Taking payments in a UAE app: gateways, in-app purchase and what to scope

Digital goods, or physical goods and services?

Apple and Google split payments the same basic way. Apple's App Review Guidelines say that if you want to unlock features or functionality within your app, such as subscriptions, game currencies, premium content or a full version, you must use in-app purchase. For physical goods or services consumed outside the app, Apple says you must use purchase methods other than in-app purchase, such as Apple Pay or traditional card entry.

Google Play's payments policy draws the same line. Downloads and in-app digital items, including subscriptions, ad-free versions and new features, use Google Play's billing system. Payments primarily for physical goods or physical services must not use it, and neither may peer-to-peer payments or tax-exempt donations. Google also runs programmes for alternative billing in eligible countries; check eligibility on Google's own pages before scoping one.

Getting this wrong can get an app rejected, so I settle it in the first conversation.

Apple Pay and Google Pay in the UAE

Apple lists the United Arab Emirates among the countries and regions where Apple Pay is available, and Google lists the UAE for paying online or in apps with Google Pay. For physical goods and services, offering both next to card entry gives most customers a one-tap checkout. Google notes that Google Pay may be offered for physical goods or services in some markets.

Apple Pay has its own rules. Apple's guideline 4.9 says apps must show all material purchase information before the sale and use Apple Pay branding correctly. For recurring payments, the app must disclose the renewal term and that it continues until cancelled, what is provided each period, the actual charges and how to cancel. I build those disclosures into the checkout screen rather than leaving them for review.

The gateway's job and the app's job

A payment gateway is the licensed company that actually processes card payments, holds the merchant relationship and handles card data under its own compliance rules. That part is the gateway's responsibility. Your business signs up with the gateway directly, passes its checks and receives the funds. I do not recommend or rank specific UAE gateways here; the right one depends on your business type, currencies and settlement needs, and you should compare their published terms.

The app's job is the flow around the payment: showing the price, sending the customer to the gateway's secure payment form or SDK, confirming the result, and recording the order. Card numbers should be captured by the gateway's own components, not stored in your database.

What to scope before the build

Payment work is rarely just the pay button. These are the questions I put in the written scope.

• Confirmation by webhook: the backend marks an order paid only when the gateway confirms it, not when the app says so.
• Failed and abandoned payments: what the customer sees, and whether the order is held or released.
• Refunds: full or partial, who can issue them, and whether that happens in the admin or in the gateway's own dashboard.
• Receipts and invoices: what the customer receives by email or in the app, and what details it must carry.
• Saved cards: handled by the gateway's tokens, if offered at all.
• Subscriptions through in-app purchase: renewals, cancellations and expired access, checked on the server.
• Admin view: a list of transactions and their status for whoever runs the business.
• Test mode: every flow tested with the gateway's test cards before live keys are added.

Receipts and VAT

If your business is registered for VAT, your receipts and invoices have to carry the details the Federal Tax Authority requires. The standard rate shown on the Authority's VAT page is 5%. The exact fields depend on your registration and the type of invoice, so confirm them with your accountant and the Federal Tax Authority, then I build the receipt to match. The Authority also publishes separate guidance on UAE e-invoicing, so check whether it applies to your business.

Which package fits, and what is quoted separately

Taking payments needs a backend to receive webhooks and record orders, so in practice these apps fit Growth ($1,699, up to 25 screens, with a Node.js backend and PostgreSQL database). Scale ($2,500, up to 50 screens) adds an admin dashboard, integrations and push notifications, which suits ordering and service platforms that need refunds and transaction views. Launch ($999) suits apps that link to a payment page you already have.

Custom or complex payment gateways, such as split payments between vendors or wallets, are quoted separately, as my pricing notes say. Gateway fees are a third-party cost and are not included in the package price.