Accept Payments Online in the UAE: 12 Best Payment Gateways for 2026
Choosing the right payment gateway is one of the most consequential decisions a UAE business makes. It directly affects your cash flow speed, checkout conversion rate, and operational overhead. Get it wrong, and you bleed money through hidden fees and abandoned carts. Get it right, and payments become a competitive advantage.
This guide compares the 12 best solutions for accepting payment online in the UAE for 2026. We evaluate each provider on fees, settlement speed, ease of integration, and suitability for B2B versus B2C businesses.
What to Look for in a Payment Gateway (UAE)
Before comparing providers, understand the key criteria:
1. Settlement speed: How quickly does money reach your bank account? Some gateways settle in 24 hours, others take 7+ days. For cash-flow-sensitive businesses, this matters enormously.
2. Transaction fees: Most charge 2-3% per transaction. But watch for setup fees, monthly minimums, chargeback fees, and currency conversion markups.
3. Payment methods supported: In the UAE, you need credit/debit cards (Visa, Mastercard), Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and ideally local options like Tabby instalments. B2B businesses should also consider bank transfer and invoice-based payment support.
4. Integration complexity: Plugin-based setups (Shopify, WooCommerce) take minutes. Custom API integrations take days or weeks. Match the gateway to your technical capability.
5. Regulatory compliance: Ensure the provider is licensed by the Central Bank of the UAE or operates under a recognised financial regulator (DFSA, ADGM).
12 Best Payment Gateways in the UAE (2026)
1. Stripe
Best for: Tech-savvy businesses and developers building custom checkout experiences.
Stripe is now fully available in the UAE with local acquiring. Transaction fees start at 2.9% + AED 1.00 per successful charge. Stripe's strength is its developer-friendly API, extensive documentation, and support for recurring billing, subscriptions, and marketplace payments.
Settlement: 2-7 business days to UAE bank accounts.
Integration: API-first with pre-built components for React, iOS, Android.
2. Checkout.com
Best for: Mid-to-large businesses processing high volumes who need custom pricing.
Checkout.com is a UAE-headquartered company (DIFC-based) that processes payments for major brands across MENA. They offer competitive rates for high-volume merchants and support 150+ currencies.
Settlement: Next-day settlement available.
Integration: Full API plus hosted payment pages.
3. Telr
Best for: UAE SMEs looking for an affordable, locally-built solution.
Telr is a UAE-founded payment gateway offering some of the lowest fees in the market. Their plans start from AED 349/month with transaction fees as low as 2.5%. They support over 120 currencies and offer social commerce features for Instagram and WhatsApp selling.
Settlement: 1-3 business days.
Integration: Plugins for Shopify, WooCommerce, Magento, plus API.
4. PayTabs
Best for: Businesses across MENA needing multi-country payment processing.
PayTabs is based in Saudi Arabia and operates across the GCC. They offer a robust set of features including invoicing, recurring payments, and marketplace solutions. Fees are approximately 2.85% + AED 1.00 per transaction.
Settlement: 2-3 business days.
5. Amazon Payment Services (formerly PayFort)
Best for: Large businesses and e-commerce companies needing enterprise-grade security and reliability.
Backed by Amazon, this gateway offers exceptional uptime and security. Fees are negotiated per merchant but typically competitive for high-volume businesses. They support tokenisation, batch invoicing, and fraud detection powered by Amazon's ML infrastructure.
Settlement: Negotiable, typically 2-5 business days.
6. Tap Payments
Best for: SMEs wanting a quick plug-and-play solution across the GCC.
Tap Payments offers one of the fastest onboarding experiences — you can start accepting payments within 24 hours. They charge 2.75% per transaction with no setup or monthly fees. Their goCollect feature enables payment collection via link, QR code, or embedded button.
Settlement: 2-3 business days.
Integration: No-code payment links, plugins, and API.
7. Network International (N-Genius)
Best for: Established businesses wanting a payment gateway backed by the region's largest payment processor.
Network International processes over 50% of all card transactions in the UAE. Their N-Genius platform offers in-store, online, and mobile payment acceptance through a single dashboard. Pricing is enterprise-negotiated.
8. PayPal
Best for: Businesses with international customers who trust the PayPal brand.
PayPal works in the UAE for receiving payments, though features are more limited than in the US/EU. Transaction fees are 3.9% + fixed fee for cross-border transactions, which is on the higher end. However, for international B2B transactions, PayPal's buyer protection builds trust.
Limitation: Cannot receive personal payments in UAE — business account only.
9. Moyasar
Best for: GCC-focused businesses needing Arabic-first payment experiences.
Moyasar is a Saudi-based gateway expanding across the GCC. They offer Apple Pay and mada support with competitive fees. Their dashboard is fully bilingual (Arabic/English) and their API is modern and well-documented.
10. HyperPay
Best for: Businesses operating across Saudi Arabia and UAE simultaneously.
HyperPay supports 80+ payment methods including local SADAD, mada, and Fawry. They offer a hosted checkout page that works across all devices. Fees are typically 2.75-3% depending on volume.
11. CCAvenue (Infibeam Avenues)
Best for: Businesses serving Indian expat customers in the UAE.
CCAvenue supports 200+ payment options including UPI and Indian wallets, making it useful for businesses targeting the large Indian diaspora in the UAE. Fees are competitive for cross-border INR/AED transactions.
12. Magnati (formerly First Abu Dhabi Bank Payments)
Best for: Businesses wanting a bank-grade payment solution with local UAE support.
Magnati is FAB's payment subsidiary and one of the largest processors in the UAE. They offer POS terminals, e-commerce gateways, and payment links. As a bank-owned entity, they offer fast settlement (often next-day for FAB account holders).
B2B Payments: Beyond Payment Gateways
If you are a B2B supplier, payment gateways solve only half the problem. Your buyers often want to pay on credit terms (30, 60, or 90 days) — but you need cash now.
This is where invoice discounting complements your payment setup. Accept the order, issue the invoice, then sell that invoice to Comfi for immediate cash. Your buyer pays on their normal terms. You get funded within hours.
Alternatively, Comfi's B2B BNPL lets your buyers pay in instalments while you receive the full amount upfront. It is like offering credit terms without the credit risk.
Quick Comparison Table
Stripe — Fees: 2.9% + AED 1 | Settlement: 2-7 days | Best for: Developers
Checkout.com — Fees: Custom | Settlement: Next-day | Best for: High volume
Telr — Fees: From 2.5% | Settlement: 1-3 days | Best for: UAE SMEs
PayTabs — Fees: 2.85% + AED 1 | Settlement: 2-3 days | Best for: Multi-country
Amazon Payment Services — Fees: Custom | Settlement: 2-5 days | Best for: Enterprise
Tap Payments — Fees: 2.75% | Settlement: 2-3 days | Best for: Quick setup
Network International — Fees: Custom | Settlement: Custom | Best for: Large merchants
PayPal — Fees: 3.9% + fixed | Settlement: 2-5 days | Best for: International
Ready to Unlock Your Cash Flow?
Comfi helps UAE-registered B2B businesses access working capital within 24 hours — with zero processing fees and transparent service charges. Whether you need invoice discounting, B2B BNPL, or dealer financing, you can get started in minutes.
Eligibility: AED 100,000+ monthly revenue, UAE-registered, B2B business, 6+ months operating.
Related Reading
→ B2B Payments: The Future in the UAE
