WordPress powers a large share of business websites worldwide, and it is a common choice in Dubai for service companies, clinics, real estate brokers, consultancies and trading firms. It is flexible, has a large ecosystem of themes and plugins, and supports Arabic and right-to-left (RTL) layouts. That flexibility also means quality varies a lot between agencies.
This guide is for owners and marketing managers of Dubai and wider UAE businesses who want to hire a WordPress agency. It covers the UAE-specific parts of a project, the questions to ask, and budgets in AED and USD. For general developer skills, see our guide on how to hire a WordPress developer, and for a market overview of prices see website design cost in Dubai.
What makes a Dubai website project different
English and Arabic, done properly
Many Dubai businesses serve both English and Arabic speakers. A bilingual site is more than a translation plugin:
- RTL layout. WordPress supports right-to-left languages, but the theme must be built and tested for RTL. Menus, icons, sliders, forms and tables should mirror correctly.
- Real translation. Machine translation is a start, not a finish. Arabic copy for services, legal pages and calls to action should be reviewed by a fluent speaker.
- Multilingual setup. Plugins such as WPML or Polylang manage language versions, language switchers and separate URLs for each language.
- hreflang tags. These tell Google which page is the English version and which is the Arabic version, so the right one appears in search results.
- Arabic fonts. Choose web fonts that render Arabic clearly on mobile, and check line height and numerals.
Mobile and WhatsApp first
In the UAE, many customers contact businesses on WhatsApp rather than by email. A good site puts a click-to-chat WhatsApp button and a click-to-call button where visitors can always reach them on mobile, and tracks those clicks in Google Analytics 4 as conversions.
Speed and hosting
Choose hosting with good performance for visitors in the Gulf, plus a content delivery network (CDN) for images and scripts. Ask the agency how they will measure speed (for example with Google PageSpeed Insights) and what score they aim for on mobile.
Domains
Many Dubai businesses use a .ae domain alongside or instead of .com. The .ae namespace is administered by the .ae Domain Administration (aeDA) under the UAE's Telecommunications and Digital Government Regulatory Authority (TDRA), and .ae domains are registered through accredited registrars. Make sure the domain is registered in your company's name, not the agency's.
UAE data protection and your website
Your website collects personal data through contact forms, booking forms, WhatsApp click tracking and analytics. The UAE's Personal Data Protection Law, Federal Decree-Law No. 45 of 2021, sets rules for processing personal data, including having a lawful basis, being transparent and keeping data secure. Businesses in the DIFC and ADGM free zones are subject to their own data protection laws instead.
In practical terms, ask your agency to:
- add a clear privacy policy in English and Arabic,
- collect only the form fields you actually need,
- use secure (HTTPS) forms and keep plugins updated,
- set up a cookie consent banner if you use advertising or analytics cookies, and
- document where form submissions are stored and who can access them.
This is general information, not legal advice. Check your obligations with a UAE legal adviser.
VAT and invoicing
The standard VAT rate in the UAE is 5%. If you sell online, your website and checkout need to show prices and invoices in line with your VAT registration. If you buy services from an overseas agency, ask your accountant how VAT applies to imported services for your business.
Questions to ask a WordPress agency
- Will the theme be custom, a child theme of an established theme, or a page builder template?
- How will Arabic and RTL be handled, and who reviews the Arabic copy?
- Which plugins will you install, and are any of them paid? Who renews the licences?
- How will you keep WordPress core, themes and plugins updated after launch?
- What security measures do you use (backups, firewall, login protection)?
- Will you set up GA4, Google Search Console and conversion tracking for forms, calls and WhatsApp?
- Who owns the domain, hosting account, theme files and content?
- What is included in the price, how many revision rounds, and what is billed extra?
Ask for links to live bilingual sites they have built, and check them on your phone in both languages.
What does a WordPress website cost in Dubai?
Published 2026 price guides for Dubai put a 5 to 10 page business website at roughly AED 3,500 to AED 18,000, and a 10 to 20 page site on a content management system at roughly AED 8,000 to AED 25,000. Budget offers from around AED 1,500 exist, but they usually mean a template with little customisation.
Our indicative ranges are in USD. The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar at about AED 3.67 per dollar, so the AED figures below are approximate.
| Package | Starting price | About | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | typically US$700–US$1,800 | AED 2,600 | 5 pages, template-based design, mobile layout, WhatsApp and call buttons, contact form, basic on-page SEO |
| Growth | typically US$1,800–US$4,000 | AED 6,600 | 10 to 15 pages, custom design, blog, booking or lead forms, GA4 and Search Console setup, speed optimisation |
| Growth, English + Arabic | typically US$2,200+ | AED 8,100 | Growth package plus the Arabic version (+US$400) |
| Premium | typically US$4,000+ | AED 14,700 | Custom or e-commerce site up to 100 products, multilingual, CRM or WhatsApp API integrations, copywriting |
Prices exclude taxes. Third-party costs such as hosting, domains and paid plugins are billed at cost. Optional website care plans cost US$49 to US$199 per month. See all packages on our pricing page and details on our website design page, including our page for website design in Dubai.
Red flags
- The agency registers the domain or hosting in its own name.
- No staging site: changes are made directly on your live website.
- "Arabic version" means only an automatic translation plugin.
- Dozens of plugins installed for simple features, which slows the site and adds security risk.
- No plan for updates and backups after launch.
- No written scope, so every change becomes an extra charge.
After launch: getting enquiries
A website only pays off if people find it. For Dubai businesses that usually means a Google Business Profile, local SEO for searches such as "service + Dubai", and a quick WhatsApp response process. If you want to combine a site with SEO and WhatsApp, our Launch bundle typically costs US$1,890–US$2,246 and includes a Basic website, three months of Basic SEO and a WhatsApp Basic setup with three months of service.
Get a custom quote
Tell us what your business does, how many pages you need and whether you want English, Arabic or both, and we will reply with an itemised quote, with no obligation. Get a custom quote, or message us on WhatsApp at +91 88274 09728.
Not ready for a full project? Start with our Starter landing page for US$299 (one-time, paid in advance). Need more? Get a custom quote. See how our pricing works for what affects your price.
Prices shown are indicative ranges in US dollars and exclude taxes and third-party charges (such as Meta or carrier fees, billed at cost) unless stated. Your price depends on your requirements; get a custom quote for an exact figure. This article is general information, not legal advice, and reflects our understanding as of October 2026.