Payment Links UAE: Get Paid on WhatsApp and Instagram

A payment link is a secure web link you send in a chat; the customer taps it and pays by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or in instalments with Tabby or Tamara. UAE providers include Ziina, Stripe, Telr, Tabby and Tamara. You need a trade licence, and card fees are about 2.3% to 3%.

This guide compares the main payment link providers, explains how pay-later links work, and gives a step-by-step flow with message templates for WhatsApp and Instagram.

Checked on 29 October 2026 from providers' own pricing and help pages, and a HiDubai guide published 6 August 2026. Fees change; confirm with each provider.

What is a payment link?

A payment link is a URL that opens a secure checkout page for a specific amount. You create it in your payment provider's app or dashboard, paste it into WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS or email, and the customer pays on their phone. The money goes to your business account, minus the provider's fee.

Why UAE sellers use them:

Get paid before shipping, instead of relying on cash on delivery
No website needed to take card payments
Customers can pay by Apple Pay in two taps
Pay-later links (Tabby, Tamara) help close higher-priced sales

What do I need to create payment links in the UAE?

Payment providers usually ask for:

A valid trade licence (see how to get an ecommerce licence in Dubai)
A business bank account in the same name
Passport and Emirates ID of the licence holder
A business description and your Instagram page, catalog or website
VAT registration if you're required to register

Providers check your business type and may decline some activities.

UAE payment link providers compared

Provider	Payment links	Card fee (UAE cards)	Pay-later	Notes
Ziina	Yes, plus QR codes and Tap to Pay	2.6% + AED 1 (plus 5% VAT); +1.5% international	Through linked providers	Built for small businesses and social sellers
Stripe	Yes, included	2.9% + AED 1 (+VAT); +1% international	Varies	No monthly fee; good for international customers
Telr	Unlimited (Quicklinks)	2.25%–2.45% + AED 0.50–1 (+VAT), by volume	Tabby partnership	Monthly fee at lower volumes
Mamo Pay	Yes	2.9% + AED 1 (plus VAT) on the free Growth plan; 3.4% + AED 1 for international cards	Tabby option in the same link	One link for cards, wallets and Tabby
Tabby	Yes, from the Tabby Business app or Merchant Dashboard	Merchant fee (pay-later)	Pay in 4; pay over time up to 12 months	Customer pays no interest on Tabby's plans
Tamara	Yes, from the Tamara Business app	Merchant fee (pay-later)	Split in 3, or more by plan	Similar workflow to Tabby

Ziina, Stripe, Telr and Mamo Pay fees from their own pricing pages (checked 29 October 2026); see our full payment gateway comparison. Tabby, Tamara and Telr Quicklinks details from HiDubai (August 2026). Pay-later merchant fees are agreed per business; third-party guides put them at roughly 3% to 7%, sometimes plus a fixed fee.

How do Tabby and Tamara payment links work?

In the Tabby Business or Tamara Business app (or merchant dashboard), enter the amount and the customer's phone number or email.
Send the link by WhatsApp, SMS or email.
The customer opens it, goes through the provider's quick checkout (including identity checks) and pays the first instalment by card.
The provider collects the remaining instalments from the customer.
You receive the full amount, minus the merchant fee, on the provider's settlement schedule.

When to offer pay-later: for higher-priced items such as abayas, perfumes, electronics, furniture and beauty bundles. The merchant fee is higher than a card payment, so build it into your price or offer it only above a minimum order value.

How to take payment on WhatsApp and Instagram: step by step

Confirm the order in the chat: product, size or colour, quantity.
Confirm the total, including delivery and VAT: "AED 189 + AED 15 delivery to Sharjah = AED 204."
Collect delivery details: name, phone, emirate, area, building and a landmark.
Create the payment link for the exact total, with the order number or customer name in the description.
Send the link with a short message (templates below).
Check the payment in your provider's app before you pack the order.
Confirm and ship, and send the tracking link.
Record the order in your order list or system, not only in the chat. See how to track orders from Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp in one place.

Payment link message templates

Sending the link (card or Apple Pay):

Thank you, [Name]! Your order: [product, size] × [qty]. Total AED [amount] including delivery to [emirate].
Pay securely here (card or Apple Pay): [link]
We'll ship as soon as payment is confirmed. Expected delivery: [day].

Offering pay-later:

You can also split this into 4 payments with Tabby, with no interest: [Tabby link]. Or pay in full by card here: [link].

Reminder after a few hours:

Hi [Name], just a reminder that your [product] is reserved for you until [time]. Here's your payment link again: [link]. Any questions, just reply here.

Payment received:

Payment received, thank you! Your order #[number] will be delivered on [day]. We'll send the tracking link once it's on the way.

More templates in 12 Instagram DM templates for small shops.

Payment links vs cash on delivery

	Payment link	Cash on delivery
When you're paid	Before shipping	After delivery, when the courier pays you
Failed deliveries	Rare: the customer has already paid	Common if orders aren't confirmed
Fees	About 2.3% to 3% per card payment; more for pay-later	Courier COD fee; return costs on refusals
Customer trust	Needs trust in your shop	Easier for first-time buyers
Best for	Repeat customers, higher-value orders, pay-later	New customers who want to see the product first

Many UAE shops offer both: payment links first (sometimes with a small discount or free delivery), and COD as a fallback with every order confirmed. See cash on delivery for social sellers.

How to avoid payment link scams and mistakes

Only send links from your own provider account, and never ask customers for card numbers in chat.
Check payment in your provider's app before shipping, not from a customer's screenshot. Fake "payment successful" screenshots are a common scam.
Use the exact amount and an order reference in each link.
Set an expiry where your provider allows it, so old links can't be reused.
Tell customers which business name will appear on their card statement.
Refund through the provider, not by bank transfer, so records match.

Take orders and payments in the chat with Nodi

Nodi's AI sales agent answers customers on WhatsApp and Instagram in English or Arabic, shares products and prices from your catalog, creates the order in the chat, and sends the customer a payment link right in the conversation, so they can pay by card or choose cash on delivery, without you creating links by hand. Orders and payments land in one system with your stock. On Growth and Scale, Nodi also confirms COD orders on WhatsApp and flags fake orders. Plans start from AED 59 a month, and you can try the full Scale plan for 30 days for AED 3.

See the AI sales agent · Start your AED 3 trial

See it in Nodi: Payment links and online payments in Nodi

Frequently asked questions

How do I create a payment link in the UAE?

Sign up with a payment provider such as Ziina, Stripe, Telr or Mamo Pay using your trade licence and business bank account, then create a link for the amount in the app or dashboard and send it to the customer.

Can I send a Tabby payment link on WhatsApp?

Yes. Tabby merchants can create a link in the Tabby Business app or Merchant Dashboard and send it by WhatsApp, SMS or email. The customer pays in instalments, and you receive the full amount minus Tabby's fee.

How much do payment links cost in the UAE?

Card payments are usually about 2.3% to 3% plus a fixed fee per payment, more for international cards. For example, Ziina charges 2.6% + AED 1 and Stripe 2.9% + AED 1, both plus VAT. Pay-later links cost more.

Can I accept payment links without a trade licence?

Generally no. UAE payment providers ask for a valid trade licence and a business bank account.

Is WhatsApp Pay available in the UAE?

Not at the time of writing. WhatsApp's in-chat payments are available in a few countries such as India and Brazil, not the UAE, so UAE sellers send payment links instead.

How do I know a customer has really paid?

Check the payment in your provider's app or dashboard. Don't rely on screenshots, which can be faked.

Sources

HiDubai Focus, how to offer instalment payments in Dubai without an e-commerce website, 6 August 2026
Ziina, business fees, checked 29 October 2026 (fees subject to 5% VAT)
Mamo Pay, pricing, checked 29 October 2026
Stripe, UAE pricing, checked 29 October 2026
Telr, pricing, checked 29 October 2026
Tabby, are there any fees to use Tabby?

Payment Links in the UAE: How to Get Paid on WhatsApp and Instagram