# Tabby and Tamara in the Gulf: fees, countries and promo codes

Reviewed by [Fadi Nasser](https://couponsradar.com/team/fadi/) · Updated 26 October 2026

## Short answer

As of October 2026, both Tabby and Tamara split the total shown at checkout, so a store promo code applied before you choose them lowers every instalment. Tamara says it has charged no late fees since 16 December 2023, while Tabby says Pay in 4 has no interest or fees but longer plans of up to 12 payments may carry a service fee and missed payments can incur collection charges in some markets. Tamara's own FAQ lists Saudi Arabia and the UAE, Tabby's help centre lists Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, and neither lists Oman.

Contents
- [How a split payment is calculated, and where your code fits](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s1)
- [Where Tabby and Tamara work in the six Gulf countries](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s2)
- [Which plans are free and which cost money](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s3)
- [Saudi Arabia's BNPL rules in plain terms](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s4)
- [Missing a payment: where the two providers differ](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s5)
- [Bank card offers, points and pay later](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s6)
- [Other providers and a checklist before you split](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#s7)
- [Questions](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#faq)
- [Sources](https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/#sources)

## How a split payment is calculated, and where your code fits

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) works in a fixed order at most Gulf stores. You fill the basket, apply any promo code, reach the payment step and then pick Tabby or Tamara. The provider pays the store and collects the amount from you in parts, with the first part usually taken straight away.

Because the provider only sees the amount the store sends at that last step, a code applied in the basket is already built into what gets split. A worked example: an AED 600 basket with a 15% code becomes AED 510, so a four-part plan is AED 127.50 per payment instead of AED 150. Neither provider publishes a general statement on how codes are treated, so the reliable check is the first-payment amount on the plan screen. If it still reflects the full price, go back to the basket before confirming.

Things work differently when the discount does not come from the basket:

- **Bank card offers** often require the full amount to be paid with that bank's card, which a split through another provider does not do (see below).
- **Offers inside the Tabby or Tamara apps** may be paid as cashback or rewards after the purchase rather than as a lower instalment. Read each offer's terms.

Our [pay later tracker](https://couponsradar.com/data/pay-later/) lists which providers each store shows at checkout.

## Where Tabby and Tamara work in the six Gulf countries

A country version of a provider's website does not prove the service runs there, so this table separates what the providers' own pages state from what we could not confirm, as of 26 October 2026.

| Country | Tabby | Tamara |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Saudi Arabia](https://couponsradar.com/saudi-arabia/) | Listed in Tabby's help centre | Available. Tamara Finance Company operates under SAMA supervision, licence no. 95/A Sh/202502 |
| [UAE](https://couponsradar.com/uae/) | Listed in Tabby's help centre | Available. Tamara FZE is licensed and regulated by the Central Bank of the UAE |
| [Kuwait](https://couponsradar.com/kuwait/) | Listed in Tabby's main help article, though some older Tabby help pages leave Kuwait out | A Kuwait site exists, but its FAQ names only Saudi Arabia and the UAE, and it shows no Kuwaiti licence. Not confirmed |
| [Bahrain](https://couponsradar.com/bahrain/) | Listed in Tabby's help centre | Tamara Bahrain B.S.C. (closed) is licensed by the Central Bank of Bahrain as a finance company, but the FAQ names only Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Not confirmed for shoppers |
| [Qatar](https://couponsradar.com/qatar/) | Listed in Tabby's help centre | No Qatar site or statement found. Not confirmed |
| [Oman](https://couponsradar.com/oman/) | Not listed. Not confirmed | Not listed. Not confirmed |

Tabby's help centre also says customers need legal residence in one of the countries it serves. The quickest real-world test is the checkout itself: if neither provider appears as a payment option while you shop from your country, it is not available for that order.

## Which plans are free and which cost money

The four-part plan is the one usually marketed as free. Longer plans are where costs appear.

| Provider and plan | What the provider says |
| --- | --- |
| Tabby Pay in 4 | No interest or fees |
| Tabby monthly plans | Up to 12 monthly payments; a service fee may apply on plans longer than four payments, and Tabby says any fees are shown at checkout |
| Tamara split payments (UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain sites) | Up to 4 payments |
| Tamara (Saudi site) | Pay in up to 24 months; the site links to a financing product prices page with an APR calculator |
| Tamara Smart | Free for the first month, then 19 a month. The currency symbol does not display clearly on the page, so we could not confirm it |

A simple test before you confirm a long plan: multiply the monthly payment by the number of months and compare the result with the basket total. Any gap is what the split costs you. If the plan screen shows an APR, that figure is the one to compare against a bank instalment plan.

## Saudi Arabia's BNPL rules in plain terms

Saudi Arabia is the one Gulf market where we found a dedicated public rulebook for BNPL companies. SAMA's Rules for Regulating Buy-Now-Pay-Later Companies were issued on 17 December 2023 and are listed as in force. The points that matter to shoppers:

- **No fees on the consumer.** Article 20 bars BNPL companies from charging consumers fees, including fees owed to the company, the store or a third party. Delay penalties and debt collection fees imposed under SAMA's debt collection regulations are the exception.
- **Administrative fee suspended.** A footnote says SAMA suspended an administrative fee that companies could otherwise apply, of up to 1% of the amount financed or SAR 50, whichever is less.
- **Stores cannot add a surcharge.** Article 19 requires BNPL companies to oblige their partner stores not to pass on or charge extra fees to the consumer.
- **Limits.** Article 22 sets a ceiling of SAR 10,000 in total outstanding BNPL financing per person and a maximum of 12 instalments. The rulebook notes that the ceiling was raised by a SAMA circular dated 24 December 2025, but we could not confirm the new amount as of 26 Oct 2026.
- **Who can use it.** Companies may not deal with consumers under 18 Hijri years, or with non-residents without SAMA's non-objection.

For the UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman we did not find an equivalent consumer-facing BNPL rulebook in the sources we checked, so rely on each provider's own terms there.

## Missing a payment: where the two providers differ

- **Tamara** announced that it removed late fees on its services from 16 December 2023, and its current Saudi, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain sites all state that no late fees are charged on a missed payment. The same FAQ warns that repeated delays can lead to account suspension and affect your credit score.
- **Tabby** says on its help pages that a collection charge can apply if you miss a due date in some markets, that you cannot make new Tabby purchases until overdue payments are settled, and that consistent late payment can hurt your credit score. Tabby's help pages give no fixed amounts; check your plan details in the app. We could not confirm on a current official page whether Tabby charges collection fees in Saudi Arabia as of 26 Oct 2026.

A late payment with no fee is still not free. A suspended account means the option disappears at checkout, and a weaker credit record can affect later borrowing. Turning on automatic payment and keeping enough balance on the linked card on each due date avoids both.

## Bank card offers, points and pay later

This is where splitting most often costs you a discount. Bank offers are written around paying the full amount with the bank's own card, and several say so explicitly:

- **Banque Saudi Fransi**, in its September 2026 noon offer, listed split payments, digital wallets, noon Credits and noon Pay among the payment methods that do not qualify.
- **Bank Dhofar** in Oman says its talabat offer applies only when the full transaction is paid with a single eligible card, and that split payments do not qualify.
- **Commercial Bank of Qatar** excludes buy now, pay later transactions from the spend that counts towards the joining bonus on its Mastercard Platinum credit card.

So if a bank code and a pay-later plan are both on the table, work out which is worth more. A 23% bank discount on a SAR 800 basket is worth SAR 184; splitting the same basket into four interest-free payments saves you nothing on price, it only spreads the cost. If you need the split, use a store code instead, which normally survives into the instalments.

## Other providers and a checklist before you split

Tabby and Tamara are the names shoppers see most, but they are not the only BNPL brands in the region. We could not confirm current plan or fee details for other Saudi providers such as MISpay and Madfu on their official sites as of 26 Oct 2026, and we found no official page confirming a specific provider for Oman. Before using any provider, check that its website names the regulator that licenses it in your country.

- Apply the store promo code in the basket and confirm the total dropped.
- Choose the pay-later option and check the first payment and the number of payments.
- On plans longer than four payments, compare the total payable with the basket price and look for a service fee or APR.
- If you were planning to use a bank card offer, read its terms for split-payment and wallet exclusions first.
- Turn on automatic payment and keep the linked card funded on each due date.
- After a return, follow the refund in the provider's app as well as the store's, until both show it.

## Frequently asked questions

### Can I use a promo code with Tabby or Tamara?

Usually yes. Apply the store code in the basket before you reach the payment step; the provider then splits the discounted total, so every instalment is smaller. Neither provider publishes a general rule on codes, so check the first-payment amount on the plan screen. Bank card codes are different: many require the full amount on one card and exclude split payments.

### Does Tamara charge late fees?

No, according to Tamara. It announced the removal of late fees from 16 December 2023, and its Saudi, UAE, Kuwait and Bahrain sites state that no late fees are charged on a missed payment. Tamara still warns that repeated delays can lead to account suspension and an impact on your credit score, so a missed payment has consequences even without a fee.

### Does Tabby charge late fees?

Tabby's help pages say a collection charge can apply in some markets if you miss a due date, and that you cannot make new purchases until overdue amounts are paid. The pages do not give fixed amounts, so check your plan in the app. We could not confirm on a current official page whether Tabby charges collection fees in Saudi Arabia as of 26 October 2026.

### Are Tabby or Tamara available in Oman?

We could not confirm it. Tabby's help centre lists Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar, and Tamara's FAQ lists Saudi Arabia and the UAE; neither mentions Oman as of 26 October 2026. If you shop from Oman, the payment options shown at checkout are the reliable answer for each order.

### Will a bank card discount work if I pay with Tabby or Tamara?

Often not. Banque Saudi Fransi's September 2026 noon offer excluded split payments, and Bank Dhofar's talabat offer in Oman requires the full amount on a single eligible card. When the provider pays the store, your bank card is not charged the full amount, so these conditions are not met. Compare the bank discount with the value of splitting before you choose.

### How much can I owe BNPL companies in Saudi Arabia?

SAMA's BNPL rules set a ceiling of SAR 10,000 in total outstanding financing per person and a maximum of 12 instalments. The rulebook notes that the ceiling was raised by a SAMA circular dated 24 December 2025, but we could not confirm the new figure as of 26 October 2026. The same rules bar BNPL companies from charging consumers fees, apart from delay penalties and collection fees.

## Sources

- [Tamara Saudi Arabia: official site and FAQ](https://tamara.co/en-sa), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tamara UAE: official site and FAQ](https://tamara.co/en-AE/), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tamara Kuwait: official site and FAQ](https://tamara.co/en-kw), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tamara Bahrain: official site and FAQ](https://tamara.co/en-bh), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tamara: Tamara enhances customer experience by removing late fees](https://tamara.co/en-sa/blog-post/no-late-fee), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tabby: Buy now, pay later](https://tabby.ai/en-AE/pay-later), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tabby: Pay in 4 with no interest or fees](https://tabby.ai/en-AE/pay-in-4), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tabby Help: What happens if I miss a payment?](https://tabby.ai/en-AE/help/help-payments/what-happens-if-i-miss-a-payment), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Tabby Help Centre: In which countries can I use Tabby?](https://support.tabby.ai/l/en/article/tp0i4uacb9-in-which-countries-can-i-use-tabby), read 26 Oct 2026
- [SAMA Rulebook: Rules for Regulating Buy-Now-Pay-Later (BNPL) Companies](https://rulebook.sama.gov.sa/en/rules-regulating-buy-now-pay-later-bnpl-companies-0), read 26 Oct 2026
- [SAMA Rulebook: Article 20, Activity Limits](https://rulebook.sama.gov.sa/en/article-20-activity-limits), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Banque Saudi Fransi: noon offer terms](https://bsf.sa/english/personal/cards/offers/shopping/noon), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Bank Dhofar: Campaigns and offers](https://www.bankdhofar.com/cards/campaigns-offers/), read 26 Oct 2026
- [Commercial Bank of Qatar: Mastercard Platinum credit card benefits](https://www.cbq.qa/EN/Personal/Cards/Pages/benefits-mastercard-platinum-credit-card.aspx), read 26 Oct 2026

**[Fadi Nasser](https://couponsradar.com/team/fadi/)** · Food delivery, groceries, pharmacy and payments

Fadi tracks food-delivery and grocery apps, pharmacies and payment options: cash on delivery, pay-later plans and bank-card offers, and the fine print that decides whether they combine with a code. [How we check codes](https://couponsradar.com/how-we-check/).

## More guides

- [Why promo codes fail at Gulf checkouts and how to fix them](https://couponsradar.com/guides/why-promo-codes-fail/)
- [Cashback vs instant discount at Gulf stores: which pays more](https://couponsradar.com/guides/cashback-vs-instant-discount/)
- [VAT on Gulf online shopping: rates, codes and refunds](https://couponsradar.com/guides/vat-gulf-online-shopping/)
- [Customs duty on online orders to the Gulf: limits by country](https://couponsradar.com/guides/customs-duty-gulf-online-orders/)
- [Return rights in the Gulf: what the law gives online shoppers](https://couponsradar.com/guides/return-rights-gulf/)
- [Cash on delivery in the Gulf: fees, limits and local cards](https://couponsradar.com/guides/cash-on-delivery-gulf/)

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Source: https://couponsradar.com/guides/tabby-tamara-pay-later-gulf/
Publisher: Coupons Radar (https://couponsradar.com/), hello@couponsradar.com