A small business website in Dubai and the rest of the UAE costs from about AED 999 with a freelancer to AED 8,000–25,000 with an agency, based on published UAE price guides (2026). Most owners end up somewhere in the middle, and the real question is not the build price. It is what that price leaves out: the writing, the Arabic pages, the hosting, and who changes the phone number next year.
How much does a business website cost in Dubai?
There is no single price, because "a website" can mean a one-page card or a 50-page company site. What you pay depends mostly on three things: how many pages you need, who does the work, and whether the words are written for you.
| Who builds it | Typical price (AED) | Good for | Usually missing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freelancer | From about 999 to 4,000 | A simple site for a small shop or service | Writing, Arabic version, long-term updates |
| Agency | 8,000 to 25,000 | Larger companies, custom design, many pages | Often a separate monthly fee for hosting and changes |
| Website builder subscription | Roughly $15–40 a month | Owners who enjoy doing it themselves | Your time. You write, design and fix everything |
| Done-for-you service | Fixed setup fee plus a monthly fee | Owners with no time and no designer | Fewer custom design choices |
The low end exists, but read the quote line by line. A very low price often covers a template with your logo on it. That is fine for a first page. It is not enough if you want customers to find you on Google and message you on WhatsApp.
What does a website cost for a company with a trade licence?
Holding a trade licence does not raise the price of the website. But it changes what the site should show. Customers in the UAE look for proof that a business is real, and many owners add the details to the footer or the About page.
- 1Your legal business name exactly as it appears on the licence.
- 2The trade licence number and the issuing authority, for example a free zone or the Department of Economy and Tourism, if you are happy to show it.
- 3Your tax registration number, if you are VAT registered.
- 4A real office or service address, and a phone number that is answered.
- 5Opening hours, and the emirates or areas you serve.
None of this costs extra if the builder includes a footer and an About page. Check that the quote includes them, and that you can edit the licence number yourself or by message if the licence is renewed or the details change. Rules on what must be displayed can differ between mainland, free zones and online businesses, so confirm with your licensing authority or accountant before you publish.
How much more does an Arabic and English website cost?
Expect the page count to double, because every page now exists in two languages. That is the honest reason a two-language site costs more. The design also has to flip: Arabic reads right to left, so menus, buttons and images must sit in mirror positions.
Some agencies price the second language as a flat extra. Others count each Arabic page like a new page. Ask which one it is. A site with 10 pages in English and Arabic is 20 pages of work, and the writing is the part people forget. Machine-translated text is easy to spot for an Arabic reader, so have a native speaker read every page before it goes live.
💡 If most of your customers read English, launch in English first and add Arabic once the site is earning. If your customers are mostly Arabic speakers, do it the other way round. Do not pay for two languages you cannot check.
Does a website in the UAE need WhatsApp?
For most local businesses, yes. Customers in the UAE often prefer to send a message rather than fill in a form or phone. A website where the main button opens a WhatsApp chat with your number is simple to build and removes a step between interest and an enquiry.
Check three details in the quote:
- 1A WhatsApp button on every page, not only the contact page, that opens a chat with a ready first message.
- 2A phone number that opens the dialler when tapped on mobile.
- 3Whose WhatsApp number it is. Use a business number you control, not a staff member’s personal number that leaves when they do.
This costs very little to build, so it should not appear as a big extra. If a studio quotes hundreds of dirhams for "WhatsApp integration" on a simple button, ask what exactly it does.
What do cheap AED 999 websites usually leave out?
A low price is not a trick. Someone has to earn a living, so something gets cut. These are the usual gaps:
- 1The words. You are asked to send text and photos, and the studio only lays them out.
- 2The second language. Arabic is quoted separately or not offered.
- 3Hosting. The first year may be included, then you are billed, or the site is switched off.
- 4The domain. Sometimes it is registered in the studio’s name, which makes it hard to leave later. Insist that the domain is in your name.
- 5Search basics. Page titles, descriptions, a map listing and a site map are skipped.
- 6Updates. Every change is a new invoice or a long wait.
- 7Security and backups. Nobody is watching if the site breaks.
None of that makes a cheap site a bad choice. It does mean you should price the whole year, not just the first invoice.
What are the yearly costs after the website is built?
| Yearly cost | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Domain name | About AED 50–150 a year | A .ae or .com domain. Register it in your own name. |
| Hosting and security | About AED 500–2,500 a year | Cheap shared hosting at the low end, managed hosting at the high end. |
| Small changes | Often AED 100–300 per request | Or included in a monthly plan. Ask which. |
| Fresh photos and text | Varies | Worth doing once a year for services and prices. |
Also keep in mind that the payment provider, not the website builder, charges card fees if you take online payments. And an online shop is a different job from an information site. Published UAE guides show shops and custom systems running well above a simple company site, so do not compare the two on one price.
What does a done-for-you website cost in the UAE?
Adyft Sites is one example of the done-for-you model. You answer a few questions on WhatsApp, and we write every page, build the site, host it, keep it secure and make the small changes you ask for. You pay a setup fee and a monthly fee that covers hosting, security, small changes and a report. These are our UAE prices.
| Plan | What you get | Setup + monthly (AED) |
|---|---|---|
| Starter | 5 pages (home plus 4 you choose), live in under 7 days | 3,499 + 199 |
| Growth | 25 pages, about 12 days | 7,999 + 449 |
| Pro | 50 pages | 12,999 + 799 |
| Shop Starter | Website plus an order-taking shop, 50 products, customer login, card, Apple and Google Pay, order alerts on WhatsApp and email | 12,999 + 449 |
The setup fee sits between the freelancer and agency ranges, and the monthly fee replaces the separate hosting, security and update invoices. Whether that suits you depends on how you value your time. If you enjoy building a site yourself, a freelancer or a builder subscription is cheaper. If you want it handled, a monthly plan is easier to budget.
Which pages does a UAE business website need?
A small business does not need a large site to look credible. Five clear pages usually do the job: Home, Services, About, Gallery or past work, and Contact. Put your WhatsApp button, your area and your licence details where a visitor does not have to hunt for them.
Restaurants, salons, clinics and trades often add a page per service or per area, such as one for each emirate they cover. That is how a small site begins to show up for local searches. It also costs more, because every page has to be written. Start with the pages you can fill with real information, then add more when the first ones bring enquiries.
How to compare quotes in the UAE
- 1Ask for the number of pages and the languages in writing.
- 2Ask who writes the text, and whether an Arabic reader checks it.
- 3Ask for the first-year total and the second-year total, with hosting and changes included.
- 4Ask that the domain and hosting account are in your name, and that you can take them with you.
- 5Ask for the delivery date and what happens if it slips.
- 6Ask what a change costs once the site is live, such as a new price or phone number.
A studio that answers these clearly is probably straightforward to work with. One that avoids them is worth a second quote.
Questions about website costs in the UAE
What is the cheapest website I can get in Dubai?
Published UAE guides show freelancer prices starting around AED 999. At that level expect a simple template, with the text, Arabic version and ongoing updates usually not included.
How much does an agency website cost in the UAE?
Agencies are generally quoted at about AED 8,000 to 25,000 for a business website, depending on pages, design and features. Hosting and changes are often billed separately.
Do I have to show my trade licence number on my website?
Many UAE businesses choose to show it in the footer or About page because it builds trust, but rules can differ for mainland companies, free zones and online sellers. Check with your licensing authority or accountant.
Does an Arabic website cost double?
Not exactly double, but close. Each page is written and checked twice, and the layout has to read right to left. Ask whether the second language is a flat extra or priced per page.
Can customers contact my business on WhatsApp from the website?
Yes. A WhatsApp button that opens a chat with your business number is a simple feature and should not need a large extra payment.
What should I pay each month after launch?
It depends on what is included. Hosting, security and backups are the minimum. Done-for-you plans bundle small changes and a report. Always ask for the yearly total, not only the monthly figure.
A UAE business website, written and built for you
Answer a few questions on WhatsApp. We write the pages, build and host the site, and keep it updated. Starter is AED 3,499 plus AED 199 a month.