Shopify in the UAE: Pricing, Payments and an All-in-One Alternative (2026)

Shopify works in the UAE. Plans cost $24 to $299 a month billed yearly (about AED 88 to 1,098), and Shopify Payments is available for UAE stores at 2.7% to 2.9% + AED 1 per card payment. Arabic, cash on delivery, Tabby and WhatsApp selling usually need apps or setup, which add to the monthly cost.

This guide explains what Shopify is, what it really costs a UAE store, how payments work, how it compares with WooCommerce, and when an all-in-one platform built for UAE social sellers is the better fit.

Prices were checked on Shopify's UAE pricing page and help centre on 29 October 2026. Shopify bills in USD; AED figures are converted at AED 3.6725 per USD and rounded. Disclosure: we make Nodi, one of the alternatives mentioned. We've tried to be fair, including where Shopify is the better choice.

What is Shopify?

Shopify is an online store builder. You pay a monthly subscription, pick a theme, add your products, connect payments and delivery, and Shopify hosts the store for you. Extra features come from the Shopify App Store, which has thousands of apps, many with their own monthly fee.

It's one of the most widely used ecommerce platforms in the world, and many UAE brands use it: 84 of the 104 UAE online stores we checked run on Shopify.

How much does Shopify cost in the UAE?

Shopify plans (from Shopify's UAE pricing page)

Trial: at the time of checking, Shopify offered 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months on selected plans.

The full cost of a UAE Shopify store

The plan is only part of it. A typical small UAE store also pays for:

Apps are where costs grow. A UAE store that wants Arabic, cash-on-delivery confirmation, WhatsApp chat and order notifications, and pay-later can easily add several monthly app subscriptions on top of the plan.

Is Shopify Payments available in the UAE?

Yes. Shopify's help centre lists the United Arab Emirates among the countries where Shopify Payments is available. Shopify's UAE pricing page shows these card rates:

Watch for the extra fee. If you use another gateway (such as Telr, PayTabs or Network International) instead of Shopify Payments, Shopify adds its own transaction fee on top of the gateway's fee. On the Basic plan that's 2% of every order. Compare gateways in best payment gateways in the UAE.

Check eligibility for your business type in Shopify's admin before you rely on Shopify Payments; it's available only to eligible businesses in supported countries.

Does Shopify work for UAE customers?

Mostly yes, with some setup:

Shopify vs WooCommerce: which is better in the UAE?

In short: Shopify is easier and more reliable for most small UAE brands; WooCommerce costs less in platform fees but more in time and technical upkeep.

When is Shopify the right choice?

Shopify is a strong fit if:

• Your website is your main sales channel, and most orders come from ads and search

• You sell internationally and want Shopify's global checkout and markets features

• You need specialist apps that only exist in the Shopify App Store

• You have a team or agency that already knows Shopify

When is an all-in-one alternative better?

Many UAE sellers don't sell mainly through a website. They sell through Instagram DMs, WhatsApp chats and a counter, with cash on delivery, in English and Arabic. For them, a website builder plus five apps plus a separate POS plus a separate WhatsApp tool can mean:

• Several monthly bills in USD

• Orders in different places: WhatsApp chats, Shopify, a notebook

• Stock that doesn't match between the website, the shop and Instagram

• No one answering DMs at night, when many UAE customers shop

An all-in-one platform puts the online store, the WhatsApp and Instagram inbox, the POS and the stock in one system, priced in AED.

Try Nodi: the all-in-one store for UAE social sellers

Nodi gives UAE sellers an online store in English and Arabic with AED prices; card payments and cash on delivery; Aramex delivery; a POS with UAE VAT invoices; and an AI sales agent that answers WhatsApp and Instagram customers in English or Arabic, creates the order and sends a payment link in the chat, all on one stock count. Plans start from AED 59 a month, and you can try the full Scale plan for 30 days for AED 3.

Build your online store · See Nodi for ecommerce · Start your AED 3 trial

Related guides: How to Sell on Noon and Amazon.ae · Inventory Management for Small UAE Shops · Best Payment Gateways for Online Stores in the UAE · Do You Need a Website If You Sell on Instagram?

See it in Nodi: Shopify vs Salla vs Zid · Nodi's online store builder

Frequently asked questions

Is Shopify available in the UAE?

Yes. UAE businesses can open Shopify stores, sell in AED and use Shopify Payments, which Shopify lists as available in the United Arab Emirates.

How much does Shopify cost in the UAE?

From $24 a month (about AED 88) on the Basic plan billed yearly, or $32 (about AED 118) billed monthly. Grow is $69 or $92 a month, and Advanced is $299 or $399. Apps, themes and payment fees are extra.

What are Shopify Payments fees in the UAE?

2.9% + AED 1 per online card payment on Basic, 2.8% on Grow, 2.7% on Advanced and 2.5% on Plus, according to Shopify's UAE pricing page.

Does Shopify support cash on delivery in the UAE?

Yes, as a manual payment method. Confirming COD orders and blocking fake orders usually needs an app or a manual process.

Can I make a Shopify store in Arabic?

Yes, using Shopify's languages feature with a translation app and a theme that supports right-to-left text.

What is a good Shopify alternative in the UAE?

WooCommerce if you have a developer and want low platform fees; an all-in-one platform like Nodi if you sell mainly through WhatsApp, Instagram and a counter and want the store, chat orders, POS and stock in one AED-priced system.

Sources

• Shopify, UAE pricing, checked 29 October 2026 (plan prices, card rates, third-party fees, staff accounts, trial)

• Shopify Help Center, supported countries for Shopify Payments, checked 29 October 2026

• Shopify, POS pricing (UAE), checked 29 October 2026