What shapes an app project in Saudi Arabia
An app for the Saudi market is not a translated copy of an app built elsewhere. Six things change the design and the plan, and each is cheaper to decide at the start than to retrofit.
| Topic | What it means for your app | Decide early |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Arabic is the default for most consumer audiences, with English beside it. Layout, icons, numerals, dates and search all behave differently right to left | Which language leads, and whether both ship in the first release |
| Payments | Customers expect mada, the national debit network, and Apple Pay, and many use installment services. A checkout with international cards only does not match how people pay | The payment provider, since each supports a different mix of methods |
| Sign-in | A phone number with a one-time code is the familiar way in. Nafath, the national single sign-on, can confirm identity for services that are eligible to connect to it | Whether you need a verified identity or only a verified phone |
| Invoicing and tax | If the app sells, its invoices fall under ZATCA's e-invoicing rules, known as Fatoora. Businesses brought into the integration phase connect their invoicing to ZATCA's platform | Which system issues the invoice, the app's backend or your ERP |
| Personal data | The Personal Data Protection Law, overseen by SDAIA, sets rules for consent, privacy notices, people's rights over their data and transfers outside the Kingdom | What data the app really needs, and where it will be stored |
| Addresses and delivery | Delivery apps work with the National Address format and with map pins, since many customers share a location instead of typing an address | How addresses are captured and checked |
Workflows we build for the Saudi market
Four kinds of app that suit this market, each described as the path its user follows. Your own app will differ in the details, and the details are what discovery is for.
Order and delivery
A customer orders in Arabic or English, pays the way they prefer and follows the delivery to the door.
- Browse in Arabic or English
- Share a map pin or National Address
- Pay with mada or Apple Pay
- Tax invoice issued
- Track the driver
- Rate the order
Booking and appointments
For clinics, salons, service centers and anyone who sells time.
- Choose a branch and a service
- Confirm the phone number by code
- Pick a slot
- Pay a deposit or pay on arrival
- Reminder by notification
- Reschedule in the app
Customer account for an existing service
For businesses whose customers already have a contract, a policy or a subscription.
- Sign in
- See contracts and bills
- Pay a bill
- Raise a request
- Follow its status
- Download documents
Field team app
For technicians, inspectors and drivers who work where coverage is patchy.
- Receive the day's jobs
- Work with no connection
- Capture photos and signatures
- Sync when back online
- Supervisor sees progress
What we build
iOS and Android apps
Native apps in Swift and Kotlin, or one React Native codebase for both, chosen by what your app has to do. Our comparison of native and cross-platform development explains the choice.
Arabic and English interfaces
Both directions designed together, with mirrored layouts, Arabic type that stays readable at small sizes and content your team can edit in each language.
Payment integration
Checkout through a payment provider that supports the methods your customers use, with refunds, saved cards and reconciliation handled in the backend.
Backend and admin tools
The API, the database and the admin screens behind the app, hosted in the cloud region your data rules call for.
Connections to your systems
Orders, customers and stock exchanged with your ERP, CRM or point of sale, so the app is part of the business and not beside it.
Store release and updates
Listings in Arabic and English, review handling on the App Store and Google Play, and a plan for each year's system updates.
What we need from you
- The commercial registration and documents your payment provider asks for
- One decision maker who can approve designs and scope
- Access to the systems the app must connect to, or to the people who run them
- Arabic and English content, or agreement that we draft it for your review
- Your legal adviser's view on the privacy notice and the terms
Ownership and licensing terms are defined in the project agreement.
A readiness checklist for a Saudi launch
Before development starts
0 of 8 checkedWhat to do next
Tell us what the app should let your customers do and which systems it must work with. We will reply with how we would approach it, which decisions come first and what a first release could contain. Start a conversation or book a 30-minute call.
Still shaping the idea? Planning a mobile app MVP and how to choose a mobile app development company are written to be used with any company.
Common questions
Does our development partner need to be in Saudi Arabia?
For most private-sector apps, where your development partner sits is a commercial choice. Government work and some regulated sectors can set conditions of their own. What you do need locally is your own commercial registration for the payment provider and the store accounts, and advisers who know the rules for your business. Ask any partner how they handle Arabic design, local payment methods and data location.
Should the app be in Arabic, English or both?
For consumer services, plan for Arabic first with English available, since the audience includes Arabic speakers and a large expatriate population. For internal tools, follow the language your staff work in. Designing both directions from the start costs far less than adding right-to-left support to a finished left-to-right app.
Which payment methods should a Saudi app support?
mada and Apple Pay are the usual baseline, with international cards beside them, and many retailers add an installment option. Which combination you can accept depends on the payment provider you choose and on your business category, so settle the provider before the checkout is designed.
Where should the app's data be hosted?
That depends on the kind of data and on the rules for your sector. The Personal Data Protection Law sets conditions for moving personal data outside the Kingdom, and some sectors add stricter requirements. Several cloud providers operate regions inside Saudi Arabia. We design the hosting around the answer your legal adviser gives.
Where to go from here
Related serviceMobile App DevelopmentFrom first sketch to both app stores