# Payment gateways in Saudi Arabia: mada, Apple Pay, wallets and BNPL for websites and apps

> To take payments online in Saudi Arabia, a website or app needs a payment gateway that supports mada, the national debit card scheme owned by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), alongside Visa and Mastercard, Apple Pay, and usually a buy-now-pay-later option. mada works online through its e-commerce service using 3D Secure, and mada cards can be added to Apple Pay, which is why many Saudi stores show Apple Pay first on mobile. Choose a provider that is licensed by SAMA or works through a licensed bank (SAMA's register lists them; its May 2026 announcement put the number of licensed payment companies at 32), that settles in riyals to a Saudi bank account, and that offers a hosted or embedded checkout in Arabic. Then compare fees per method, settlement time, refunds and the quality of the API before you integrate. OGB Labs is a website and ecommerce development company in Muscat, Oman, with a team in Riyadh, and integrates Saudi gateways into stores and apps.

- Canonical: https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/payment-gateways-saudi-arabia
- Arabic version: https://www.ogblabs.com/ar/guides/payment-gateways-saudi-arabia
- Author: OGB Labs (https://www.ogblabs.com)
- Published: 2026-10-10
- Updated: 2026-10-10

## The payment methods Saudi customers expect

- mada: the national payment scheme, owned by SAMA, that connects point of sale, ATMs and e-commerce. SAMA's [mada page](https://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/payment/pages/mada.aspx) describes the e-commerce service, which lets mada cards pay online through the 3D Secure protocol. Most Saudi shoppers carry a mada debit card, so a checkout without mada loses sales.
- Apple Pay: SAMA notes that mada cards can be added to Apple Pay to pay in stores and online. On iPhone, a one-tap Apple Pay button is usually the fastest route through checkout.
- Visa, Mastercard and other international cards: needed for credit card users, visitors and buyers outside the Kingdom.
- Wallets: stc pay, which SAMA approved to transition into STC Bank, and other licensed e-wallets. Offer them where your gateway supports them and your customers use them.
- Buy now, pay later: Tabby and Tamara are widely used, especially for fashion, electronics and furniture. They usually come as a separate contract and integration, or as an add-on through your gateway.
- Bank transfer: the instant payment system sarie lets customers transfer between Saudi banks in seconds. It suits B2B invoices and high-value orders rather than everyday checkout.
- Cash on delivery: still offered by many stores, though it costs you courier cash handling and refused deliveries.

## Licensing: why SAMA matters

Payment services in the Kingdom are regulated by SAMA, which licenses payment institutions and e-wallet providers and publishes each new licence. Its [May 2026 announcement](https://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/MediaCenter/News/Pages/news-1146.aspx) brought the number of licensed payment companies to 32, and SAMA asks the public to deal only with licensed and permitted institutions, listed on its website. Before you sign, check that the gateway, or the bank it processes through, appears there.

This matters for more than compliance. A licensed local provider settles in riyals to your Saudi bank account, supports mada natively, and is easier to work with when SAMA rules or mada requirements change. International gateways can work, but confirm they support mada directly and settle locally rather than treating mada as a foreign card.

## Common gateway options

Saudi stores and apps commonly use local and regional gateways such as HyperPay, Moyasar, PayTabs, Tap and Checkout.com, as well as bank acquiring through Saudi banks, including card acceptance from STC Bank. Shopify stores use Shopify's supported Saudi gateways or a gateway app. Rather than ranking them, compare them on the criteria below against your own order sizes and volumes, because pricing is negotiated and changes over time.

**What to compare between Saudi payment gateways**

| Criterion | What to ask | Why it matters |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Licensing | Is the company, or its acquiring bank, licensed by SAMA? | Protects your funds and your account's continuity |
| Methods | mada, Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, wallets, BNPL | Every missing method loses a share of buyers |
| Fees | Rate per method, fixed fee per transaction, setup and monthly fees, refund fees | mada and international cards are often priced differently |
| Settlement | How many days to your Saudi account, in SAR? | Cash flow, especially for fast-growing stores |
| Checkout | Hosted page, embedded fields or native SDKs; Arabic and RTL | Conversion on mobile and in apps |
| Tokenisation | Saved cards and recurring payments | Subscriptions and repeat orders |
| Platforms | Shopify, WooCommerce, custom APIs, iOS and Android SDKs | Integration time and cost |
| Support | Arabic support, a named account manager, dispute handling | Fast fixes when payments fail |

## Step by step: from application to first payment

1. Prepare the documents: commercial registration, the owner's or manager's ID, a Saudi bank account in the company's name (IBAN letter), and a live or near-live website with policies.
2. Make sure the website shows what Saudi e-commerce rules and gateways expect: the registered business name and contact details, commercial registration number, prices in SAR including VAT, delivery terms, and return, exchange and refund policies in Arabic, plus a privacy policy that meets the [Saudi PDPL](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/saudi-pdpl-compliance-websites-apps). The full list of disclosures is in our guide to the [Saudi E-Commerce Law](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/saudi-ecommerce-law-online-store-requirements).
3. Apply to one or two gateways and compare the offers you receive, not the advertised rates.
4. Integrate in the sandbox. Test mada, Visa, Mastercard and Apple Pay, failed payments, 3D Secure challenges, refunds and partial refunds.
5. Register your domain for Apple Pay with the gateway and test on a real iPhone.
6. Go live with a small real transaction, refund it, and confirm the settlement reaches your bank.
7. Connect payments to your invoicing. VAT-registered businesses must issue compliant e-invoices, and Phase 2 now reaches businesses above SAR 187,500; see our guide to [ZATCA e-invoicing Phase 2](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/zatca-e-invoicing-phase-2-saudi).

## Checkout details that raise conversion in Saudi Arabia

- Arabic first, right-to-left, with Arabic error messages. See our [Arabic website checklist](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/arabic-website-rtl-checklist).
- Show mada and Apple Pay logos early, on the product page and the cart, not only on the final step.
- Show the full price in SAR including VAT and delivery before the payment step.
- Put Apple Pay first on iPhone and keep card entry short, with the card number field accepting mada BINs without errors.
- Show BNPL instalment amounts on the product page, where they influence the decision.
- Handle failed payments gracefully: keep the cart, explain the reason, and offer another method.
- Send the order confirmation on WhatsApp or SMS as well as email.

## Apps: in-app payments and store rules

In a mobile app, physical goods and real-world services, such as products, food, rides or bookings, are paid through your gateway's SDK, including Apple Pay and mada. Digital content and subscriptions consumed inside the app generally fall under Apple's and Google's in-app purchase rules instead. Decide which applies before you design the checkout. Our guide to [publishing on the App Store and Google Play](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/publish-app-store-google-play-oman) covers store review.

## How OGB Labs helps

Every Saudi store and app we build takes mada, cards and Apple Pay through a licensed gateway, with BNPL, wallets and cash on delivery where they fit, Arabic-first checkout, and payments connected to orders, invoicing and your accounting. We help you compare gateway offers before you sign and handle the sandbox, Apple Pay domain setup and go-live testing. Selling in the Emirates too? Read [payment gateways in the UAE](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/payment-gateways-uae). See [web development in Saudi Arabia](https://www.ogblabs.com/locations/saudi-arabia), our [ecommerce service](https://www.ogblabs.com/services/ecommerce) and [Shopify vs custom ecommerce](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/shopify-vs-custom-ecommerce-gulf), or message us on WhatsApp at +968 7111 0727.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is mada?

mada is Saudi Arabia's national payment scheme, owned by the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA). It connects point-of-sale terminals, ATMs and e-commerce, and its e-commerce service lets mada cards pay online using 3D Secure.

### Do I need mada on my Saudi online store?

Yes, in practice. Most Saudi shoppers carry a mada debit card, and mada cards also power many Apple Pay payments. A checkout with only international cards turns away a large share of buyers.

### Can mada cards be used with Apple Pay?

Yes. SAMA states that mada cards can be added to Apple Pay to pay in stores and online, which is why Apple Pay is often the fastest checkout on iPhone in Saudi Arabia.

### How do I know a payment gateway is licensed in Saudi Arabia?

Check SAMA's list of licensed and permitted financial institutions on sama.gov.sa. SAMA's May 2026 announcement put the number of licensed payment companies at 32, and it asks the public to deal only with licensed institutions.

### What documents does a Saudi payment gateway need?

Typically the commercial registration, ID of the owner or manager, a Saudi bank account in the company's name, and a website showing your business details, SAR prices including VAT, and refund and delivery policies. Each provider sets its own list.

### Can a business outside Saudi Arabia accept mada?

Some international gateways accept mada for merchants abroad, but terms differ. Selling to Saudi consumers also brings Saudi e-commerce rules into play, so check both the gateway's terms and your obligations.

### Should I offer Tabby or Tamara?

For fashion, electronics, furniture and other higher-value baskets, often yes: Saudi shoppers widely use buy now, pay later. Weigh the merchant fee against the higher conversion and order value in your own data.

### Does Shopify support mada?

Shopify stores in Saudi Arabia accept mada through supported gateways or gateway apps. Check the current list in your Shopify admin, and test mada and Apple Pay before launch.

## Related

- [Ecommerce](https://www.ogblabs.com/services/ecommerce): Stores built to sell: storefronts that feel like your brand, a checkout people finish and inventory that stays in sync.
- [VAT registration in Saudi Arabia for online stores and apps: thresholds, foreign sellers, marketplaces and penalties](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/saudi-vat-registration-online-sellers): When a Saudi or foreign online store, app or SaaS must register for VAT with ZATCA: SAR 375,000 and 187,500 thresholds, marketplace rules, deadlines and fines.
- [Payment gateways in the UAE: cards, Jaywan, Apple Pay, Aani and BNPL for websites and apps](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/payment-gateways-uae): How to accept online payments in the UAE: cards, the new Jaywan national card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Aani, Tabby and Tamara, CBUAE licensing, fees and what to check before you integrate.
- [UAE corporate tax registration for small businesses, freelancers and online sellers: who must register, deadlines, Small Business Relief and penalties](https://www.ogblabs.com/guides/uae-corporate-tax-registration-small-business): Who must register for UAE corporate tax, from the FTA texts: every company, individuals above AED 1 million, deadlines, Small Business Relief to 2029, penalties.

## Contact

- WhatsApp: +968 7111 0727 (https://wa.me/96871110727)
- Contact form: https://www.ogblabs.com/contact
- Email: hello@ogblabs.com
- Hours: Sunday – Thursday, 9:00 – 18:00 Gulf Standard Time (GMT+4)
- Locations: Muscat, Dubai, Riyadh (Oman, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia)