How much does an online store cost in the UAE?
What an online store costs in the UAE: a do-it-yourself platform store or a custom one built for you, plus payment fees, delivery, license and VAT, in AED.
By the Samay.ae teamUpdated 15 min read
What an online store costs in the UAE depends mostly on one choice: build it yourself on a ready-made platform such as Shopify, or have a custom store built for you.
If you build it yourself, a small online store costs about AED 2,500–3,000 for its first year, before per-order fees. That covers a plan on Shopify (the online store system that millions of businesses use), a domain name and a home-based trade license, if you qualify for one.
A custom store costs more to build, but there is no monthly platform plan and no platform fee on each sale. Our Website package, for example, is 7,870 AED a year, with hosting included. Either way, some costs grow with your sales: a fee on every card payment and a charge on every parcel. Marketing is extra, and you set that budget.
For the steps themselves, from license to launch, see how to start an online store in the UAE.
Online store cost in the UAE at a glance
All prices are at the time of writing (October 2026). Shopify charges in US dollars, so we convert at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 to the dollar.
These costs are the same however your store is built.
| Cost | How often you pay | Rough amount |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | Yearly | About AED 50–250, as a rough guide |
| Payment provider fees | Every card sale | Usually a percentage plus a small fixed fee |
| Tabby or Tamara | Every sale paid with them | A fee agreed in your contract |
| Delivery | Every parcel | Depends on weight, speed and area |
| Trade license | Yearly, or every 3 years | About AED 1,115–1,370 for home-based options |
| VAT | Every sale, once registered | 5%, included in your prices |
| Marketing | Your choice | Your budget |
These depend on how you build it.
| Cost | Do it yourself on Shopify | Custom store built for you |
|---|---|---|
| Building the store | Your time | A quote, or 7,870 AED a year with Samay.ae |
| Platform plan | About AED 1,280 a year (Basic, paid yearly), plus VAT | None |
| Hosting and updates | Included in the plan | Agreed with your builder; with Samay.ae, hosting is included |
| Theme and apps | Free, or a one-time fee for a theme and monthly fees for some apps | None to buy: the design and features are made for your business |
| Platform fee on each sale | 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, with a third-party payment provider | None |
Option 1: do it yourself on a platform such as Shopify
A ready-made platform gives you the store system, design templates and add-on features. You do the setup: choosing a design, adding products, setting up payments and delivery, and testing it all. You keep full control, but every task is yours, and launch can slip.
This section uses Shopify as the example. Its fee includes hosting (the computers that keep your store online), security and updates.
Shopify plans in AED
| Plan | Price per month | A year, paid monthly | A year, paid yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | $39, or $29 paid yearly | About AED 1,720 | About AED 1,280 |
| Grow | $105, or $79 paid yearly | About AED 4,630 | About AED 3,480 |
| Advanced | $399, or $299 paid yearly | About AED 17,580 | About AED 13,180 |
Paying yearly saves 25%, or about AED 440 a year on Basic. Shopify Plus, for large businesses, starts at about $2,300 a month (about AED 8,450).
At the time of writing, Shopify adds 5% UAE VAT to the bills of UAE stores. That takes Basic, paid yearly, to about AED 1,340. Shopify also often runs a trial offer, such as a few free days and then $1 a month for the first months. Offers change, so check Shopify's pricing page before you sign up.
If you choose Shopify, you can start on Basic and move up later. The payment section below shows when Grow starts to pay for itself. For a fuller comparison, read Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom store for a UAE business.
Theme
Your theme is your store's design template. Shopify offers free themes, and paid themes for a one-time fee. A free theme is often enough to start. If you plan to sell in Arabic, check that the theme supports right-to-left text before you choose it.
Apps
Apps add features, such as product reviews or a courier connection. Many are free or have a free plan. Paid apps usually charge every month, and the charge appears on your Shopify bill. Check the price before you install, and remove apps you stop using.
Option 2: a custom store built for you
A custom store is designed and built from scratch for your business. Its design and features are made for the way you sell, not picked from a theme or an app store. It suits businesses with needs a ready-made platform cannot meet. Our guide to custom online stores in the UAE explains who needs one.
The costs work differently from a platform store.
- Building: usually costs more than a do-it-yourself template store.
- Hosting, updates and support: someone must keep the store online and up to date, fix problems and help you after launch. Ask whether these are in the price.
- No platform costs: no monthly platform plan and no platform fee on each sale. You still pay your payment provider's fees.
A freelancer or an agency
Quotes for a custom e-commerce website in Dubai and across the UAE can cover very different work, so compare what is included, not just the price.
| Who builds it | What you pay | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | Varies widely | One person's skills; hosting and help after launch vary |
| Agency | Varies; once or yearly | Design, building, training and support together |
Get a written list of what is included and what you will pay each year after launch, including hosting, updates and changes. Check who will own the store and the accounts. Our guide on how to choose an e-commerce agency in the UAE lists 12 questions to ask.
What a custom store costs with Samay.ae
For a real number: our Website package costs 7,870 AED a year, with hosting included. We design and build the store from scratch for your brand, add your products, and set up payments and delivery. You also get 8 custom features of your choice, such as a size guide or gift wrapping. We show you how to run the store, and help after launch.
The only cost paid separately is the domain name, straight to the provider. Payment provider fees and courier charges go to those companies, as with any store. The store, the web address and your customer list are in your name. See our packages and prices.
Payment fees: what you pay on every sale
Your payment provider, also called a payment gateway, is the service that takes card payments for you. Every store pays it a fee on each sale, however the store is built. The fee is usually a percentage of the order plus a small fixed fee. Each provider sets its own rates, so ask for a written quote. Our guide to payment gateways in the UAE compares the options.
Shopify's extra fee
This fee applies only to stores on Shopify that use a third-party provider.
Shopify Payments, Shopify's own payment service, is in early access in the UAE. At the time of writing, it works only on the Advanced and Plus plans. So most small Shopify stores use a third-party provider, such as Tap Payments, Checkout.com or Telr. Shopify then adds its own fee on each sale, on top of the provider's: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus.
A worked example: AED 10,000 a month
Say you sell AED 10,000 a month: 50 orders of AED 200, all paid by card through a third-party provider that charges 2.5% plus AED 1 per order. These are made-up rates, and your quote will differ.
| Fee | How to work it out | Custom store | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provider's percentage | 2.5% of AED 10,000 | AED 250 | AED 250 |
| Provider's fixed fee | AED 1 × 50 orders | AED 50 | AED 50 |
| Shopify's extra fee | 2% of AED 10,000 | None | AED 200 |
| Total per month | The lines above added up | AED 300 | AED 500 |
Over a year, that is AED 3,600 in payment fees on the custom store, and AED 6,000 on Shopify Basic. Shopify's extra fee alone comes to AED 2,400 a year. That is more than the Basic plan itself.
On Shopify's Grow plan, the extra fee is 1%, so AED 100 a month here. But paid yearly, Grow costs about AED 184 a month more than Basic. So Basic stays cheaper until your card sales pass about AED 18,400 a month, or about AED 24,200 if you pay monthly.
Tip: A fee on each sale grows as you sell more. A fixed plan or package price does not. Check your card sales every few months, and work out what each fee costs you over a year.
Tabby and Tamara
Tabby and Tamara let shoppers split a payment into smaller parts. You get paid upfront, minus a fee. Neither publishes its merchant fees. Tabby charges a percentage plus AED 1 per sale, agreed in your contract, and carries the risk if a shopper does not pay. Tamara agrees its fees with each merchant.
Tabby pays out weekly, on Mondays, or when your balance reaches AED 2,500. Tamara settles weekly. Learn more about how Tabby and Tamara work for online stores.
Domain, delivery and marketing costs
Domain name
Your domain is your web address, such as yourbrand.com or yourbrand.ae. You pay for it every year, however your store is built. As a rough guide, expect about AED 50–250 a year, depending on the ending and the seller. A .com has no special rules. For .ae addresses, registrars may ask for documents such as a trade license.
Delivery
Couriers charge per parcel. The price depends on weight, speed, area and how many parcels you send. So get quotes from two or three couriers, using your real parcel sizes.
Ask about extra charges too: collecting cash on delivery, failed deliveries and returns. If a shopper refuses a cash-on-delivery parcel, you may pay for the trip there and back, and make no sale. If you offer free delivery, the courier's charge comes out of your margin, so build it into your prices. Compare couriers in our guide to delivery companies for UAE online stores.
Marketing
Marketing has no fixed price. It can be your own time on Instagram, WhatsApp and Google, or paid ads. Start with the free channels. Then test a small ad budget you can afford to lose, and spend more only on what brings orders.
License and VAT costs
Trade license
To sell online legally in the UAE, you need a license that covers e-commerce.
| License | Who can get it | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Dubai eTrader | UAE and GCC nationals living in Dubai | About AED 1,370, usually renewed yearly |
| Tajer Abu Dhabi | UAE citizens and residents (confirm on TAMM) | About AED 1,115 for 3 years |
| Sharjah Eitimad | UAE nationals aged 18+ living in Sharjah | Check with Sharjah's economic department |
| Mainland or free zone | Any nationality | Varies by emirate, zone and package |
Tajer Abu Dhabi works out at under AED 400 a year, because one fee covers three years. Mainland and free zone licenses usually cost more than the home-based options, so get quotes. Our guide to which e-commerce license you need in the UAE helps you choose.
VAT
VAT in the UAE is 5%. You must register if your taxable sales plus imports passed AED 375,000 in the last 12 months. The same applies if you expect to pass it in the next 30 days. You may register voluntarily over AED 187,500.
Once you are registered, the prices you show shoppers must include VAT. So VAT comes out of what you receive. On a dress priced at AED 210, AED 10 is VAT for the tax authority and AED 200 is yours. Our simple guide to VAT for online stores covers registration and invoices.
This section is general information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change, so check with the authority or an adviser before you act.
Three example budgets for your first year
These budgets cover fixed costs only. Payment fees, delivery and marketing come on top. All three assume you qualify for a home-based license. If you need a mainland or free zone license, swap in your quote.
Budget 1: doing it yourself on a platform
| Item | First-year cost |
|---|---|
| Shopify Basic, paid yearly, with VAT | About AED 1,340 |
| Domain name | About AED 50–250 |
| Free theme and free apps | AED 0 |
| Home-based trade license | About AED 1,115–1,370 |
| Total | About AED 2,505–2,960 |
This suits testing an idea, if you have time to learn. With a third-party payment provider, Shopify's extra fee comes on top: AED 2,400 a year if your card sales are AED 10,000 a month.
Budget 2: a custom store with our Website package
| Item | First-year cost |
|---|---|
| Samay.ae Website package, hosting included | 7,870 AED |
| Domain name | About AED 50–250 |
| Home-based trade license | About AED 1,115–1,370 |
| Total | 7,870 AED plus about AED 1,165–1,620 |
Unlike Budget 1, no platform fee on each sale comes on top. This suits a business that wants a finished store, built around how it works, without learning every setting.
Budget 3: a custom store and an app
| Item | First-year cost |
|---|---|
| Samay.ae Website + App package, hosting included | 9,880 AED |
| Domain name | About AED 50–250 |
| Home-based trade license | About AED 1,115–1,370 |
| Total | 9,880 AED plus about AED 1,165–1,620 |
The package includes the website and your app for Android and iPhone. We publish the app on Google Play and the App Store, and pay the store fees. On your own, Apple charges US$99 a year (about AED 364) and Google a one-time US$25 (about AED 92). To decide if you need an app yet, read when a shopping app is worth it.
Hidden costs to ask about before you start
Ask these questions before you sign up for anything.
- Your payment provider: Is there a setup fee or a monthly fee? Do you keep your fee when I refund a customer? What does a chargeback (a shopper disputing a payment with their bank) cost me?
- A platform, if you build it yourself: Which of my apps charge monthly? Is there an extra fee per sale on my plan?
- Whoever builds your store: What exactly is included? Who hosts and updates the store? What do changes cost after launch, and each year after the first? Is everything in my name?
- Your courier: Is there a fee for collecting cash? What do I pay for a failed delivery or a return? How fast do you pay out cash-on-delivery money?
- Your domain seller: What is the renewal price after the first year?
Check your products too: perfume, cosmetics, food and supplements may need registering or approval first. If your company is in a free zone, selling to customers on the mainland may need extra steps. Dubai's Free Zone Mainland Operating Permit, for example, costs AED 5,000 for six months.
How to keep your online store costs down
- Choose the route that fits your business. A do-it-yourself platform store costs least to start. A custom store costs more to build, but has no monthly plan and no platform fee on each sale.
- On Shopify, pay yearly and review your plan. Paying yearly saves 25%, about AED 440 a year on Basic. Review your plan when your card sales near AED 18,400 a month.
- Start simple. On a platform, use a free theme and only the apps you need. On a custom store, start with the features that help you sell.
- Compare providers on your real order size. A fixed fee matters most on small orders. The percentage matters most on big ones.
- Cut failed cash-on-delivery orders. Confirm each order by WhatsApp before you send it, and offer card on delivery where your courier allows it.
- Spread or reduce the cost of building. You can split our package price into smaller payments with Tabby. Shops that need help can apply for a scholarship that takes 20% to 100% off a package, by answering 5 short questions.
Frequently asked questions
What are the monthly costs of an online store in the UAE?
It depends on how the store is built. Shopify's Basic plan costs $39 a month (about AED 143), or $29 a month (about AED 107) if you pay for a year upfront, plus 5% VAT at the time of writing. With a third-party payment provider, Shopify also adds 2% to each sale on Basic. A custom store has no monthly platform plan: with Samay.ae, you pay 7,870 AED a year, hosting included, plus your domain name. With any store, payment fees, delivery and marketing come on top.
How much does a custom online store cost in the UAE?
It depends on who builds it and what is included, so compare written quotes. A custom store usually costs more to build than a do-it-yourself platform store, and it needs hosting and support after launch. Our Website package is 7,870 AED a year, with hosting included and only the domain name paid separately. There is no platform plan and no platform fee on each sale.
Is it cheaper to build my own online store?
In cash, usually yes, at least at first. On a platform, you pay only for the plan, the domain, your license and any paid theme or apps. But you pay with your time, and a store that looks unfinished can lose sales. If your time is better spent on products and customers, paying for help can be the cheaper choice overall.
How much does an e-commerce website cost in Dubai?
Dubai stores pay the same platform prices and similar building costs as the rest of the UAE. The license is the main difference. UAE and GCC nationals living in Dubai can get the eTrader license for about AED 1,370. Most others need a mainland or free zone license, which usually costs more.
Can I pay for my online store in instalments?
On a platform such as Shopify, you can pay monthly instead of yearly, though on Basic that costs about AED 440 more over a year. With Samay.ae, you can split the package price into smaller payments with Tabby. Shops that need help with the cost can also apply for a scholarship.