When you sell through an Odoo website or send customers a payment link for an invoice, you need a gateway that accepts what Saudi customers actually use: mada cards, credit cards and sometimes buy now, pay later services. The practical questions are what Odoo supports out of the box, what needs an extra module, and how to book payments so reconciliation does not turn into a mess.
Common payment methods in Saudi Arabia
mada
According to the Saudi Central Bank (SAMA), mada is one of the national payment systems owned by SAMA, working across POS devices, ATMs and e-commerce sites. An online store accepts mada through a gateway or acquirer that supports it, not through Odoo directly.
Credit cards
Gateways operating in the Kingdom usually accept them alongside mada. Gateways differ in payment flow (on your page or redirected to theirs), refunds, saved cards for repeat payments, fees and settlement timing.
Buy now, pay later (BNPL)
Services such as Tabby and Tamara let customers pay in instalments. SAMA licenses companies for this activity; for example it announced the licence of Tabby finance and published the rules regulating BNPL companies. Before signing with any provider, check that it appears among SAMA's licensed entities.
What Odoo supports
Odoo 19's online payments documentation lists the built-in payment providers, including Amazon Payment Services, Adyen, Stripe, PayPal and others. Each has different features: payment on Odoo or on the provider's page, saved cards, manual capture, and full or partial refunds.
One listed provider is Amazon Payment Services, where payment happens on the provider's page. Its mada page describes accepting payments in the Kingdom by enabling mada. Whether any other listed provider serves a Saudi business is up to that provider, so confirm with them directly.
Local gateways and BNPL through extra modules
Other gateways common in the Saudi market are not in the built-in list and are usually connected through third-party modules on the Odoo Apps store, or through a module supplied by the provider. For example, Tabby publishes an Odoo module installation guide stating:
- Odoo 17, 18 and 19 are supported, with a separate build per version.
- It installs on self-hosted Odoo and Odoo.sh, not on Odoo Online, which does not allow custom modules.
- Tabby only shows at checkout for supported currencies, including the Saudi riyal.
- Tabby reviews the integration before issuing live keys.
For Tamara, its API documentation is available and Odoo modules exist from other developers; check who built a module and whether it fits your version before relying on it.
Payments at the point of sale
Odoo's documentation lists the payment terminals with direct POS integration, and the list does not include Saudi local providers. Many businesses therefore run the bank terminal on its own, record the payment method in Odoo POS against a bank journal, and match it with the settlement statement. That works, but it needs daily reconciliation discipline. See Odoo POS and e-invoicing.
Accounting: the part that gets skipped
| Item | How it is handled in Odoo |
|---|---|
| Amount collected from the customer | A payment on the invoice or sales order through the provider |
| Amount awaiting settlement | A clearing account until the transfer reaches the bank |
| Gateway or BNPL fees | A separate expense booked at reconciliation |
| Refunds | A credit note and reverse payment, as supported by the provider |
If gross amounts are not separated from fees, bank statements will never match sales. Align the setup with how the provider settles (daily or weekly, batched or per transaction). For the bigger picture see Odoo Accounting and ZATCA e-invoicing.
Gateway selection checklist
- Does it support mada, credit cards and the wallets your customers use?
- Is there a built-in Odoo integration, or does it need a module? Who builds and updates it?
- Does your Odoo hosting allow installing the module?
- Does it support partial refunds and saved cards if you need them?
- What does the settlement file look like, and how long until funds reach your bank?
- Is the provider licensed by SAMA for the activity it offers?
- Have you tested payment and refund in a test environment before going live?
FAQ
Can an Odoo website accept mada?
Yes, through a gateway that supports mada and integrates with Odoo, either a built-in provider or an extra module. Details depend on the gateway and your Odoo version.
What are gateway fees?
Each provider sets them by contract and they change, so check the providers' official pages. We do not publish prices on their behalf.
Can Tabby or Tamara be added to Odoo Online?
Custom modules cannot be installed on Odoo Online, and Tabby's guide says so explicitly. You usually need Odoo.sh or self-hosting.
How Maham Pro can help
Maham Pro is an official Odoo partner at Ready Partner level. We review how you sell and collect, and explain which gateway options fit your Odoo version and what each needs in setup and accounting. See our Odoo ERP service and published prices, then book a free 30-minute introductory session.