Tabby

Overview

Tabby is a money and shopping app that pairs flexible payments with deals, price comparisons and payment management. It is best suited to eligible shoppers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait, and to merchants looking for a payment option that works across several sales channels.

Its breadth is the main draw: shoppers can discover offers as well as spread purchases, while businesses can take Tabby online or in person. The trade-offs are meaningful: eligibility limits access to Pay Later, longer plans may carry a service fee, and merchant fees vary.

Key features

Pay Later. Pay in 4 divides a purchase into four interest-free payments with no fees, a clear fit for eligible shoppers who want a short repayment schedule. Pay over time allows up to 12 monthly payments, but a service fee may apply; any fee is shown at checkout. Customers must be at least 18, have a valid national ID and linked debit or credit card, and have a good credit history. Those conditions make Tabby less suitable for shoppers who do not meet its eligibility requirements or need certainty about the total cost before checkout.

Card and cash services. The Tabby Card advertises no down payments, up to 40 days to pay, plans of up to eight months and 5% cashback on top categories. Tabby Cash adds a spending account and transfers without transfer fees, while the Cash Card advertises up to 3% cashback on top categories. These options broaden the app beyond split checkout payments; the cashback claims apply to top categories, not every purchase. Tabby says Cash Services are provided by Tabby Payments LLC, licensed by the UAE Central Bank.

Shopping tools and buyer protection. Shoppers can find stores and deals, use coupon codes, compare prices and track price drops, then manage upcoming payments. For eligible online purchases with an issue, Tabby can pause remaining payments and work with the store toward a resolution, usually within 21 days. This is a useful safeguard, but it applies to eligible online purchases rather than every transaction.

Merchant checkout and integration. Businesses can offer Tabby online, in-store, through payment links and with Tabby Card. Tabby says merchants receive the full purchase amount upfront, minus applicable fees, on their payout schedule. Plug-and-play integrations cover major ecommerce platforms, including Shopify, Salla, Zid, WooCommerce, Magento 2, OpenCart, Matjrah, Salesforce and ExpandCart; other systems can use a custom API integration. The checkout API supports payment integration into a website or mobile app. This is a flexible route for merchants, but rates are not uniform: pricing combines a variable commission and a fixed fee per successful transaction, with exact rates provided during application and recorded in the contract.

Tabby says it uses encryption and two-step verification, is PCI DSS certified in all its operating markets, and shares stored personal information only with authorized parties when required. Shoppers can contact support through in-app chat 24/7.

Pricing

Tabby uses a freemium model, with no free trial. The free plan, Pay in 4, costs free and includes four interest-free payments with no fees. It is the strongest fit for shoppers who qualify and can repay on a shorter schedule.

Pay over time has custom pricing: it allows up to 12 monthly payments, with any fees shown at checkout and a service fee potentially applying. It suits shoppers who need more time, but is less predictable on cost than Pay in 4. Longer Saudi Arabia plans are also offered. Merchant pricing is custom, with a variable commission and a fixed fee per successful transaction; exact rates are provided during application and set out in the contract. Businesses should compare those terms with their transaction economics before adopting Tabby.

Platforms

Tabby is available on Android, iOS and the web, and provides an API for integrations. Its shopper markets are Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait. Businesses can use its merchant dashboard and choose supported ecommerce integrations or a custom API connection.

Who it's for

Tabby makes most sense for shoppers in its three markets who meet the Pay Later requirements and want payment choices alongside deal discovery and price tracking. Merchants serving those markets may value its online, in-store and payment-link channels, especially if they want upfront payouts on a schedule and can accept transaction-based fees. It is a weaker fit for shoppers outside those markets or those who need unrestricted eligibility, and for merchants who need a known flat rate before applying.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Pay in 4 has four interest-free payments with no fees, giving eligible shoppers a straightforward short-term choice.
• Pro: Deals, coupons, price comparisons and price-drop tracking sit alongside payment management, making Tabby useful before and after checkout.
• Pro: Merchants can take payments through online, in-store and link-based channels, with plug-and-play integrations and a custom API route.
• Con: Pay Later requires age 18+, valid national ID, a linked card and good credit history, excluding some shoppers.
• Con: Pay over time may include a service fee, while merchant rates combine variable and fixed charges that are confirmed during application.

Alternatives

For a broader shortlist, see Buy Now, Pay Later Platforms.

Afterpay is another four-installment option, with the first payment upfront and installments over six weeks; choose it if that cadence better fits your purchase, subject to eligibility. Atome offers three monthly payments at 0% interest with participating merchants, a better match for shoppers who prefer that schedule. Affirm offers four interest-free payments every two weeks for orders of $50–$249.99 at 0% APR, so it may suit purchases in that order range. Aplazo is another free option to consider. Kueski Pay offers fortnightly plans from two to 12 payments for approved purchases of $60–$26,000 MXN, a relevant alternative for shoppers whose purchase and repayment needs match those terms. Sezzle has a $13.99 USD monthly Premium subscription that renews unless cancelled and includes access to Premium in-app brands and priority support; consider it if those subscription benefits are the priority. Sunbit offers point-of-sale financing from $50 to $20,000 over three to 72 months, subject to approval and state restrictions, for shoppers seeking that kind of financing. Zip charges $5.93 per transaction on its Standard plan, with no monthly or annual fees, which may suit startups and SMBs preferring transaction-based charges.

Verdict

Tabby is a strong choice for eligible shoppers in Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait who want fee-free Pay in 4 alongside deal and price tools, and for merchants seeking multiple checkout channels. Its breadth is the reason to choose it; eligibility limits, possible fees on longer plans and custom merchant rates are the reasons to look elsewhere when certainty or universal access matters more.