- Start with Tabby and Tamara. Between them they cover Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain.
- Add a local third provider to catch shoppers whose limit is used up: MISpay or Madfu in Saudi Arabia, Deema or Taly in Kuwait.
- In Saudi Arabia, only sign with a provider on SAMA's licensed list, check out in SAR and never charge BNPL shoppers extra.
- Sellers report merchant fees of about 3–5% plus SAR/AED 1 per order for Tabby and 4–6% for Tamara. Every rate is set by contract.
- Qatar and Oman have thinner coverage. Cashew is the main option for Oman.
Gulf shoppers love splitting a payment into four. If your store doesn't offer it, many of them will check out somewhere that does.
The good news? You don't need to pick from dozens of apps. Two big providers cover most shoppers, and a handful of local players fill the gaps by country.
So the real questions are which countries you sell in, and which providers are licensed and live there.
You'll find 8 independently researched BNPL providers below, plus a country coverage table, the licence list, typical merchant fees and the questions to ask before you sign. It's part of our directory of GCC service providers.
When do you need a BNPL provider?
You need one as soon as you sell on your own website in the Gulf. Marketplaces like noon and Amazon.sa run BNPL for you. Your Shopify, Salla or Zid store doesn't.
BNPL (buy now, pay later) lets the shopper pay a quarter today and the rest over a few weeks, with no interest. The provider pays you upfront and chases the instalments.
It earns its fee in three ways:
- Fewer cash orders. Tamara says merchants see up to 50% less cash on delivery (COD).
- Bigger baskets. A SAR 800 jacket feels like SAR 200 at checkout.
- Shopper trust. Gulf shoppers know the Tabby and Tamara logos, and seeing them near the price reassures them.
New to how BNPL works? Our BNPL guide for Gulf stores covers the basics. This page is about choosing who to sign with.
Which BNPL providers cover which Gulf country?
Coverage decides your shortlist before anything else. A provider that doesn't operate in your shopper's country can't approve them.
| Saudi Arabia | UAE | Kuwait | Bahrain | Oman | Qatar | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tabby | ||||||
| Tamara | ||||||
| MISpay | ||||||
| Madfu | ||||||
| Cashew | ||||||
| Deema | ||||||
| Taly |
By country:
- Saudi Arabia has the most choice. Tabby, Tamara, MISpay and Madfu all serve online stores.
- The UAE is a Tabby and Tamara market, with Cashew for bigger tickets over up to 12 months.
- Kuwait has Tabby and Tamara plus two local players, Deema and Taly.
- Bahrain is covered by Tamara, not Tabby.
- Oman has Cashew. Neither Tabby nor Tamara lists it as a market.
- Qatar isn't a main market for any provider here.
One catch for Shopify stores. Tabby serves Kuwait, but its Shopify app takes SAR and AED only. Setup details are in our Tabby Shopify guide.
Which BNPL providers are licensed in Saudi Arabia?
Only SAMA-licensed finance companies may offer BNPL in Saudi Arabia. SAMA is the Saudi Central Bank, and it keeps a public register of licensed finance companies.
That gives you a simple filter. If a provider isn't on the list, don't sign with it.
| Provider | Licensed entity | Licence |
|---|---|---|
| Tamara | Tamara Finance | March 2025 |
| Tabby | Tabby Finance | November 2025 |
| MISpay | Modern Integrated Solutions Financing | April 2026 |
| Daftar | Tqniyat Daftar | July 2026 |
| Jeel | Jeel Pay Later | August 2026 |
| Madark | Madark Solutions for Financing | 2026 |
| Madfu | Madfu | Permit, May 2023 |
In the UAE, a BNPL provider needs a Central Bank (CBUAE) finance licence or a licensed bank partner. Tamara received its CBUAE restricted finance licence in October 2025.
What the Saudi rules mean for your checkout is covered in SAMA's BNPL rules for merchants.
BNPL providers serving the GCC
The companies below were independently researched. They aren't ranked, and the order isn't a recommendation.
On each card, the "Best for" line is our summary of where the company fits. The bullet points are what the company says about itself, or what the press has reported.
How do you use the list? Find your countries in the coverage table, pick the two that cover most of your shoppers, then add one local card as a third option.
Tabby
Best for: Fashion, beauty and electronics stores in KSA/UAE that want the largest BNPL user base
- 25 million registered users and ~70,000 merchants (Sep 2026)
- >US$18bn annualised transaction volume; valued US$6.5bn (Series F, Sep 2026)
- SAMA BNPL licence (Tabby Finance, Nov 2025); says profitable since 2023
Tamara
Best for: KSA-first merchants and anyone needing Bahrain coverage
- ~20 million customers and 87,000+ merchants (Sep 2025)
- Saudi Arabia's first fintech unicorn (US$1bn, Dec 2023); US$2.4bn asset-backed facility (Sep 2025)
- Weekly Tuesday payout, guaranteed even if the shopper doesn't pay
MISpay
Best for: Saudi stores adding a second/third BNPL to catch shoppers who max out Tabby/Tamara limits
- Fintech arm of Tadawul-listed Al Moammar Information Systems (MIS)
- Full SAMA licence (Apr 2026) after a 2023 sandbox permit
- Free Shopify app (Feb 2026); accepts mada, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay for instalments; up to 6 instalments for some merchants
Madfu
Best for: Saudi SMEs on Salla/Zid wanting an additional local BNPL option
- SAMA granted Madfu a BNPL permit (30 May 2023)
- Feb 2026: raised SAR 95m (US$25.5m) pre-Series A led by Afaq Capital, to expand its Saudi merchant network
- Earlier SAR 12m pre-seed (reported Jan 2024)
Jeel Pay
Best for: Schools, universities and training providers in KSA; not a general ecommerce checkout option
- SAMA BNPL licence for Jil Aldaf Alajil (Aug 2026)
- Site: 'Study Now, Pay Later' - parents pick their school/university in the app, accept terms, pay the first instalment
Cashew Payments
Best for: UAE sellers of high-ticket items (furniture, electronics, medical) above typical Pay-in-4 limits
- Targets larger tickets: healthcare (Hazel), auto, education, home
- Partners named: Mediclinic, Samsung, du, Landmark, Chalhoub
Deema
Best for: Merchants selling into Kuwait wanting a local BNPL
- Says it works with 1,000+ trusted partners
- PCI certified (site badge)
Taly
Best for: Merchants selling into Kuwait that want a local BNPL alongside Tabby/Deema
- Calls itself Kuwait's leading regulated BNPL platform; founded 2021, live operations from 2025; 11-50 staff (LinkedIn)
- 2025-26 partners announced: Alshaya, Al Tayer, Lulu, stc Kuwait, Kuwait's national airline, KFH Takaful, Ubuy
- Company-reported merchant results: +30% sales, 19% conversion, 20% fewer COD orders
Postpay, an early UAE provider, isn't listed. Its investor reported in 2024 that it had scaled back its business, and its website wasn't reachable in October 2026.
Selling in one country? See our lists of BNPL providers in Saudi Arabia and BNPL providers in the UAE.
How do you choose a BNPL provider in 6 steps?
Start with where your shoppers live, not with the brand. Once you know your countries, platform and average basket, the shortlist is short.
- 1
List your shopper countries
Check where last quarter's orders shipped. Match each country to the coverage table above.
- 2
Check the licence
In Saudi Arabia, confirm the provider is on SAMA's licensed list. In the UAE, ask for its CBUAE licence or bank partner.
- 3
Confirm your platform plugin
Tabby and Tamara have apps for Shopify, Salla, Zid and WooCommerce. MISpay has a Shopify app. Ask local players which plugins they support.
- 4
Match your basket size
Pay-in-4 suits everyday baskets. For furniture, electronics or medical bills above typical limits, look at monthly plans such as Cashew's.
- 5
Get written fee quotes from two providers
Ask for the percentage, any fixed fee per order, VAT, payout charges and what happens to the fee on refunds.
- 6
Go live and measure
Track BNPL share of orders, average order value and COD share for a month. Then decide whether a third provider is worth adding.
The head-to-head on fees, reach and payouts is in our Tabby vs Tamara comparison.
How do BNPL providers charge merchants?
You pay; the shopper doesn't. In Saudi Arabia the rules ban almost all consumer fees, so the provider earns from a cut of each order.
No provider publishes its rate. Here's what sellers report and what the contracts show:
| Cost layer | How it works | What sellers report |
|---|---|---|
| Percentage fee | A cut of each order, set by category and volume | Tabby about 3–5%, Tamara about 4–6% |
| Fixed fee per order | A small flat charge on each successful order | Tabby about SAR/AED 1 |
| VAT on the fee | Added to the provider's commission, not your order | 15% in Saudi Arabia, 5% in the UAE |
| Payout charges | A bank fee on small or frequent payouts | Tamara: SAR/AED 25 on weekly payouts under 2,500 |
| Platform fee | Shopify's third-party transaction fee | 0.2–2%, by plan |
| Refunds | Whether the provider keeps its fee when you refund | Set in your contract |
Small stores and riskier categories land at the top of these ranges. Local providers quote case by case.
Is it worth it? Compare the fee with what a failed COD order costs you in shipping both ways. For many fashion and electronics stores, BNPL is the cheaper way to get paid.
The full breakdown, with a worked example, is in Tabby and Tamara merchant fees.
What should you ask before you sign?
Ask every provider on your shortlist the same questions. Clear, written answers make the comparison easy.
Saudi Arabia or the UAE: what changes?
The providers overlap, but the rules don't. Here's what to plan for in each market.
Saudi Arabia has the most licensed providers and the strictest rules. Those rules work in your favour, because shoppers trust the product.
- Each shopper can owe up to SAR 10,000 across all BNPL apps, over no more than 12 instalments.
- Check out in SAR. Purchases in other currencies need SAMA's non-objection.
- Keep one price for every payment method. No BNPL surcharge.
See our Saudi BNPL provider list.
Want the full picture of how Gulf shoppers pay? Our guide to payment methods in the GCC shows where BNPL sits next to mada, Apple Pay and COD.
Notes for Shopify stores
- Both big apps are free to install. Tabby Pay Later and Tamara Split Payments bill their fees separately.
- Tamara's app has no test mode. Place a small live order and refund it instead.
- MISpay launched a Shopify app in February 2026 for Saudi stores.
Step-by-step setup is in our Tamara Shopify guide.
Notes for Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman
- Kuwait: offer Tabby or Tamara, then add Deema or Taly for local reach.
- Bahrain: Tamara is the main option of the two big providers.
- Oman: Cashew lists Oman alongside the UAE.
- Prices: Kuwaiti, Bahraini and Omani currencies use three decimals, so check your plugin rounds correctly.
Notes for high-ticket sellers
- Pay-in-4 limits can be too low for furniture, large electronics or medical treatments.
- Cashew focuses on bigger baskets, with monthly plans of up to 12 months. Its named partners include Samsung, Landmark and Mediclinic.
- Tamara mentions Pay Later plans of up to 24 months on its site. Ask which plans your category qualifies for.
Notes for cross-border sellers
- You'll need local-currency checkout. Saudi BNPL needs SAR.
- Providers approve your entity. Most foreign stores need a GCC company, a marketplace or a local merchant of record.
- Pair BNPL with a local gateway for mada and Apple Pay. Compare options in our payment gateway directory.
Get BNPL quotes
Share your store details once. We'll match you with BNPL providers that cover your countries and platform.
In this section
Frequently asked questions
Two is the usual starting point, and three works well in Saudi Arabia. Shoppers stick with whichever app already holds their limit, so a second provider wins orders the first one misses. More than three adds checkout clutter without much extra reach.
Sources & further reading
- Rules for Regulating Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Companies — Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)
- SAMA licenses Tamara Finance for consumer finance and BNPL — Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)
- Tabby Finance secures SAMA license for BNPL services — Mubasher
- SAMA licenses Jeel Pay Later for BNPL — Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)
- Tabby valued at US$6.5 billion after raising US$233 million — Entrepreneur Middle East
- Tamara secures a USD 2.4 billion asset-backed facility — The Paypers
- Cash on Delivery Is Dying Faster Than You Think — EasySell
- CBUAE regulatory framework for short-term lending — Hadef & Partners
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.
Meet Maya
