The UAE and Saudi Arabia are two of the fastest-growing digital payment markets in the world. Saudi Vision 2030 is pushing the Kingdom toward a cashless economy, and the UAE already leads the region in e-commerce penetration. But accepting payments here is not as simple as integrating Stripe — local payment methods like MADA, KNET, STC Pay, and buy-now-pay-later services like Tamara and Tabby are essential for conversion.
This guide covers the best payment gateways for businesses operating in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the broader GCC region, with real fee data from our directory of 1,100+ providers.
Quick Comparison Table
| Provider | Best For | Fees | Settlement | MADA | BNPL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tap Payments | GCC coverage | 2.0%-2.75% | 2-3 days | Yes | Via partners |
| HyperPay | Saudi focus | 2.5%-3.5% | T+1 to T+3 | Yes | Via partners |
| Moyasar | Saudi startups | 2.5% | T+1 (MADA) | Yes | No |
| PayTabs | Multi-country MENA | 2.5%-3.5% | 2-3 days | Yes | No |
| Telr | UAE e-commerce | 2.49% + AED 1 | 2-3 days | Yes | No |
| Amazon Payment Services | Enterprise MENA | 2.5% + $0.25 | 2-3 days | Yes | Yes |
| Checkout.com | High-volume global | 2.3-2.9% + $0.30 | 1-3 days | Yes | Yes |
| Tamara | Saudi BNPL | 2.5%-6% | T+2 to T+30 | N/A | Yes |
| Tabby | MENA BNPL | 2.79%-5.99% | T+2 to T+14 | N/A | Yes |
Understanding MENA Payment Methods
Before choosing a gateway, it helps to understand why local payment methods matter so much in this region.
MADA is Saudi Arabia's national debit card network, connecting all ATMs and point-of-sale terminals in the Kingdom. Any gateway serving Saudi merchants must support MADA — a significant portion of Saudi consumers use MADA cards as their primary payment method, and transactions processed through MADA typically have higher approval rates than international card schemes.
STC Pay is Saudi Arabia's largest digital wallet, operated by the country's biggest telecom provider. It has tens of millions of users and is increasingly used for e-commerce payments.
KNET is Kuwait's national payment network, equivalent to MADA in Saudi Arabia. If you serve Kuwaiti customers, KNET support is essential.
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) adoption in the GCC is among the highest globally. Tamara and Tabby have become expected checkout options for e-commerce, particularly in fashion, electronics, and home goods. Adding BNPL typically increases average order value by 20-40%.
Best for GCC-Wide Coverage: Tap Payments
Tap Payments, founded in Kuwait City in 2013, offers the widest GCC coverage of any regional payment gateway. A single integration gives you payment acceptance across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, and Egypt.
MADA, KNET, Apple Pay, and cards are all supported natively. For businesses that operate across multiple GCC countries, Tap Payments eliminates the need for separate gateway integrations in each market.
Fees of 2.0%-2.75% are competitive — among the lowest available for MENA-focused gateways. The pricing structure is transparent without hidden setup fees or monthly minimums.
Instant sandbox means your developers can start testing immediately, and the API documentation is modern and well-maintained. Tap Payments positions itself as the Stripe of the Middle East, and the developer experience reflects that ambition.
The trade-off: Tap Payments is strong within the GCC but does not cover markets outside the Middle East. If your business also serves European, Asian, or African customers, you will need a second gateway like Checkout.com or Stripe alongside Tap Payments.
Best for Saudi Arabia: HyperPay
HyperPay is a Saudi payment technology company headquartered in Riyadh, purpose-built for the Saudi market. If your primary customer base is in Saudi Arabia, HyperPay offers deep integration with the local payment ecosystem.
MADA, Apple Pay, STC Pay, and cards are all supported. HyperPay's risk management and fraud detection are tuned for Saudi transaction patterns, which differ from European or American markets in terms of average order values, peak shopping hours (late evening), and seasonal spikes (Ramadan shopping).
Settlement of T+1 to T+3 is competitive for the region. Fees of 2.5%-3.5% are standard.
The trade-off: HyperPay covers Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, and Jordan — but not Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, or Qatar. For full GCC coverage, Tap Payments or PayTabs is a better fit. The platform is more enterprise-oriented, so very early-stage startups might find the onboarding process slower than Moyasar or Telr.
Best for Saudi Startups: Moyasar
Moyasar is a SAMA-licensed (Saudi Central Bank) payment gateway that prioritizes simplicity. If you are a Saudi startup or SME looking for the fastest path to accepting payments, Moyasar delivers.
A flat 2.5% per transaction with no monthly fees or setup costs. The pricing is simple and predictable. MADA settlement is T+1 — the fastest available — while credit card settlement takes T+7 to T+14.
MADA, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, STC Pay, and cards are supported. The instant sandbox lets developers test integrations immediately.
The trade-off: Moyasar is Saudi Arabia only. No UAE, no Kuwait, no other GCC markets. And the T+7 to T+14 settlement for credit cards is significantly slower than competitors. For businesses where credit card volume is high and cash flow matters, this delay could be painful. But for MADA-heavy businesses (which is most Saudi B2C), the T+1 MADA settlement is excellent.
Best for Multi-Country MENA: PayTabs
PayTabs, headquartered in Riyadh, covers nine countries across the Middle East — the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Jordan, Egypt, and Palestine. That is the broadest MENA coverage of any regional gateway.
MADA, KNET, Apple Pay, STC Pay, SADAD, and cards are all supported. The inclusion of SADAD (Saudi Arabia's bill payment system) makes PayTabs particularly useful for businesses that deal with recurring payments or invoicing in the Saudi market.
Fees of 2.5%-3.5% are standard. Settlement takes 2-3 business days across all markets.
The trade-off: PayTabs aims for breadth over depth. The developer experience is functional but not as polished as Tap Payments or Moyasar. For businesses prioritizing a single country (especially Saudi Arabia), a more focused gateway might offer better integration depth.
Best for UAE E-Commerce: Telr
Telr, headquartered in Dubai, is built for UAE-based e-commerce businesses. Supporting 120+ currencies and 30+ payment methods, Telr provides the payment infrastructure for online stores, invoicing, and social commerce.
Fees of 2.49% + AED 1 per transaction are among the lowest for UAE-focused gateways. MADA, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and UnionPay are supported alongside Visa and Mastercard.
Social commerce tools set Telr apart. If your business sells through Instagram, WhatsApp, or social media, Telr provides payment links and invoice tools designed for these channels — a growing segment in the UAE market.
Coverage extends beyond the UAE to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, and India. The India connection is useful for businesses with both MENA and South Asian customer bases.
The trade-off: Telr is startup-friendly and accessible, but lacks the enterprise features and routing optimization that Checkout.com or Amazon Payment Services provide for high-volume businesses.
Best for Enterprise: Amazon Payment Services
Amazon Payment Services (formerly PayFort) is the incumbent enterprise gateway in MENA. Covering nine countries with support for MADA, KNET, Meeza (Egypt), Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and major card networks, it provides the reliability and scale that large businesses require.
Recurring payments are a first-class feature — important for subscription businesses, SaaS companies, and service providers operating in the region.
Fees of 2.5% + $0.25 per transaction reflect the enterprise positioning. Settlement is 2-3 business days.
The Amazon backing means long-term stability, continuous investment, and integration with the broader Amazon ecosystem for businesses that need it.
The trade-off: Amazon Payment Services is designed for established businesses, not startups. The onboarding process is more involved, pricing is not self-serve, and the integration requires more engineering effort than Telr or Moyasar. If you are a startup looking to launch quickly, this is not the right starting point.
View Amazon Payment Services details →
Best for High-Volume Global Businesses: Checkout.com
Checkout.com, headquartered in London, is the global option for businesses that need MENA coverage alongside European, Asian, and American payment acceptance. With direct acquiring in the UAE and support for MADA, STC Pay, Tamara, Tabby, and KNET, Checkout.com processes MENA payments locally — not through international intermediaries.
Intelligent routing optimizes authorization rates by choosing the best processing route for each transaction. For businesses operating across multiple regions, this can mean 3-5% higher approval rates compared to gateways that route everything through a single acquirer.
150+ currencies and 50+ payment methods, including local MENA methods alongside European and Asian payment options. One integration, global coverage.
The trade-off: Checkout.com is built for high-growth and enterprise businesses. Pricing is custom (no self-serve), the sales process takes time, and minimum volumes apply. If your monthly processing is under $50,000, a regional gateway like Tap Payments or Telr is more practical.
Compare Checkout.com vs Stripe →
Tamara vs Tabby: MENA's BNPL Leaders
Buy now, pay later is not optional in GCC e-commerce — it is expected. Two providers dominate the market:
Tamara, headquartered in Riyadh, is the Saudi BNPL leader. Operating in Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Kuwait, Tamara offers split payments in 3-4 installments. Merchant fees range from 2.5% to 6%, and settlement varies from T+2 to T+30 depending on the plan. Tamara is particularly strong in Saudi Arabia where it has deep brand recognition.
Tabby, headquartered in Dubai, covers five GCC countries — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Qatar. Fees range from 2.79% to 5.99%, with settlement from T+2 to T+14. Tabby's wider geographic coverage and strong UAE presence make it the preferred choice for businesses operating across multiple GCC markets.
The practical approach: Most successful MENA e-commerce businesses offer both Tamara and Tabby at checkout. Consumer preference varies by country — Tamara skews Saudi, Tabby skews UAE — and offering both maximizes conversion across the region.
Both Tamara and Tabby integrate with most MENA payment gateways listed in this guide, particularly Checkout.com, Tap Payments, and Amazon Payment Services. They are not standalone gateways — they complement your primary payment processor.
How to Choose: Decision Framework
If you operate across the full GCC, Tap Payments gives you the widest regional coverage with competitive fees. Add Tamara and Tabby for BNPL.
If you are Saudi-focused, HyperPay for established businesses or Moyasar for startups. Both offer deep MADA integration and local payment method support.
If you are UAE-focused, Telr for SMBs and social commerce or Amazon Payment Services for enterprise.
If you need global coverage alongside MENA, Checkout.com provides local MENA acquiring within a global platform. This avoids running separate gateways for different regions.
If you need BNPL, add Tamara and Tabby to your checkout alongside your primary gateway. Both integrate with most MENA gateways. Offer both — Saudi consumers prefer Tamara, UAE consumers prefer Tabby.
If you need the lowest fees in Saudi Arabia, Moyasar at a flat 2.5% with T+1 MADA settlement is hard to beat for MADA-heavy businesses.
Regulatory Context
Payment service providers in Saudi Arabia are regulated by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) under the Payments Service Provider Regulation. In the UAE, the Central Bank of the UAE oversees payment services. All gateways listed in this guide either hold direct regulatory licenses or operate through licensed partners in their respective markets.
Foreign businesses entering the Saudi or UAE market should note that local entity requirements may apply depending on the gateway. Some providers (like Checkout.com) can onboard international businesses directly, while others (like Moyasar) require a Saudi commercial registration.
Explore More
The MENA payment landscape is evolving rapidly, with new local payment methods and BNPL options emerging regularly. Use our tools to stay current: