- Shopify doesn't offer mada on its own. You get it through a Saudi gateway: Tap, HyperPay, Amazon Payment Services, Geidea or ClickPay apps, or PayTabs' dashboard plugin.
- Moyasar has no official Shopify app, so pick it for Salla, Zid or WooCommerce instead.
- Mada costs about 1% at gateways that publish rates, and SAMA caps it at 1.75%. Shopify adds 2% on Basic, falling to 0.2% on Plus.
- Apple Pay is where most mada spending happens. Check that your gateway shows it inside Shopify checkout and prices it at the mada rate.
- Test with a real mada card, directly and inside Apple Pay, then refund it, before you switch on ads.
Yes, your Shopify store can accept mada. You just can't get it from Shopify itself.
Shopify Payments isn't available in Saudi Arabia. So you add mada through a Saudi payment gateway that has a Shopify app. Once it's approved, mada shows up at checkout next to Apple Pay and credit cards.
It's worth the effort. Mada is the card in almost every Saudi wallet, and it's one of the cheapest ways to get paid.
Below: which gateways work, how to set one up, what it really costs and how to test it before launch.
Can Shopify accept mada payments?
Yes, through a Saudi gateway. Shopify has no mada option of its own, and that won't change until Shopify Payments launches in Saudi Arabia.
Mada is Saudi Arabia's national debit network, run by SAMA (the Saudi Central Bank). There are about 30 million mada cards, and most are co-badged with Visa or Mastercard.
Here's the rule that shapes everything. SAMA requires Saudi-based online stores to process mada through the domestic mada system. Stores based abroad charge the same cards through Visa or Mastercard instead.
So to offer real, domestic mada on Shopify, you need three things:
- A Saudi CR or freelance licence. A CR (commercial registration) is your Saudi business licence.
- A Saudi bank account in the business's name, with an IBAN letter.
- A SAMA-licensed gateway with a Shopify integration.
No CR yet? Our guide to Saudi business registration shows how to get one.
Which payment gateways bring mada to Shopify?
Five Saudi gateways have Shopify App Store apps that handle mada: Tap, HyperPay, Amazon Payment Services (APS), Geidea and ClickPay. PayTabs connects through a plugin you install from its own dashboard.
| How it connects | Apple Pay in Shopify checkout | STC Pay | Published Saudi rates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tap Payments | Native Checkout app | Quote | ||
| Amazon Payment Services | App Store app | Ask | mada 1%, cards 2.8% + SAR 1, SAR 200/month | |
| HyperPay | App Store app | Ask | Ask | Quote |
| Geidea | App Store app (2025), adds Tabby and Tamara | Ask | Ask | Quote |
| ClickPay | App Store app | Quote | ||
| PayTabs | Plugin from the PayTabs dashboard | Quote for the gateway | ||
| Moyasar | No Shopify app | – |
Where should you start? It depends on what matters most to you:
- Tap if you want Apple Pay inside Shopify's own checkout. Its Native Checkout app supports mada, Apple Pay, Visa, Mastercard and Amex.
- Amazon Payment Services if you want published prices and STC Pay on one contract.
- Geidea if you'd like Tabby and Tamara handled by the same provider.
- HyperPay, ClickPay or PayTabs if their quote beats the others. Ask each one how Apple Pay works in their Shopify setup.
Moyasar is popular in Saudi Arabia, but it has no official Shopify app. It's a strong pick on Salla, Zid or WooCommerce.
For a side-by-side review of each app, see our ranking of the best Shopify payment gateways in Saudi Arabia.
How to set up mada on Shopify, step by step
Setup takes an afternoon. The wait is the gateway's approval, which often runs from a few days to a few weeks.
- 1
Get your documents ready
CR or freelance licence, IBAN letter for a Saudi business account, the owner's ID (national ID or iqama), and a live store with a refund policy, contact details and SAR prices.
- 2
Apply to one or two gateways
Apply directly on the gateway's website. Ask for a written rate card with mada, Apple Pay and credit cards priced on separate lines.
- 3
Install the gateway's Shopify app
In Shopify, go to Settings > Payments and add the provider, or install its app from the App Store. Tap also has an older setup that only needs an Account ID and API key.
- 4
Switch on mada and Apple Pay
Enable mada in the gateway dashboard. For Apple Pay, verify your domain with Apple through the gateway.
- 5
Set your store to SAR
Mada settles in SAR, and Saudi shoppers trust local prices. Show prices including 15% VAT.
- 6
Show the mada logo
Add mada and Apple Pay icons to your product pages, cart and footer, not just the payment step.
- 7
Run real test orders
Pay with a real mada card, directly and inside Apple Pay, then refund it. The checklist below covers every check.
Does mada work inside Apple Pay on Shopify?
It can, but it depends on how your gateway connects to Shopify. This is the step that trips up most Saudi stores.
Apple Pay matters because it's how most Saudis pay with mada on a phone. The shopper taps the button, and there's no SMS code to wait for.
Here's the catch. Shopify controls Apple Pay inside its checkout. A gateway can only show the Apple Pay button there if its app is built for Shopify's native checkout.
That's why setups differ:
- Native checkout apps (like Tap's) show Apple Pay as a button in Shopify checkout, with mada cards inside it.
- Redirect plugins send the shopper to the gateway's own payment page. ClickPay's plugin, for example, doesn't support Apple Pay at all.
- Some sellers report mada cards failing inside native Apple Pay on certain third-party gateways. That's why the test step matters.
Then there's price. A mada card inside Apple Pay can be billed at the mada rate or the credit card rate. APS bills Apple Pay at its card rate, even with a mada card inside.
Setting up Apple Pay from scratch? Our guide to Apple Pay in Saudi Arabia covers domain checks and wallet testing.
What does mada cost on Shopify?
You pay two fees on every mada order: your gateway's fee and Shopify's own fee. On the Basic plan, Shopify's 2% is double the gateway's mada rate.
Here's how it stacks up:
- Gateway fee. About 1% for mada at gateways that publish rates. Credit cards cost about 2.25–2.8% plus SAR 1.
- Shopify's third-party fee. 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus. Cash on delivery is exempt.
- VAT. 15% applies to the gateway's fee, not to the sale.
- Monthly fees. APS charges SAR 200 a month on its standard plan.
SAMA caps mada online fees at 1.75%. If a gateway quotes you more than that for mada, push back.
Worked example: a SAR 40,000 month
Say your store sells SAR 40,000 a month across 200 orders. Half of shoppers pay with mada through Apple Pay. A quarter type in their mada card, and a quarter use credit cards.
The first column uses APS's published rates. The second is a gateway that charges the mada rate on Apple Pay, with the same card rates and monthly fee.
| Fee line | APS published rates | A gateway that charges mada rates on Apple Pay |
|---|---|---|
| Mada by card (SAR 10,000) | SAR 100 | SAR 100 |
| Mada inside Apple Pay (SAR 20,000) | SAR 660 (card rate) | SAR 200 |
| Credit cards (SAR 10,000) | SAR 330 | SAR 330 |
| Monthly fee | SAR 200 | SAR 200 |
| VAT on gateway fees (15%) | SAR 194 | SAR 125 |
| Gateway total | SAR 1,484 (3.7%) | SAR 955 (2.4%) |
On Shopify Basic, add SAR 800 (2%) to either column. That's more than the whole mada bill.
So you have two levers. First, get Apple Pay on mada priced at the mada rate. That saves about SAR 530 a month here. PayTabs' Paymes and Telr publish Apple Pay at the rate of the card inside it, so compare them in our Saudi payment gateway directory.
Second, move up to Grow. It cuts Shopify's fee to SAR 400 a month, and the plan costs only about SAR 130 more. Grow pays for itself once gateway sales pass about SAR 13,000 a month.
Try it with your own sales and payment mix:
Payment gateway fee comparator
Estimated monthly cost of gateways that publish their rates
Where is your business registered?
These gateways onboard Saudi entities (CR or, for some, a freelance licence) and settle in SAR.
Average ticket: SAR 200.00
Apple Pay is priced as the card inside it. Exception: Amazon Payment Services charges Apple Pay at its card rate, even for mada.
Store platform
Shopify plan
Shopify adds a 2.0% transaction fee to every order paid through a third-party gateway.
Cheapest published option: PayTabs Paymes
effective rate: 4.07%
Shopify's fee here is SAR 1,000. On Grow it would be SAR 500 (before the plan price difference).
Estimated monthly cost
- Processing (% + fixed)
- Monthly fee
- Shopify transaction fee
- VAT on gateway fees (15%)
#1PayTabs PaymesCheapest
SAR 2,034 · 4.07%
Paymes SuperApp pricing ("testing phase"). International cards assumed at the credit rate.
#2Telr KSA
SAR 2,172 – SAR 2,448 · 4.34%–4.90%
Published as a range: cards 2.6-3% + SAR 1, SAR 99-259/month. Bar shows low to high.
#3Amazon Payment Services
SAR 2,651 · 5.30%
Standard Plan. Apple Pay billed at card rate. International card rates may differ.
Quote-based gateways
These do not publish rates, so we can't rank them. Ask each for a written rate card split by method.
- Tap Payments — Native Shopify checkout app; mada, Apple Pay, Jaywan (UAE), KNET.
- HyperPay — Riyadh-based, Shopify app. Only third-party estimates exist.
- Moyasar — Saudi entities only (CR or freelance licence); STC Pay supported.
- Checkout.com — Enterprise acquirer, flat-rate or interchange++. mada for KSA entities only.
- Geidea — Rates negotiated per merchant. Shopify app with Tabby and Tamara.
Shopify adds a 2.0% transaction fee to every order paid through a third-party gateway.
Estimates based on published fees as of October 2026; confirm with the provider. Excludes refunds, chargebacks, FX, payout and setup fees. Shopify plan subscriptions not included.
For tips on negotiating the rate itself, read our guide to mada fees for online stores.
Test mada before you launch
A failed payment costs more than a lost sale. About a third of shoppers in the region would switch stores after one, according to Checkout.com.
Run these checks on a real iPhone and a real mada card. Small amounts are fine, and you'll refund them straight away.
Mada refunds usually reach the shopper within 24 hours to 3 days, according to Moyasar. Credit card refunds take 7–14 days. Mention this on your returns page.
Notes for UAE and foreign companies
- No domestic mada without a Saudi entity. Your gateway charges co-badged mada cards as Visa or Mastercard.
- Expect some declines. Cards not enabled for international online shopping, and some prepaid cards, will fail.
- A UAE entity gets Shopify Payments. It takes Visa, Mastercard and Apple Pay, but not mada itself.
- Marketplaces collect mada for you. Amazon.sa and noon take mada and pay you out abroad.
When a foreign company can switch to domestic mada is covered in can a foreign company accept mada?.
Notes for stores moving from Salla or Zid
- Mada was built in before. On Shopify, you sign your own gateway contract.
- Budget Shopify's extra fee. Salla and Zid don't charge one. Shopify adds 0.2–2% by plan.
- Moyasar won't come with you. It has no official Shopify app, so plan a new gateway before you migrate.
Planning the move? See the Salla to Shopify migration guide.
Notes for larger brands
- Shopify Plus cuts the fee to 0.2%. At high volume, that's often the biggest saving available.
- Checkout.com supports mada for Saudi merchants on Shopify through its offsite integration only. Talk to your account manager.
- Ask for approval rates. Two or three more approved mada payments per hundred beats a small rate cut.
For the full Saudi setup, from pricing to couriers, read Shopify in Saudi Arabia. For every other method, see payment methods in Saudi Arabia or the payments hub.
Compare Saudi gateways for Shopify
These providers were independently researched. Get written quotes from at least two before you sign.
Tap Payments
Best for: GCC-wide merchants that want one gateway with mada, KNET-region coverage and marketplace splits
- Calls itself a licensed payment institution in Saudi Arabia, licensed across the GCC
- mada payment gateway certification
- PCI DSS Level 1
Moyasar
Best for: Saudi-registered stores on WooCommerce, Zid or a custom site that want a developer-friendly local gateway
- Says it operates under the supervision of the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)
- Says it is PCI DSS Level 1 and eMSP-certified
- Methods: mada, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, STC Pay, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay
HyperPay
Best for: Mid-size and enterprise Saudi merchants wanting gateway plus payouts and spend tools
- Says it holds a Saudi Central Bank licence
- PCI DSS Level 1, ISO 27001 and ISO 27701
- Claims to serve hundreds of thousands of clients and partners across the Arab world
PayTabs
Best for: Multi-country GCC/MENA sellers that need local debit schemes (mada, KNET, OmanNet) on one contract
- Accepts mada, KNET, OmanNet, Meeza, UnionPay, Visa, Mastercard, Amex, JCB
- Wallets: Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, STC Pay, URPAY, PayPal
- BNPL at checkout: Tabby, Tamara, valU, Souhoola
Telr
Best for: Small UAE/KSA stores that want transparent published pricing and payment links
- Says it is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE for retail payment services
- Publishes its full price list
- Unlimited payment links and branded invoices on all plans
Checkout.com
Best for: Cross-border and high-volume brands that want one global acquirer with GCC local acquiring
- Says it has local acquiring in 50+ countries including the Middle East
- 19 offices worldwide
- Publishes an annual MENA consumer payments report
Frequently asked questions
Because mada comes from your gateway, not from Shopify. Once your Saudi gateway account is approved and its app is installed, mada appears as a method inside that gateway. If it still doesn't show, ask the gateway to switch mada on for your merchant account.
Sources & further reading
- Use mada bank cards for buying products through the internet (rulebook) — SAMA Rulebook
- Shopify Payments supported countries — Shopify Help Center
- Shopify pricing (Saudi Arabia) — Shopify
- Amazon Payment Services pricing (KSA) — Amazon Payment Services
- Tap Payments Shopify integration — Tap Payments
- Shopify plugin: supported payment methods — ClickPay
- Moyasar FAQs — Moyasar
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.
Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
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