Shopify payment gateways in Saudi Arabia
Shopify Payments is not available in Saudi Arabia, so a Saudi Shopify store takes cards through a third-party gateway such as Tap or PayTabs, adds buy-now-pay-later through the Tabby or Tamara apps, and can offer cash on delivery. mada support depends on the gateway and its bank approval.
By Mousa Alhelo, founder, E-SAFQA · Updated · 6 min read · How we write and test these guides
Is Shopify Payments available in Saudi Arabia?
No. Shopify's help center says Shopify Payments is only available to online stores in certain countries and regions, and it lists 41 of them (as of October 2026). The United Arab Emirates is on the list; Saudi Arabia is not. Three consequences follow.
- You connect a third-party payment provider, which has its own fees.
- Shopify's pricing page adds a third-party transaction fee that depends on your plan: 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus (as of October 2026).
- Without Shopify Payments, customers can check out only in the currency set as your store currency.
Which payment providers document a Shopify integration for Saudi Arabia?
Shopify's payment gateways page lets you filter providers by country and has a Saudi version in Arabic. The table lists providers whose own documentation describes a Shopify integration, as of October 2026. Always confirm the current list for Saudi Arabia in your Shopify admin under Settings, Payments.
| Provider | Type | What its documentation says |
|---|---|---|
| Tabby | Buy now, pay later | A Shopify payment app that accepts orders only with KSA or UAE billing addresses, in SAR or AED. You register with Tabby for live API keys first. |
| Tamara | Buy now, pay later | Install the Tamara Split Payments app after you have a Tamara merchant account. Test mode is not supported, and Tamara says the app is free. |
| Tap | Cards, wallets, local methods | Two Shopify apps: Native Checkout (mada, Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Apple Pay, Google Pay) and a Tap checkout page for other regional methods, including Tabby. |
| PayTabs | Cards, mada, wallets | A Shopify plugin that lists credit cards, American Express, mada, STC Pay and Ur Pay for Saudi Arabia. It does not support Apple Pay, and customers are redirected to a PayTabs page. |
How do mada, Apple Pay and STC Pay work on Shopify?
mada is Saudi Arabia's local card scheme. Because Shopify Payments is not available, mada support comes from the gateway you connect. PayTabs documents that mada processes SAR only, that merchants need a Saudi business licence or freelancer certificate, and that activation goes through an application to a supported bank, subject to the bank's approval. Tap lists mada in its Shopify Native Checkout app.
Apple Pay and STC Pay vary by provider. Tap lists Apple Pay in its Native Checkout app, while PayTabs states that its Shopify plugin does not support Apple Pay because of Shopify's rules, and lists STC Pay. Read each provider's page rather than assuming a method is available.
How do Tabby and Tamara work on a Shopify store?
Both start with a merchant account at the provider, then an app in Shopify. For Tabby, you register for live API keys, install the Tabby payment app and find it under Settings, Payments, Additional payment providers. The app accepts orders only for KSA and UAE billing addresses, and Tabby recommends limiting its visibility at checkout to the countries where your store works with Tabby. For Tamara, you install Tamara Split Payments after your merchant account is set up and leave test mode off.
Both providers also document product-page widgets that you add to your theme. Follow their instructions, because the widget is separate from the checkout payment option.
How do you choose a gateway for your store?
Ask each provider which documents it needs. For mada, PayTabs names a Saudi business licence or freelancer certificate, so it helps to complete store verification and open a commercial bank account early. Our guide to Saudi store verification explains both.
- Does the provider's own documentation describe a Shopify app or plugin, and does Shopify list it for Saudi Arabia?
- Which methods does it cover: Visa and Mastercard, mada, Apple Pay, STC Pay, instalments?
- What does onboarding need: commercial register or freelance document, a Saudi bank account, a verified store?
- Is settlement in SAR, and what is the total cost: the provider's fee plus Shopify's third-party transaction fee?
- Does a test order show the right payment status in Shopify?
What does accepting payments cost a Saudi store?
Costs come in layers, and each layer has its own source. Add them together before you decide which methods to switch on.
| Cost layer | Who sets it | Where to check |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party transaction fee | Shopify, by plan: 2%, 1%, 0.6% or 0.2% | Shopify's pricing page |
| Gateway or provider fees | The provider, under your merchant agreement | The provider's merchant terms |
| Bank requirements for mada | The provider and the supported bank | The provider's mada activation guide |
| Cash on delivery | Your courier's COD terms; Shopify charges no third-party fee on manual payments | Your courier contract and Shopify's help center |
What should you test before you launch checkout?
- Set the store currency to SAR and confirm prices display as expected.
- Place a test order with each method you enable: card, mada, instalments and cash on delivery.
- Check the payment status in Shopify: paid for online methods, pending for cash on delivery.
- For Tabby, confirm it appears only for KSA and UAE billing addresses.
- Cancel or refund one order and confirm the provider dashboard matches Shopify.
- Where a provider has no test mode, as Tamara states for its app, place a small real order and refund it through the provider.
Where do cash on delivery and WhatsApp messages fit?
Cash on delivery is a Shopify manual payment method and works alongside any gateway. For both paid and COD orders, WhatsApp Pilot, a Shopify app by E-SAFQA, sends an Order Confirmation from your own WhatsApp number when a Shopify order is created, with an order status link. It does not process payments or read replies.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify Payments available in Saudi Arabia?
No. Shopify's list of 41 supported countries and regions includes the United Arab Emirates but not Saudi Arabia (October 2026).
Does Shopify support mada?
mada support depends on the payment provider you connect. Tap lists mada in its Shopify Native Checkout app and PayTabs lists mada in its Shopify plugin, subject to their approval and your Saudi bank.
Can I offer Tabby on a Shopify store in Saudi Arabia?
Yes. Tabby's documentation describes a Shopify payment app that accepts orders with KSA and UAE billing addresses in SAR and AED, once you have a Tabby merchant account and live API keys.
Can I offer Tamara on Shopify?
Yes. Tamara documents a Shopify app called Tamara Split Payments that you install after setting up a Tamara merchant account.
Does Shopify charge extra when I use a third-party gateway?
Yes. Shopify's pricing page lists a third-party transaction fee of 2% on Basic, 1% on Grow, 0.6% on Advanced and 0.2% on Plus (October 2026), on top of the gateway's own fees.
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