promote the app. An app nobody downloads cannot send offers to anyone.
- You have no store yet, or it still has gaps such as slow pages or missing payment options. Start with our guide on how to start an online store in the UAE.
You can still bring customers back without an app. Use email offers, reminder emails for unfinished orders and WhatsApp messages to customers who agreed to hear from you. See how to sell on WhatsApp in the UAE.
How to get an app for your online store
There are three main routes.
| Route | Cost guide | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| One-off app project | Often tens of thousands of dirhams, plus paid updates | Large brands with special features and a tech team |
| App builder linked to your store | A monthly fee that varies by plan, plus Apple and Google fees | Owners who want to design and run the app themselves |
| Store and app package | 9,880 AED a year with our Website + App package, app store fees included | Small and growing UAE brands that want one team for both |
A one-off app project
You hire a team of developers to build your app from scratch, as a project of its own. You control every screen and feature, but it is usually the most expensive route. It can take months, and each new version of iPhone or Android software can mean more paid work.
An app builder connected to your store
App builders turn your existing store into an app, using ready-made designs. Many connect to popular store platforms, so check that yours is supported. The app then shows your store's products and sends orders to it. You set up the design yourself, and you usually need your own Apple and Google developer accounts.
A builder is quick to start, but your app can only look and work the way the builder allows. An app built for you is designed around your brand and can work the way your store does. Note that a shopping app is not the same as an app for running your store from your phone: that one is for you, not your customers.
A package with your store
Our Website + App package costs 9,880 AED a year. We build the app for your business alongside your store, rather than from a builder's ready-made designs. It includes everything in our Website package, plus:
- Your own app for Android and iPhone, designed to match your brand.
- Publishing on Google Play and the App Store, with both stores' fees paid by us.
- Shopping and payment inside the app.
- Offers sent straight to customers' phones as push notifications.
- The same products and orders in your app and your website.
- Training, so you can manage the app yourself.
Only your domain name is paid separately, straight to the provider. You can split our price into smaller payments with Tabby. See our packages and prices.
What an app costs to run in the UAE
Building the app is only part of the cost. Plan for these running costs.
- Apple Developer Program: US$99 a year (about AED 364), needed to publish on the App Store.
- Google Play developer account: a one-time US$25 (about AED 92).
- Updates: Apple and Google release new phone software every year, and apps need updates to keep working well.
- Store reviews: Apple and Google check apps before they go live, and they check updates too. An app that adds nothing beyond your website may be rejected. Do not leave a big update until the week before a sale.
- Your store's running costs: the app runs on your store, so you keep paying what the store costs to run, such as a platform's monthly plan or a custom store's hosting and upkeep.
For every other cost of running a store, see how much an online store costs in the UAE.
Will an app pay for itself?
Use a simple test. Take the extra yearly cost of the app and divide it by the profit on an average order. The answer is how many extra orders the app must bring each year.
For example, say an app adds AED 3,000 a year to your costs, and you keep AED 60 profit on an average order. The app needs 50 extra orders a year to pay for itself. That is about one a week.
Tip: Count only extra orders. An order that moves from your website to your app is not new money. The gain comes from customers who buy more often because of your notifications and app-only offers.
How to get customers to download your app
An app only works if people install it.
- Tell your best customers first. Message regular buyers by email, and on WhatsApp if they agreed to hear from you.
- Give a welcome offer in the app. For example, a discount or free delivery on the first app order.
- Add a website banner. Show phone visitors a small link to the app.
- Put a QR code in every parcel. A QR code is a square barcode that a phone camera can scan. Print it on a thank-you card with your welcome offer.
- Use Instagram. Add the app to your bio links (Instagram allows up to five), save a story highlight and show the app in a short video. More ideas are in our guide to selling on Instagram in the UAE.
- Offer early access. Open your Ramadan, Eid or White Friday sale in the app a day before the website.
Push notifications: what to do and what to avoid
Push notifications are the main reason to have an app. Used well, they bring customers back. Used badly, they make people switch them off or delete the app.
Push notification do's
- Ask at the right moment. iPhones, and newer Android phones, ask the customer for permission before an app can send notifications. Explain the benefit first, for example "Get early access to sales".
- Send things people want, such as back-in-stock alerts, price drops, new collections and delivery updates. A tap should open the exact product.
- Personalise. Group customers by what they bought or viewed, and write in their language: Arabic or English.
- Time it for the UAE. Send during waking hours. In Ramadan, many stores see more activity in the evening, after iftar (the meal that breaks the fast).
- Watch the numbers. Track opens, orders and how many people switch notifications off.
Push notification don'ts
- Too many messages. Start with one or two a week, then adjust.
- Late nights and early mornings. A message at 2am is a quick way to get switched off.
- False urgency. Do not write "only 2 left" unless it is true.
- Marketing without consent. Send offers only to people who agreed to receive them, and make it easy to stop.
Frequently asked questions
Is it worth having an app for a small online store?
Usually not at the start. A new store gets more from a good website, clear payments and steady marketing. An app becomes worth it when many orders come from repeat customers and you have regular offers and new products to tell them about.
How much does it cost to make a shopping app in the UAE?
It depends on the route. A one-off app project often costs tens of thousands of dirhams, while app builders charge a monthly fee that varies by plan. If you publish the app yourself, Apple charges US$99 a year and Google a one-time US$25. Our Website + App package costs 9,880 AED a year and includes the website, the app and those fees.
Can I turn my online store into an app?
Yes. An app builder or an agency can create an app that connects to your online store. The app then shows the same products and sends orders to the same place as your website, so you manage everything in one place. If your store was built custom and no builder supports it, a developer can build an app that works with it.
Should my store's app be in Arabic and English?
If your website is in Arabic and English, your app should match. Arabic screens read right to left, so check that the layout mirrors properly and that notifications reach each customer in their language. Our guide to building an Arabic and English online store explains what to translate.