Online shops in the UAE: costs, licence and what to check
The e-commerce licence alone costs roughly AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 a year in the UAE, depending on the emirate and the activity. The price of a ready shop depends on its niche, its profit and what is included. For current offers, send a request on BlaBlaPrice and the AI will check sellers' websites and price lists in the UAE for your niche.
Approximate prices in United Arab Emirates, November 2026 (sellers' websites)| Licence route | Price |
|---|
| Zero-visa free zone setup | from AED 5,525 |
| Mainland licence, Sharjah | AED 10,000 to AED 15,000 |
| Mainland company with office and approvals | up to AED 40,000 |
| Annual e-commerce licence, typical range | AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 a year |
Licence and VAT: what to check first
Ask for the licence in the seller's name and confirm in writing that it can be transferred to you. Costs differ a lot by route, and a mainland company with an office and approvals is the most expensive option. A Dubai guide reports a licence fee of AED 1,070 plus Dubai Chamber membership of AED 300 and trade name registration of AED 620, so the first year costs more than the licence. VAT registration becomes mandatory above a turnover level, so ask whether the shop is already registered.
Season and sales pattern
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Al Ain share a desert climate, with very hot summers from May to September and mild winters from November to March. Ask for twelve months of sales, not only the mild months, because a shop selling cooling products or summer clothing shows its peak and its slow season in those figures. A shop bought in November should be checked against the hot months before you pay.
Delivery and how orders are handled
Check which of the five cities the shop delivers between: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and Al Ain. Typical terms seen in the market include next-day delivery, free delivery above a set order value, cash on delivery and buy-now-pay-later options. Cash on delivery means failed deliveries and returns are part of the business, so ask for the return rate and the share of orders paid on delivery.
What to put in your request
Name the niche and your budget in AED, and say whether you want the business with its licence, stock, supplier accounts and customer list. Give the business model (own products, resale or dropshipping), the platform the shop runs on, the business age, the monthly traffic and the profit for the last twelve months. Ask what the price includes, because a sale without the licence or the supplier accounts is a different deal.
BlaBlaPrice is free for buyers. Describe what you need in your own words in a chat and add a photo if it helps. Sellers registered on BlaBlaPrice receive the request and reply in the chat with their offer, price and terms. Your contacts stay hidden until you decide with whom to exchange them. Start from the request field on the home page or read how BlaBlaPrice works.
Questions and answers
How much does an online shop cost in the UAE?
The price depends on the niche, the profit and what is included, so there is no single figure. The e-commerce licence alone costs about AED 5,000 to AED 20,000 a year, depending on the emirate and the activity.
Is the licence included when I buy the shop?
Confirm this in writing before you pay, because the licence is a large part of the cost. A zero-visa free zone setup starts from AED 5,525, while a mainland company with an office can reach AED 40,000.
Do I need to register for VAT?
VAT registration becomes mandatory above a turnover level. Ask whether the shop is already registered and how its past sales were declared.
When is the best time to buy?
The mild season from November to March is comfortable, but judge the shop by twelve months of sales, including the very hot summer from May to September.
