- Local Saudi gateways onboard companies with a Saudi CR. Some, such as Moyasar, also accept a freelance document.
- Published mada rates are about 1%. SAMA caps mada online fees at 1.75%, so any quote above that is a red flag.
- Amazon Payment Services, PayTabs (Paymes) and Telr publish Saudi rates. Everyone else quotes on application.
- Shopify Payments isn't available in Saudi Arabia, so Shopify adds 0.2–2% on top of your gateway fee.
- Your gateway takes the payment, but your store issues the ZATCA e-invoice. Keep both in sync.
Saudi shoppers are ready to pay online. Most tap a mada card through Apple Pay, and they expect your checkout to show the mada logo.
A local payment gateway makes that work. It processes mada through the domestic network at the lowest rate, and it pays you in riyals.
You've got plenty of strong options, from Riyadh-born fintechs to regional and global players.
This page shows who can open an account, what Saudi gateways publish as fees and how to check a licence. Then you'll find 11 independently researched gateways that serve the Kingdom. For the wider region, see our main list of payment gateways in the Middle East.
When does a Saudi store need its own payment gateway?
You need one as soon as you sell on your own website, app or social channels. The gateway takes the shopper's mada, Apple Pay or card payment and sends the money to your Saudi bank account.
You'll want a gateway when:
- You run your own store. On Shopify, WooCommerce or a custom site, you connect one yourself.
- You sell on WhatsApp or Instagram. Payment links let shoppers pay inside the chat.
- You want fewer COD orders. Every prepaid order is one less parcel that can be refused at the door.
- You want domestic mada. Only a Saudi gateway, used by a Saudi entity, processes mada locally.
Selling only on Amazon.sa or noon? The marketplace collects payment for you. And on Salla or Zid, payments are built in, so you may not need an outside gateway at first.
Our guide to payment methods in Saudi Arabia explains how Saudis pay and what to show at checkout.
Who can open a payment gateway account in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi gateways onboard businesses registered in Saudi Arabia. A CR (commercial registration, your Saudi business licence) opens almost every door, and a freelance document opens a few.
| Your setup | Domestic mada? | Gateways that typically onboard you |
|---|---|---|
| Saudi company with a CR | Yes | Tap, HyperPay, Moyasar, PayTabs, Geidea, Amazon Payment Services, MyFatoorah, Telr |
| Saudi freelance document | Yes, with some gateways | Moyasar, and others on request |
| UAE company | No, mada cards are charged as Visa or Mastercard | Use the UAE entities of Tap, Telr, PayTabs or Amazon Payment Services, or Stripe |
| Company outside the GCC | No | Global acquirers such as Checkout.com, or a marketplace |
The freelance document is issued free by HRSD (the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development) to Saudi citizens. It covers approved activities such as design, IT and crafts, not general product retail.
So if you sell products, plan on a CR. Our guide to the Saudi freelance document vs a CR shows which one fits.
What you need to apply
Most Saudi gateways ask for the same short list. Get it ready and approval is usually quick:
- 1
Your CR or freelance document
The activity on it must match what you sell. Saudi rules also ask you to add your online store to the CR and show the CR number on your site.
- 2
An IBAN letter
From a Saudi bank, for an account in the business's name. Payouts go here, in SAR.
- 3
The owner's ID
A national ID or iqama (residence permit) for the owner or authorised signatory.
- 4
A live store
Prices in SAR, a refund policy, contact details and real product pages. Gateways check the site before they approve it.
- 5
Apply to two gateways
Run both reviews at once. Keep the second account live as a backup.
No Saudi company yet? Our guide to whether a foreign company can accept mada covers the routes in.
What do payment gateways cost in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi gateways charge a percentage per payment, set by method, often plus SAR 1 and a monthly fee. Mada is the cheap rail. Credit cards cost two to three times more.
Three gateways publish Saudi rate cards. Here's what they listed in October 2026:
| Amazon Payment Services | PayTabs (Paymes plan) | Telr (KSA) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mada | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Credit cards | 2.8% + SAR 1 | 2.25% + SAR 1 | 2.6–3% + SAR 1 |
| STC Pay | 0.9% + SAR 500 setup | Ask | 0.9% |
| Monthly fee | SAR 200 | SAR 49 | SAR 99–259, by plan |
| Setup fee | None | Not listed | Not listed |
Everyone else, including Tap, HyperPay, Moyasar and Geidea, quotes on application. That's normal. They price by volume, category and risk, so your written quote can beat a published card.
Watch for these extras:
- Apple Pay pricing. Ask whether a mada card inside Apple Pay gets the mada rate or the card rate.
- VAT on the fee. 15% applies to the gateway's fee, not to your sale.
- Shopify's fee. On Shopify, add 2% on Basic down to 0.2% on Plus.
- Refunds, chargebacks and payouts. Rarely published, so get them in writing.
Worked example: SAR 30,000 a month on three rate cards
Say your store sells SAR 30,000 a month across 150 orders. Seven in ten shoppers pay with a mada card, and 42 of them tap it through Apple Pay. The other 45 orders go on credit cards.
| Fee line | Amazon Payment Services | PayTabs (Paymes) | Telr (KSA) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mada by card (SAR 12,600) | SAR 126 | SAR 126 | SAR 126 |
| Mada inside Apple Pay (SAR 8,400) | SAR 235 (card rate) | SAR 84 | SAR 84 |
| Credit cards (SAR 9,000) | SAR 252 | SAR 203 | SAR 234–270 |
| SAR 1 per card-rate payment | SAR 87 | SAR 45 | SAR 45 |
| Monthly fee | SAR 200 | SAR 49 | SAR 99–259 |
| Total before VAT | SAR 900 (3.0%) | SAR 507 (1.7%) | SAR 588–784 (2.0–2.6%) |
Two things decide this month. The first is the monthly fee, which is why Paymes comes out cheapest.
The second is Apple Pay. APS bills it at the card rate even when there's a mada card inside, which adds almost SAR 200 here.
On Shopify Basic, add another SAR 600 (2%) for any of the three. That's more than the whole mada bill.
Want to try your own sales and payment mix? Our free payment gateway fee calculator adds the Shopify fee and VAT for you.
How do you check a gateway is licensed by SAMA?
In Saudi Arabia, payment companies are licensed or supervised by SAMA, the Saudi Central Bank. Ask every gateway for its licence reference before you sign.
Most local players state their status openly. For example:
- Moyasar says it operates under the supervision of SAMA.
- Tap calls itself a licensed payment institution in Saudi Arabia.
- HyperPay says it holds a Saudi Central Bank licence.
- MyFatoorah says its Saudi company is supervised by SAMA, and lists its licence number.
Global players work a little differently. Checkout.com, for example, processes mada for Saudi merchants through a local acquiring partner.
Where does ZATCA e-invoicing fit in?
Your gateway takes the payment. It doesn't issue your customer's tax invoice. That job belongs to your store or e-invoicing software, under ZATCA's Fatoora rules.
Here's where payments and ZATCA (the Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority) meet:
- Every order needs a compliant invoice. VAT-registered Saudi stores issue simplified (B2C) invoices with a QR code from a compliant system.
- Phase 2 is reaching small stores. Wave 25 covers businesses with VAT-subject revenue above SAR 187,500 in any recent year. Their integration deadline is 1 February 2027.
- Refunds need credit notes. When you refund through your gateway, issue a matching credit note in your invoicing system.
- Gateway fees carry VAT. Keep your gateway's monthly tax invoices, so your accountant can reclaim that VAT as input tax.
- Payouts arrive net of fees. Record the full sale and the fee separately, so your sales match your invoices.
The waves, deadlines and setup steps are in our ZATCA e-invoicing guide.
Payment gateways serving Saudi Arabia
The companies below were independently researched, and all serve Saudi Arabia. They aren't ranked. "Best for" is our summary, and the bullet points are what each company or the press reports.
The mix looks like this:
- Saudi-born gateways. Moyasar, HyperPay, PayTabs and Geidea are all headquartered in Riyadh, the companies say.
- Regional players. Tap and MyFatoorah started in Kuwait and run Saudi operations. Amazon Payment Services, Telr and Network International are based in Dubai.
- Global and wider-MENA options. Checkout.com has a Riyadh office, according to the company, and Paymob has offices in Saudi Arabia.
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
Amazon Payment Services (formerly PAYFORT)
Best for: Established mid-to-large merchants in the UAE/KSA wanting a brand-name gateway with instalments
- Says it is available in 9 MENA countries
- Claims 3,500+ business customers
- Named clients include Air Arabia, Ticketmaster, Vodafone, InstaShop, Ounass
MyFatoorah
Best for: Social-commerce and invoice-led sellers in Kuwait and KSA who sell through WhatsApp/Instagram links
- Claims 80K+ merchants and 4.5B+ transactions
- Says its Saudi company is supervised by SAMA (licence 21/م ش م/1444)
- Integrated natively with Salla
Geidea
Best for: Omnichannel retailers in KSA that want POS and online payments from one provider
- Says it serves 530,000+ establishments
- 300+ support agents across Saudi Arabia
- Operates under SAMA supervision
Network International (N-Genius Online)
Best for: UAE businesses that want a large local acquirer with in-store and online acquiring together
- Taken private by a Brookfield-led consortium (Bidco); deal completed 17 Sep 2024; merged with FAB's Magnati in Oct 2025
- N-Genius Online ready-made plugins for WooCommerce, Shopify, Magento 2, PrestaShop and OpenCart (developer docs)
Paymob
Best for: SMEs on Shopify in the UAE/KSA/Oman that want an embedded checkout
- Says it processes millions of transactions
- PCI-certified
- Expanded embedded Shopify payments across MENA in July 2024 (see platforms-shopify.md)
Selling from a UAE company instead? See our list of payment gateways in the UAE.
What should you ask a Saudi gateway before you sign?
Send these questions to every gateway on your shortlist. Clear, written answers make the choice easy.
Notes for Shopify stores
- No Shopify Payments in Saudi Arabia. You'll connect an outside gateway and pay Shopify's 0.2–2% extra fee.
- Pick a gateway with an app. Tap, HyperPay, Geidea and Amazon Payment Services list Shopify apps. PayTabs installs from its own dashboard.
- Test Apple Pay inside checkout. Confirm the button appears on iPhone and charges mada at the mada rate.
- Upgrade the plan when it pays. Moving from Basic (2%) to Grow (1%) halves the extra fee.
Our ranking of the best Shopify payment gateways in Saudi Arabia compares the apps side by side.
Notes for Salla and Zid stores
- Start with the built-in payments. Both platforms include mada, Apple Pay, cards, STC Pay, Tabby and Tamara.
- Zid publishes a rate. Zid Payments starts at 1% plus SAR 1 per payment on the Growth plan.
- Salla owns a gateway now. It bought Paylink, a SAMA-licensed payments company, in September 2026.
- Outside gateways still connect. Moyasar, HyperPay, PayTabs and Tap work with both, if you get a better quote.
Notes for foreign and Chinese sellers
- Domestic mada needs a Saudi entity. Without one, co-badged mada cards go through as Visa or Mastercard, with more declines.
- Marketplaces are the quickest start. Amazon.sa and noon collect every Saudi payment method and pay you out abroad.
- A UAE company is a useful bridge. It opens Stripe, Shopify Payments and UAE gateways for GCC-wide sales.
- Plan the Saudi entity early. Once Saudi orders grow, a CR and a local gateway cut fees and lift approvals.
The full route is in our guide to selling in Saudi Arabia from China.
Get payment gateway quotes for Saudi Arabia
Share your company details and monthly sales once. We'll match you with Saudi gateways that can onboard you and support mada, Apple Pay and STC Pay.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on your company and your platform. If you want published low rates, start with Amazon Payment Services, PayTabs' Paymes or Telr. If you hold a freelance document, Moyasar is a common first stop. For a native Shopify checkout, Tap, HyperPay, Geidea and Amazon Payment Services all list Shopify apps.
Sources & further reading
- Use mada bank cards for buying products through the internet (rulebook) — SAMA Rulebook
- E-Payments Account for 85% of Total Retail Payments in 2025 — Saudi Central Bank (SAMA)
- Amazon Payment Services pricing (KSA) — Amazon Payment Services
- PayTabs pricing — PayTabs
- Telr pricing — Telr
- Moyasar FAQs — Moyasar
- Third-party payment providers and transaction fees — Shopify Help Center
- E-invoicing roll-out phases — Zakat, Tax and Customs Authority (ZATCA)
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