In 2026, most Dubai businesses pay AED 7,000–25,000 for a professional small-business website, AED 15,000–110,000+ for an online store, and AED 50,000+ for a custom web platform. Simple one-to-three-page sites start from about AED 3,500 at most local agencies — and from around AED 1,100 with studios that offer starter packages.
“How much does a website cost?” is the first question almost every business owner in Dubai asks — and the answers they get range from a few hundred dirhams to six figures. Both extremes can be legitimate. This guide explains what you actually get at each price point, what drives the cost up, what you will keep paying after launch, and how to get a quote you can trust.
Website prices in Dubai at a glance
The ranges below are compiled from 2026 price guides published by Dubai agencies (see the sources at the end) and from our own project quotes. Treat them as typical market ranges, not fixed rates.
| Type of website | Typical Dubai price | Typical timeline | Good for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Landing page or 1–3 page starter site | AED 1,100–5,000 | 1–2 weeks | New companies, freelancers, campaigns |
| Small business website (5–15 pages, editable) | AED 7,000–25,000 | 3–6 weeks | Service companies, clinics, consultancies |
| Online store (e-commerce) | AED 15,000–110,000+ | 6–14 weeks | Retail, F&B, fashion, B2B catalogues |
| Custom web app, portal or platform | AED 50,000–145,000+ | 3–6 months | Booking platforms, marketplaces, SaaS |
What drives the price up (or down)
1. The number of pages — and who writes them
Every page needs design, development and content. A five-page company website and a 40-page site with service, industry and location pages are very different projects. Content is the cost most people forget: if the agency writes and translates your copy, expect that to be quoted separately.
2. Custom design vs. a template
A premium template can produce a decent site quickly and cheaply. A custom design — built around your brand, your customers and what you want them to do — costs more, but usually converts better and is easier to grow. Many good projects sit in the middle: a custom design system built on a proven CMS.
3. Arabic and English, done properly
In the UAE, a bilingual site is often expected. Done properly, Arabic is not just translated text: it needs a right-to-left (RTL) layout, Arabic typography, mirrored navigation and its own SEO. That is real design and development work, so a properly bilingual site costs more than a single-language one. Our Arabic website checklist explains what to look for.
4. Features and integrations
Each integration adds scope: online payments (for example Network International, Telr or Checkout.com), buy-now-pay-later options such as Tabby and Tamara, booking calendars, CRM and WhatsApp integrations, member areas, or connections to your ERP. Ask for each feature to be listed and priced in the proposal.
5. For online stores: catalogue size and logistics
A store with 20 products and card payments is a very different project from one with 3,000 products, variants, VAT-ready invoices, courier integrations and loyalty points. The platform matters too: Shopify and WooCommerce stores are usually faster to launch than fully custom builds.
6. Who builds it
Freelancers, local agencies and remote studios can all build excellent websites — at very different price points. More on that below.
Fixed prices — websites from $300, custom sites from $1,000, stores from $1,500. Free call and a proposal within a week.
The costs after launch
A website is not a one-off purchase. Budget for these running costs from day one:
- Domain name: a .com costs roughly USD 10–15 a year. A .ae domain is sold through accredited registrars and usually requires a UAE trade licence or trademark.
- Hosting: from under AED 50 a month for a simple site on good shared hosting to several hundred dirhams a month for busy stores on managed or cloud hosting.
- Maintenance: updates, backups, security monitoring and small content changes. Many agencies offer monthly plans; ask exactly what is included.
- Platform and app subscriptions: Shopify plans, premium plugins, booking or chat tools.
- Payment fees: card gateways and buy-now-pay-later providers charge a percentage per transaction.
- VAT: quotes from VAT-registered UAE suppliers add 5% VAT.
- Marketing: SEO and Google Ads are what bring visitors after launch — a website nobody finds rarely pays for itself.
Freelancer, Dubai agency or remote studio?
| Freelancer | Dubai agency | Remote studio | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | Lowest | Highest | Low to mid |
| Best for | Small, well-defined sites | Large brands, in-person workshops | SMEs wanting agency quality on a smaller budget |
| Watch out for | Availability, single point of failure | Overheads reflected in price | Time zone and communication — check how they work |
Whichever you choose, insist on the same three things: a written scope, a fixed price or clear rate, and full ownership of your domain, hosting and code.
How to get an accurate quote
The more precise your brief, the more precise (and comparable) the quotes. Before you contact agencies, write down:
- Your goal — enquiries, bookings, online sales, credibility for investors?
- A list of the pages you need.
- Languages: English only, or English and Arabic?
- Features: payments, booking, WhatsApp, member area, integrations.
- Two or three websites you like, and why.
- Whether your text and photos are ready.
- Your budget range and deadline — it helps an agency recommend the right solution instead of guessing.
Red flags to avoid
- No written scope — just a price.
- The agency registers your domain or hosting in its own name.
- “Arabic version” means machine-translated text in a left-to-right layout.
- No mention of speed, mobile testing or basic SEO.
- No plan for what happens after launch.
What we charge at Stratum
We are a remote studio working with Dubai and UAE businesses, one hour ahead of Dubai time. Our prices are fixed and published:
- Starter website: from USD 300 (about AED 1,100) — up to 3 pages, mobile-friendly, WhatsApp button, contact form and basic SEO, live in about a week.
- Custom websites: from USD 1,000 (about AED 3,700).
- Online stores: from USD 1,500 (about AED 5,500).
Every project starts with a free call and ends with a written, fixed-price proposal — and you own everything we build. See our Dubai web design page or request a quote.
Frequently asked questions
Is AED 5,000 enough for a business website in Dubai?
For a clean, professional site of a few pages, yes — especially with a template-based or starter package. For a fully custom, bilingual site with many pages and integrations, budget more.
How long does a website take?
A starter site can be live in one to two weeks; a typical business website takes three to six weeks; an online store six to fourteen weeks, depending mostly on content and integrations.
Do I need an Arabic version?
Not always — but if your customers are Emirati, Saudi or other Arabic speakers, an Arabic version usually improves trust, conversions and search visibility in Arabic.
Can I pay in AED?
Many remote studios quote in USD. The UAE dirham is pegged to the dollar (about AED 3.67 per USD), so the AED equivalent is predictable.