The ecommerce website cost in Dubai has two parts: a one-time build cost and yearly running costs. With Nimrah Digital, a WooCommerce store starts from AED 2,000. Running costs include a domain (a .ae domain is AED 125 for the first year at AEserver), hosting or a platform plan (Shopify Basic starts at US$32 a month with monthly billing), a business license (the Dubai E-Trader license is AED 1,070 a year plus AED 300 Dubai Chamber membership), and payment gateway fees on each sale (Stripe UAE lists 2.9% + AED 1 per domestic card payment).
"How much will my online store cost?" is the first question almost every Dubai business owner asks us. The honest answer is that the ecommerce website cost in Dubai depends on what you build, which platform you choose and how much you sell. This guide breaks down every cost with real, published 2026 prices, so you can plan your budget before you talk to any developer.
Every online store, big or small, is made up of the same building blocks. Here is what each one costs and whether you pay it once or every year.
| Cost item | One-time or recurring | Published price (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Design and development | One-time | From AED 2,000 with Nimrah Digital; varies by agency and features |
| 2. Domain | Yearly | .ae: AED 125 first year, AED 145 renewal; .com: AED 49 first year, AED 65 renewal (AEserver) |
| 3. Hosting | Monthly or yearly | Needed for WooCommerce; price depends on provider and traffic. Included in Shopify plans. |
| 4. Platform | Monthly or yearly | WooCommerce plugin: free. Shopify Basic: US$32/month (monthly billing) or US$24/month (yearly billing) |
| 5. Payment gateway | Per sale (plus monthly on some plans) | Stripe UAE: 2.9% + AED 1 per domestic card payment. Telr: 2.25% to 2.45% plus a fixed fee, depending on volume |
| 6. Business license | Yearly | Dubai E-Trader license: AED 1,070 licence fee plus AED 300 Dubai Chamber membership (AED 1,370 in year one). Free zone and mainland licenses cost more. |
| 7. Plugins, apps and maintenance | Monthly or yearly | Depends on the features you add, such as Arabic translation, courier integration or marketplace sync |
Sources: AEserver domain pricing, Shopify UAE pricing, Stripe UAE pricing, Telr pricing. Prices checked on 3 October 2026 and may change.
Use this calculator to estimate your first-year ecommerce website cost in Dubai. It uses the published 2026 prices from this guide; add your own hosting quote if you choose WooCommerce.
Estimate only. Assumes domestic card payments; international cards cost more. Shopify prices are converted at the fixed rate of AED 3.6725 per US$. Telr fees include 5% VAT. Courier, COD, plugin and marketing costs are not included.
The platform you choose has the biggest effect on your long-term ecommerce website cost in Dubai. WooCommerce is a free WordPress plugin, so you only pay for hosting, your domain and any paid plugins. Shopify includes hosting but charges a monthly subscription for as long as your store is open.
| Yearly cost | WooCommerce | Shopify Basic |
|---|---|---|
| Platform fee | Free | US$384/year with monthly billing (US$32 x 12), or US$288/year with yearly billing (US$24 x 12) |
| Hosting | Paid separately | Included |
| Extra fee with third-party payment providers | None from WooCommerce | 2% per sale on Basic if you don't use Shopify Payments |
| Ownership | You own the site and data | Store runs on Shopify's platform |
For most small and medium Dubai businesses, WooCommerce keeps yearly costs lower and gives more control. Shopify can make sense if you want to launch fast and prefer not to manage hosting. We compare both in more detail on our ecommerce website development in Dubai page.
Payment fees are easy to underestimate because they grow with your sales. Here is a simple example using published rates, for a store selling AED 10,000 a month with an average order of AED 200 (50 card orders):
| Gateway | How it's calculated | Monthly fees |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe UAE (domestic cards) | 2.9% of AED 10,000 = AED 290, plus AED 1 x 50 orders = AED 50 | AED 340 |
| Telr Entry plan (AED 10,000 to 24,999 a month) | 2.45% of AED 10,000 = AED 245, plus AED 1 x 50 = AED 50, plus AED 199 monthly fee = AED 494, plus 5% VAT | AED 518.70 |
The cheapest option changes as your sales grow, and international cards cost more (Stripe adds 1%, Telr adds 0.50%). Choose your gateway based on your expected monthly sales, not just the headline percentage. Cash on delivery avoids card fees, but your courier usually charges for collecting cash, so ask them for their COD rate.
Here is what our packages include. Every store is built on WooCommerce, so you own it fully with no monthly platform fee.
| Package | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Starter Store | New businesses with a small catalogue: core pages, one payment gateway, cash on delivery | From AED 2,000 |
| Business Store | Growing stores: more products, more payment options, courier integration | AED 4,000 |
| Advanced Store | Bilingual Arabic and English stores, custom features, marketplace sync | AED 8,000 |
See full details on our website development packages page. Not sure your current store is worth rebuilding? Start with our 49 AED website audit.
The build is usually a one-time cost, and with Nimrah Digital it starts from AED 2,000. On top of that, budget for yearly running costs such as a domain (a .ae domain is AED 125 for the first year at AEserver), hosting, your business license and payment gateway fees on every sale.
Usually, over time. The WooCommerce plugin is free and you pay for hosting, a domain and any paid plugins. Shopify includes hosting but charges a monthly plan, from US$32 a month on the Basic plan with monthly billing, plus a 2% fee on Basic if you use a third-party payment provider instead of Shopify Payments.
It depends on the provider and your sales volume. Stripe UAE lists 2.9% + AED 1 per successful domestic card payment, plus 1% for international cards. Telr's published plans range from 2.45% + AED 1 down to 2.25% + AED 0.50 per transaction depending on monthly volume, with a monthly fee on lower-volume plans and 5% VAT on fees.
Yes, you need a valid license to run an online store in the UAE. The Dubai E-Trader license is one of the lowest-cost options at AED 1,070 per year plus AED 300 Dubai Chamber membership, but eligibility and activity rules apply, so confirm the current fee with Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism. Free zone and mainland licenses cost more.
The main recurring costs are domain renewal, hosting or a platform subscription, license renewal, payment gateway fees on each sale, any paid plugins or apps, and maintenance. Once your taxable sales pass AED 375,000 a year you must also register for VAT.
Yes. A standard WooCommerce store with core pages, a payment gateway and cash on delivery can be built within that budget. Nimrah Digital packages start from AED 2,000.
Nimrah is a Dubai-based WordPress developer and SEO specialist with 9+ years of experience and the founder of Nimrah Digital. She builds WooCommerce stores for businesses in the UAE, UK, USA and beyond, and wrote this guide using published 2026 pricing from each provider.
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