How much does a website cost in Dubai? 2026 prices in AED, tier by tier

How much does a website cost in Dubai in 2026?

There is no single price, because “a website” covers a AED 999 starter page and a six-figure platform. Dubai suppliers publish their own ranges, and the table lines up the ones we opened. Every figure is a seller’s number for the seller’s own scope, in dirhams (AED); dollar equivalents use about 3.67 dirhams to the dollar.

The sources agree on the shape and disagree on the level. The gap is mostly scope: pages written or only supplied, template or custom design, one language or two, and who is still there after launch. Pula Media, itself a Dubai studio, calls the type of provider the single biggest factor.

Freelancer, small agency or established agency: who charges what in Dubai?

Both put freelancers lowest and established agencies highest, and neither matches the other. Do not read a tier as a quality grade. Pula Media warns that a high price is not proof of value, and that the cheapest quote often costs most over two years once a rebuild is needed. A higher tier buys a team, a process and someone still there next year; the question is how much of that your site needs.

How much does an Arabic version add?

Element8 calls English and Arabic support standard in Dubai and says right-to-left (RTL) layouts need specialist coding. Daiyra describes it as a parallel build: components are mirrored, fonts checked and both versions tested separately. Published add-ons:

• Pula Media: about a quarter of the build on top, never less than AED 2,000.
• Daiyra: 20–35% on the design and development budget.

Ask whether the Arabic copy is written in Arabic or produced by a plugin, who tests both versions on a phone, and to see a live Arabic site the supplier built. Pula Media says a plugin translation is nearly free and that Arabic readers can tell within a sentence.

Which UAE rules change what a Dubai website costs?

VAT. The UAE rate is 5%, in force since 1 January 2018. Registration is mandatory above AED 375,000 of taxable supplies a year and optional above AED 187,500 (u.ae), so a small freelancer may quote without VAT while an agency adds it. Ask whether each figure includes it. A VAT-registered buyer normally gets back the tax it pays suppliers.

Licence. Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2023 covers trading through websites, platforms and apps. It requires the approvals and licences of the competent authority, public prices with logistics and payment fees, and a public licence, address and contact numbers (Articles 5 and 6). Selling online therefore changes the build: the pages that show these details belong in the scope.

Domain. A name registered directly under .ae, such as mybusiness.ae, is open to everybody; zones such as co.ae carry extra eligibility rules (TDRA). You buy the name from the accredited registrar of your choice, and agency guides quote AED 50–400 a year.

Hosting and data. The registry says a site can sit on a server in the UAE or overseas. Personal data is a separate matter: the Personal Data Protection Law (Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021) applies to processing inside or outside the UAE, requires the owner’s consent except in set cases and sets conditions for cross-border transfers. The DIFC has its own data law (DIFC Law No. 5 of 2020). The pages we read do not require a company website to be hosted in the UAE; sector rules may. This is not legal advice: confirm your activity and sector with your licensing authority or a lawyer.

What do payment gateways and integrations add?

The build adds to those fees. Element8 says a Dubai store needs regional gateways (it names Telr and PayTabs) and often Tabby or Tamara instalments. Pula Media prices each gateway hookup at AED 1,000–6,000 and Tabby or Tamara at AED 1,000–3,500. Name every gateway in the written scope, and keep the provider’s fees separate from the quote.

How long does a Dubai website take?

Daiyra gives 2–4 weeks for a basic business site, 6–12 for a professional custom site and 8–20 for a store. Pula Media says content is the commonest reason a launch slips by months. A small package moves faster: VITON¹³ delivers its five-page business website in 3–5 working days once the brief is approved and the texts and photos are in.

How do you compare Dubai quotes, and which red flags matter?

Put every quote through the same lines before you compare totals. Pula Media’s rule is scope to scope, never total to total.

1. The pages, named one by one, not “up to ten”.
2. The languages, and whether Arabic is written natively or produced by a plugin.
3. Who writes the content, and what happens to the date if it is you.
4. Each integration by name: payments, booking, CRM, WhatsApp.
5. What you own at hand-over: domain, hosting, code and every account, in your name.
6. Support after launch, the rate once that window closes, and whether 5% VAT is in the figure.

• A domain or hosting account in the builder’s name: a small saving can become a hostage situation later.
• A price that arrives within the hour with no questions about your business: it prices a product off a shelf.
• A total that cannot be split into scope, vague “strategic” deliverables, or a retainer you did not ask for.

When should you not pay for a Dubai-agency build?

• You are testing an offer: a landing page or a five-page site is enough, and Pula Media says a new business should not commission a systems-grade platform.
• You sell online: settle the licence and the gateway first, then the build.
• Your buyers read Arabic or you work with government bodies: budget for a proper Arabic build, which moves you up a tier.
• The website is the product, such as a portal or marketplace: that is a custom application (Element8 lists AED 50,000–275,000+), and the quote should start with discovery.

VITON¹³ is an independent studio with an office in Dubai, UAE, and it works remotely at USD prices. Its business website starts from $113, corporate website design from $113 and landing page development from $73. That is a different scale from the AED tables, and not like for like with a bilingual Arabic quote.

What would the VITON¹³ part of your project cost?

The business website is selected. Add corporate website design if the structure needs planning first, or a landing page for a campaign. The totals add the live starting prices in both production modes; hosting, texts and any Arabic version are not included.