Framer vs Custom Website Dubai 2026: Cost Compared

Short answer: Framer’s pricing page lists its Basic plan at US$10 a month and Pro at US$30 a month on yearly billing, and adding an Arabic version costs another US$20 a month per locale, so a bilingual Framer site runs about AED 1,320–2,200 a year. A custom-built website in Dubai costs a one-off AED 500–6,500 at fixed-price studios plus roughly AED 250–900 a year to run. Framer suits designers who want to publish fast; a custom build wins once you need code you own, deeper Arabic right-to-left control or UAE integrations. All prices below exclude 5% VAT.

Key takeaways

Framer prices in US dollars, billed according to the cycle you pick, with sales tax added at checkout based on your location.

Arabic is a paid add-on: Framer charges US$20 a month per translation locale, and each extra editor is another US$20 a month.

Framer’s own help centre says it does not offer HTML export for self-hosting, so leaving means rebuilding.

Framer can mirror stacks and grids for Arabic, but its guide says icons, padding and margins may still need manual right-to-left fixes.

Framer vs custom website: 2026 cost comparison

We took Framer’s figures from its pricing page as published on 1 October 2026, with yearly billing selected. We converted at the fixed dirham peg (US$1 = AED 3.6725) and rounded.

Option	Published price	Approx. AED per year	Main limits
Framer Free	US$0	AED 0	Framer subdomain, 1 GB bandwidth, 500 AI credits to try
Framer Basic	US$10/mo	About AED 440	30 pages, 2 CMS collections, 50 GB bandwidth
Framer Pro	US$30/mo	About AED 1,320	150 pages, 10 CMS collections, 100 GB bandwidth
Arabic locale add-on	US$20/mo per locale	About AED 880	Added on top of Basic or Pro
Custom site (Aquarius)	AED 500–6,500 one-off	AED 250–900 to run	None set by a platform; you own the code

Framer also lists a complimentary custom domain on yearly plans, extra pages on Pro at US$20 per 100, extra CMS collections at US$40 per 10, and extra bandwidth at US$40 per 100 GB. Additional editors cost US$20 a month each; content-only editors cost US$10 a month.

What a bilingual Framer site really costs over three years

Most Dubai business sites need English and Arabic, so the fair comparison includes the locale add-on. Before VAT:

Framer Basic + Arabic: US$30 a month, about AED 1,320 a year, or about AED 3,970 over three years.
Framer Pro + Arabic: US$50 a month, about AED 2,200 a year, or about AED 6,610 over three years. Add about AED 880 a year for each extra designer seat.
Custom bilingual business site: for example AED 2,500 to build plus roughly AED 500 a year for domain and hosting, or about AED 4,000 over three years, with the design, Arabic layout and launch done for you.

The Framer figures also leave out design time. Framer is a design tool first; if you hire a Framer designer, add their fee. A studio quote normally covers design, content setup and launch. For the wider market, see our guide to website design packages in Dubai.

Arabic and right-to-left: what Framer does and does not do

Credit where it is due: Framer’s help centre describes a Reverse layout setting (Site settings, General, Layout direction) that flips stacks and grids automatically when a right-to-left locale is active. Its localisation feature lists Arabic among supported languages.

The same guide is honest about the gaps: some icons and directional UI elements may need to flip, and padding and margins often need their left and right values swapped, which you set up with variables. That is manageable for a designer who knows RTL, but it is work. Test the Arabic version on a phone before launch. Our Arabic website localisation guide covers what a proper RTL build includes, from typography to hreflang.

Ownership: Framer is a hosted platform

This is the biggest difference. Framer states that it does not offer HTML export for self-hosting, because published sites rely on its platform services such as pre-rendering, image optimisation and global delivery. It adds that if you need complete control over hosting or need to export source code, Framer may not be the right solution.

In practice, leaving Framer means rebuilding the site elsewhere; CMS content can be moved out with plugins, but the design stays. Wix works the same way — see our Wix vs custom website comparison. Whatever you choose, register the domain in your business name; our guide to website domain ownership and handover lists what to get in writing.

UAE requirements a builder will not handle for you

UAE data law. Every contact or booking form collects personal data under the UAE Personal Data Protection Law. You need a clear purpose, consent wording and a privacy notice whichever platform you use. See our UAE PDPL checklist for websites.
Local payments and integrations. UAE shops often need gateways such as Network International, Telr or PayTabs, and service firms need CRM, booking or WhatsApp integrations. Check that each one works with your platform before you commit.
Per-seat costs. If marketing, sales and an agency all need edit access, Framer’s US$20 editor seats add up every year.

When Framer is the right choice

You or your designer already work in Framer and want to publish without a developer.
It is a marketing or launch site where motion and visual polish matter more than integrations.
You are happy for the site to live on Framer’s hosting for as long as you use it.
One language, or a designer who will handle the RTL fixes, is enough.

Choose custom when you need Arabic and English built in from launch, UAE payment gateways, CRM or booking integrations, or code and hosting you can hand to any developer. If you are weighing other platforms, compare Webflow vs WordPress for Dubai SMEs.

Aquarius custom websites: fixed prices in AED

We publish our prices because most Dubai agencies do not. Every tier is a fixed-scope quote, and prices exclude 5% VAT:

Aquarius tier	Price	Scope	Delivery
Starter Site	AED 500	1–3 pages, mobile-responsive, WhatsApp plus contact form, basic on-page SEO	Live in 3–5 days
Business Site	AED 2,500	Up to 8 pages, CMS, SEO + AEO, AI chat assistant, EN/AR ready	About 2 weeks
Launch	AED 6,500	Websites and landing pages, up to 6 pages, CMS, SEO + AEO, EN/AR	2 weeks

We use AI-assisted delivery too — a team plans the structure, writes and localises the content, builds the Arabic layout properly and tests it, and you get the code, domain and hosting in your name with no per-seat or per-locale fees. Full details are on our transparent pricing page, and our web and app development services page shows everything we build.

FAQ

How much does Framer cost in the UAE in 2026?

Framer’s pricing page lists Basic at US$10 a month and Pro at US$30 a month on yearly billing, plus a free plan. That is about AED 440 and AED 1,320 a year. Sales tax is added at checkout based on your location.

How much does an Arabic Framer website cost?

Framer charges US$20 a month per translation locale on top of your plan. A Basic plan with one Arabic locale is about US$30 a month, or roughly AED 1,320 a year before VAT.

Can I export my Framer website and host it myself?

Not officially. Framer says it does not offer HTML export for self-hosting, because its sites rely on platform services. Expect to rebuild the design if you leave.

Does Framer support right-to-left Arabic layouts?

Yes, partly. A Reverse layout setting flips stacks and grids for right-to-left locales, but Framer notes that icons, padding and margins may need manual changes using variables.

Is Framer cheaper than a custom website in Dubai?

For one language on Basic, yes. With Arabic and extra editor seats, three years on Framer can cost as much as or more than a fixed-price custom business site, which you own outright.

Get a fixed quote for a site you own

Tell us how many pages you need, which languages and how many people will edit it, and we will send a fixed AED quote with a 3-year cost next to Framer. See Aquarius website pricing or request your quote — custom sites start at AED 500.