Stripe in the UAE: Fees, Requirements and GCC Limits

Yes, you can use Stripe in the UAE. It's been open to UAE businesses since 2021, and it's still the only GCC country where Stripe signs up merchants.

You pay 2.9% + AED 1 per card or Apple Pay payment. There's no setup or monthly fee.

The catch is the rest of the Gulf. Stripe takes cards and wallets, but not mada, KNET or Tabby.

Here's what Stripe costs, what you need to open an account, and when another gateway is the better pick.

Is Stripe available in the UAE?

Yes. Any UAE-licensed business can apply, from a freelancer to a free zone LLC.

That makes a UAE licence a strong starting point for a Gulf store. You get self-serve payments in days, with developer tools that work with almost any website.

Stripe doesn't onboard businesses in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or Oman. A UAE account can still sell to shoppers there, by card.

Who is Stripe best for?

Stripe suits sellers who want to start fast and build their own checkout:

• WooCommerce and custom stores. Stripe plugs into almost any site, with clear docs and test mode.
• Subscriptions and memberships. Stripe Billing handles recurring payments, trials and failed-card retries.
• Payment links and invoices. Send a link on WhatsApp or email and get paid by card or Apple Pay.
• Sellers with mostly UAE customers. Cards and wallets cover nearly every UAE shopper.

It's a weaker fit if most of your orders come from Saudi Arabia or Kuwait. Shoppers there lean on local debit networks that Stripe doesn't support.

It's also not the cheapest choice at high volume. Above roughly AED 500,000 a month, ask Checkout.com, Network International and Telr for a custom quote.

How much does Stripe charge in the UAE?

Stripe uses flat pricing. Every UAE card or wallet payment costs the same, whether it's a debit card or a premium credit card.

5% VAT is added to every fee. Refunds are free, but Stripe keeps the original processing fee.

A dispute (chargeback) is when a shopper asks their bank to reverse a payment. A few a month can cost more than your card fees on small orders.

Want every UAE gateway on one page? See our payment gateway fee comparison.

Worked example: one AED 300 order

Let's price one AED 300 order three ways, with 5% VAT on the fee.

The same sale costs 62% more when a tourist pays in dollars.

So price in AED, and you skip the conversion line.

Disputes hurt more. Lose one you responded to, and the AED 300 goes back to the shopper. You also pay AED 126 in dispute fees, VAT included.

Clear delivery proof and 3D Secure, which Stripe includes, keep that rare.

What do you need to open a Stripe account in the UAE?

You need a UAE licence, ID for the people behind the business, and for an LLC, a bank statement. Stripe checks everything before you can take a payment.

1

Get a UAE trade licence or freelancer permit

Mainland, free zone and freelancer permits all qualify. Sole establishments, LLCs and their branches can apply.

2

Gather company papers (LLCs)

Upload your memorandum of association showing who owns what. Add one for any holding company that owns 25% or more.

3

Prove you have a bank account (LLCs)

Upload a bank statement dated within the last six months.

4

Upload owner IDs

UAE residents need a passport and Emirates ID. Non-GCC residents also add a residence visa if their Emirates ID was issued before 11 April 2022. Owners living abroad need a passport only.

5

Add a power of attorney if needed

If the person opening the account isn't named on the licence, upload a power of attorney dated within three months.

Every owner with 25% or more needs ID, in colour. Stripe takes PDF scans or photos of the original, never screenshots.

Don't have a licence yet? Our guide to the UAE ecommerce licence walks through the options.

How fast does Stripe pay out in the UAE?

UAE accounts are paid on a T+5 schedule. A payment captured on Monday lands in your bank five business days later.

Payouts run Monday to Friday only. Nothing lands on weekends or UAE public holidays, so plan stock orders around Eid.

Your very first payout takes about 7 days longer. Payouts go in AED to a UAE bank account, with a minimum of AED 20.

Need cash sooner? Instant payouts cost 1.5% of the amount. That's worth it for a rush restock, not as a habit.

What Stripe can't do in the GCC

Stripe UAE takes four payment methods: cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay and Link, Stripe's saved-checkout button.

Here's what's missing, and how to fill each gap:

• No mada. Saudi debit cards run as Visa or Mastercard, and decline more often. Use a Saudi payment gateway with a Saudi entity.
• No KNET, Benefit, NAPS or OmanNet. These local debit networks need a regional gateway such as Checkout.com, Tap or PayTabs.
• No Saudi entity. Stripe won't onboard a Saudi CR, the commercial registration that Saudi businesses hold.
• No Tabby, Tamara or Klarna. Sign up with Tabby or Tamara directly, and add them as separate apps or plugins.

So Stripe covers the UAE well. For Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, treat it as a card add-on, not your main gateway.

Apple Pay, Shopify and WooCommerce

Apple Pay costs the same as the card inside it. Turn it on in the Stripe Dashboard, then verify your domain for web checkout.

Most UAE mobile shoppers expect it, so switch it on before launch.

On Shopify, use Shopify Payments instead. On Basic it costs the same 2.9% + AED 1, and any outside gateway adds Shopify's own 0.2–2% fee on top.

On WooCommerce, install Stripe's free WooCommerce plugin and connect your account. Apple Pay and Google Pay show up as express buttons. The same goes for custom sites built on Stripe Checkout.

Planning your store? Our WooCommerce guide covers the rest of the setup.

Stripe vs Telr, Ziina and Checkout.com

Stripe is the easiest to start with. It isn't always the cheapest.

	Stripe	Telr	Ziina	Checkout.com
UAE card rate	2.9% + AED 1	2.45% + AED 1 to 2.25% + AED 0.50	2.6% + AED 1	Custom quote
Foreign cards	+1%	+0.5%	+1.5%	Quote
Monthly fee	None	AED 0–249	None	Quote
Tabby at checkout				Ask
mada, KNET and other GCC debit		mada via Telr KSA
Best for	Developers, subscriptions	Growing UAE stores	Small UAE sellers, payment links	Large GCC brands

Ziina beats Stripe on UAE cards but costs more on foreign ones. Telr gets cheaper than both from about AED 25,000 a month, and its monthly fee drops to zero at AED 50,000.

Switch the calculator to the UAE and try your own monthly numbers.

For the full shortlist, browse our directory of payment gateways in the UAE.

Notes for foreign and Saudi-focused sellers

• Foreign companies. You can't open Stripe UAE with a US or Chinese company alone. Set up a free zone licence first, or sell on Amazon.ae and noon, which collect payment for you.
• Saudi-first stores. A SAR 300 mada-card order costs about SAR 16.51 through Stripe UAE. A Saudi gateway charges SAR 3.45. Run a Saudi gateway with mada as your main checkout, and keep Stripe for UAE orders. See accepting mada as a foreign company.
• Selling across the GCC. Price in local currency and test three-decimal amounts for Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. See UAE payment methods for the full local picture.