Salla vs Zid vs Shopify vs a Custom Store: Which Is Best in Saudi Arabia in 2026?
Marwan Ayman
Full-Stack Developer & Automation Engineer
Short answer: most Saudi stores should start on Salla or Zid: both have a free starter plan, mada and local shipping built in, and an Arabic dashboard. Shopify suits brands selling internationally, but Shopify Payments is not available in Saudi Arabia, so a third-party gateway and an extra Shopify transaction fee apply. A custom store wins when checkout or pricing logic is unusual or when you want no platform subscription at all; the Store Launch package is $1,499, about 5,620 SAR, one time.
The full Arabic comparison is at the Arabic version of this article.
What do the platforms cost in 2026?
| Platform | Entry | Paid plans (2026 list prices) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salla | Basic: free | Plus 990 SAR / year, Pro 2,990 SAR / year (annual billing); Special on request | Saudi platform, mada, local shipping |
| Zid | Starter: free | Rise 99 SAR / month, Growth 299 SAR / month; Professional on request | Saudi platform, POS and WhatsApp integration |
| Shopify | Trial | Monthly plans in USD; extra transaction fee when a third-party gateway is used | Best app ecosystem; Shopify Payments not available in KSA |
| Custom store | — | One-time build, from $1,499 (≈5,620 SAR); hosting only after that | Any flow, your own database, no platform fee |
Platform prices are the published figures from salla.com and zid.sa in September 2026; they change, so check before you commit. Payment-gateway fees are separate on every option.
Frequently asked questions
What do Salla and Zid cost in 2026?
Both have a free starter plan. Salla Plus is 990 SAR a year and Salla Pro 2,990 SAR a year on annual billing; Zid Rise is 99 SAR a month and Zid Growth 299 SAR a month, with custom pricing for their top tiers. Payment-gateway fees are separate.
When is a custom store better than Salla, Zid or Shopify?
When checkout or pricing logic is unusual (product builders, B2B price lists, bookings), when the store must share a database with your own system, or when you want no platform subscription at all. A custom store launch package is $1,499, about 5,620 SAR, one time.
See e-commerce development and the Store Launch package.
