E-Commerce Website Cost in UAE: Full Pricing Breakdown (2026)

E-commerce website costs in the UAE vary enormously based on platform, functionality, product count, and integration requirements. This guide breaks down exactly what drives e-commerce development costs so you can make an informed decision.

**UAE E-Commerce Platform Comparison:**

**Shopify (AED 8,000 – AED 40,000 to build):** Best for: Businesses with up to 10,000 SKUs, consumer products, fashion, electronics, gifts. Fastest time-to-market. Strong built-in payment and shipping integrations. Subscription fee AED 110–400/month ongoing.

Limitation: Less flexible for complex B2B pricing, custom ERP integration, or very high SKU counts (100,000+).

**WooCommerce / WordPress (AED 10,000 – AED 60,000 to build):** Best for: Businesses that need maximum customisation, custom pricing logic, or complex tax rules. No platform subscription fee, but higher hosting and maintenance costs.

Limitation: Requires ongoing maintenance and security updates. Can become slow under high traffic without proper infrastructure.

**Custom Development (AED 60,000 – AED 200,000+):** Best for: Marketplace platforms, complex B2B ordering, multi-vendor, subscription box, or businesses with existing ERP/WMS that need deep integration.

Limitation: Longer build time (3–6 months), higher upfront cost, requires experienced development team.

**What drives UAE e-commerce costs up:**

• **Product count:** 50 products vs 5,000 products requires fundamentally different architecture
• **Arabic content:** Product descriptions, category pages, and checkout flow in Arabic require native copywriting
• **Payment gateway integration:** Telr, PayTabs, Stripe, Tabby, Tamara each require separate integration
• **Shipping integration:** Aramex, DHL, FedEx API integration for automated rates and tracking
• **VAT calculation:** UAE VAT at 5% on taxable goods requires correct tax logic
• **Custom features:** Subscription orders, custom product builders, wholesale pricing tiers

**Hidden costs UAE businesses overlook:**

1. Payment gateway setup fees (AED 2,000–5,000 typically) and transaction fees (1.5–3%) 2. Annual SSL certificate renewal 3. Theme/plugin licence fees 4. Arabic product photography 5. Ongoing SEO and marketing to drive traffic

**What to budget for a full UAE e-commerce launch:**

| Component | Estimated Cost | |---|---| | Website development | AED 15,000–40,000 | | Payment gateway | AED 2,000–5,000 setup | | Product photography | AED 3,000–15,000 | | Arabic copywriting | AED 2,000–8,000 | | SEO setup | AED 3,000–8,000 | | **Total** | **AED 25,000–76,000** |

Smart Screen Technology provides fixed-price e-commerce packages for UAE businesses, including payment gateway integration, Arabic content, and VAT-compliant checkout.