Shopify vs Salla vs Zid vs selling in chat (UAE, 2026)
Shopify (from $24 a month billed yearly) has the most apps and Shopify Payments in the UAE, but Arabic right-to-left needs the right theme. Salla and Zid are Arabic-first with free starter plans, priced in SAR. If most of your orders start in WhatsApp or Instagram chats, Nodi (from AED 59 a month) takes them in the chat and includes a store and POS on the same stock.
By Abdur Rouf Jibon, CEO & Founder, Nodi AI. Prices and features checked on on each vendor's own website.
Side by side
| Shopify | Salla | Zid | Nodi | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry price | $24 / month (yearly) | Free (Basic) | Free (Starter) | AED 59 / month |
| Currency | USD | SAR | SAR | AED |
| UAE card payments | Shopify Payments | Not confirmed | Via partners (Tap, Paymob) | Stripe |
| Tabby / Tamara | Tabby app | Not confirmed | Yes | Not yet |
| Cash on delivery | Yes (manual) | Yes | Yes | Yes, confirmed in chat (Growth+) |
| Arabic right-to-left store | Depends on theme | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp selling | Third-party apps | Salla Chat inbox | Zid WhatsApp (add-on) | AI takes orders in chat |
| Aramex | Official app | Yes | Via ZidShip | Booked from Nodi |
| POS | Shopify POS | Not compared | Not compared | Included |
Prices and features as each platform's pages showed them on 4 November 2026. Salla's site blocked automated checks, so its figures come from Salla's own plan and help pages as indexed by search engines; check salla.com before you sign up.
Each option in detail
1. Shopify
Best for: Sellers who want the biggest app ecosystem and Shopify Payments in the UAE, and are ready to set up Arabic themselves.
- Price
- Basic $24 a month billed yearly ($32 monthly), Grow $69 ($92), Advanced $299 ($399). Card rates from 2.9% + AED 1.00; 2% extra on Basic if you use another payment provider. (their pricing page)
- Free trial
- 3 days free, then $1 a month for 3 months (per its UAE pricing page)
Strengths
- Shopify Payments works in the UAE
- Huge app store: Tabby (official app), Aramex, Facebook and Instagram
- Arabic admin language
Worth knowing
- Arabic right-to-left storefronts depend on the theme
- No native WhatsApp selling; it comes from third-party apps
- Prices in USD
2. Salla
Best for: Arabic-first sellers who want a free start, a large Gulf app and shipping network, and WhatsApp and Instagram in one inbox.
- Price
- Basic free; Plus SAR 990 a year; Pro SAR 2,990 a year (from Salla's plan pages as indexed). Transaction fees: we found conflicting figures, so check Salla's page. (their pricing page)
- Free trial
- Free Basic plan
Strengths
- Arabic and English storefront and dashboard
- Supports stores in the UAE (help-centre guide)
- Salla Chat: WhatsApp and Instagram in one inbox
- 200+ shipping partners, including Aramex; Apple Pay and cash on delivery
Worth knowing
- Saudi-first; prices in SAR
- AED payment settlement not confirmed on its pages
3. Zid
Best for: Arabic-first sellers who want a free start, Tabby and Tamara, and built-in WhatsApp marketing.
- Price
- Starter free; Rise SAR 99 a month (SAR 83 billed yearly); Growth SAR 299 (SAR 249 yearly); Professional on quote. No sales fees on paid plans. (their pricing page)
- Free trial
- Free Starter plan
Strengths
- UAE page with UAE merchants and partners
- Tabby and Tamara instalments; Apple Pay; cash on delivery
- ZidShip: 30+ couriers including Aramex and SMSA
- Zid WhatsApp built into the dashboard
Worth knowing
- Plans billed in SAR, even on the UAE page
- Zid WhatsApp is SAR 109 a month on most plans (free on Professional), per its product page
4. Nodi (selling in chat + store)(our product)
Best for: UAE sellers who sell mostly in WhatsApp and Instagram chats and want a store and shop counter on the same stock.
- Price
- AED 59 / 179 / 389 a month, including the online store, POS and AI sales agent.
- Free trial
- 30 days of the full Scale plan for AED 3
Strengths
- AI takes orders in WhatsApp, Instagram and Facebook chats, in English or Arabic
- Arabic right-to-left store on your own domain, prices in AED
- Stripe payment links, cash on delivery, Aramex booking
- Or connect an existing Shopify or WooCommerce store
Worth knowing
- Tabby and Tamara checkout not available yet
- Far fewer apps than Shopify
Which one should you choose?
- Shopify if you want the most apps and themes, sell internationally, and can handle Arabic right-to-left with a suitable theme.
- Salla if your store is Arabic-first and you want a free start and the widest Gulf shipping network.
- Zid if you want Tabby and Tamara out of the box and a free plan, and don't mind SAR billing.
- Nodi if most of your orders start in WhatsApp or Instagram and you want the chat, store, stock and shop counter in one system with AED prices.
Do you need a website at all?
Not necessarily. Many UAE sellers take most orders in WhatsApp and Instagram chats. Either way you need a licence: selling online in the UAE needs a commercial licence that includes e-commerce activity (Dubai also offers the e-Trader licence for some home-based sellers). See the ecommerce licence guide and do you need a website if you sell on Instagram?.
We compared what a small UAE seller needs: price and currency, UAE payments, Tabby and Tamara, cash on delivery, Arabic right-to-left, WhatsApp selling and couriers. Prices are as each platform showed them on 4 November 2026. For a setup guide, read Shopify in the UAE.
Frequently asked questions
Is Shopify available in the UAE?
Yes. Shopify has a UAE pricing page, and Shopify Payments supports the UAE. Card rates start at 2.9% + AED 1.00 on the Basic plan.
Can a UAE business use Salla or Zid?
Yes. Salla's help centre has a guide to creating a store in the UAE, and Zid has a UAE page with UAE merchants. Both price their plans in Saudi riyals.
Which platform is best for Arabic stores?
Salla and Zid are Arabic-first. Nodi builds Arabic right-to-left stores too. On Shopify, right-to-left depends on the theme you choose.
Which is cheapest?
Salla and Zid have free starter plans. Nodi starts at AED 59 a month including the store, POS and AI sales agent. Shopify Basic is $24 a month billed yearly.
Can I keep Shopify and add Nodi?
Yes. Nodi can connect to an existing Shopify or WooCommerce store, so its AI can sell in WhatsApp and Instagram chats without moving your store.
Sources
- Shopify UAE pricing, checked 4 November 2026
- Shopify Payments supported countries, checked 4 November 2026
- Shopify admin languages, checked 4 November 2026
- Tabby for Shopify, checked 4 November 2026
- Aramex for Shopify, checked 4 November 2026
- Salla plans, checked 4 November 2026
- Salla: create a store in the UAE, checked 4 November 2026
- Salla Chat, checked 4 November 2026
- Zid pricing, checked 4 November 2026
- Zid UAE, checked 4 November 2026
- Zid WhatsApp, checked 4 November 2026
- u.ae: eCommerce in the UAE, checked 4 November 2026
Nodi makes one of the products on this page. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the other companies named; their names and trademarks belong to them. Prices and features change: always check the vendor's own website before you buy, and tell us at [email protected] if anything here is out of date.
Sell where your customers already chat.
Store, POS and an AI that takes orders, from AED 59 a month.