- New Saudi brands see cash on delivery on 40–60% of their first orders. Plan your courier setup around it.
- Courier COD fees run about SAR 3–14 a parcel through OTO. Salla deals add 1–2% of the order value.
- Since January 2026, every Saudi parcel needs a valid National Address. Make the Short Address a required checkout field.
- A refused SAR 230 COD order loses about SAR 78. Cutting refusals saves far more than switching to a cheaper courier.
- Couriers pay COD into a Saudi bank account. Without one, use a cross-border courier, an aggregator or a 3PL that collects for you.
Cash on delivery is how many Saudi shoppers try a new brand, because paying at the door makes a first order feel safe.
That makes your COD courier one of the most important partners you'll pick. It decides how many parcels reach the door and how fast the cash reaches you.
The good news? Saudi delivery has grown fast, and couriers now compete hard for online stores. You can choose between local couriers, regional networks and aggregators that pool them all.
Below you'll find the Saudi rules, costs and cities that matter, plus 9 independently researched COD couriers and aggregators. For UAE and GCC-wide options, see our main list of COD logistics providers in the Middle East.
Do you need a COD courier in Saudi Arabia?
If you run your own store, yes. Someone has to deliver the parcel, collect the money and send it back to your bank account.
How you get one depends on where you sell:
- Amazon.sa and noon. The marketplace collects COD and pays you with your other sales. You don't need your own courier.
- Salla and Zid stores. Both have couriers built in, so you can switch COD on in a few clicks.
- Shopify and WooCommerce stores. You connect couriers through an app or an aggregator such as OTO or Torod.
- Sellers without a Saudi company. You need a partner that can receive the cash locally and pay you abroad.
New to COD? Our guide to cash on delivery in the GCC explains who still pays cash and how to price it.
What are the Saudi rules for COD parcels?
Three rules shape every COD order in the Kingdom. None of them is hard, but each one affects whether your parcel reaches the shopper.
- National Address on every parcel. Since 1 January 2026, the Transport General Authority (TGA) requires a valid National Address. Couriers can refuse, hold or return parcels without one.
- An established, licensed courier. The Kingdom has about 37 licensed courier firms. If a small local courier approaches you, ask to see its licence first.
- VAT on the COD fee. A COD fee you charge your shopper is part of the sale, so 15% VAT applies.
The National Address is the one to fix first. The Short Address packs it into one 8-character code of letters and digits. Shoppers find it in the SPL, Absher or Tawakkalna apps.
Make it a required field at checkout. Our Saudi National Address guide shows how to validate it.
What does COD delivery cost in Saudi Arabia?
You pay a shipping rate plus a COD fee on each parcel. What you actually pay depends on how you book the courier.
| Salla or Zid built-in | Aggregator (OTO, Torod) | Direct courier contract | |
|---|---|---|---|
| COD fee | Aramex SAR 8 + 1%; SMSA SAR 8 + 2% | SAR 3–14 by courier | Negotiated |
| Payout | Twice a week on Salla (SMSA, Aramex) | Twice a month on OTO Free; one wallet on Torod | Set per contract |
| Couriers | The platform's partners | Many couriers, one dashboard | One courier per contract |
| Monthly fee | None | OTO free under 50 orders, then from SAR 59 | None |
| Best for | New Salla and Zid stores | Stores routing cities to different couriers | High-volume stores |
Shipping itself runs about SAR 14–22 for a Riyadh to Jeddah parcel through an aggregator. For each courier's rate, speed and coverage, see our comparison of Saudi courier companies.
Worked example: what refusals cost a Saudi store
The COD fee is rarely your biggest cost, because refused parcels cost far more.
On a SAR 230 order, a refusal loses about SAR 78. Here's where it goes:
- Ad spend: SAR 40 to win the order.
- Outbound delivery: SAR 20.
- Return shipping: SAR 15.
- Handling: SAR 3.
Say a new Riyadh store ships 1,000 orders a month, and half are COD. Here's what refusals cost at two rates:
| Line | 20% refused | 10% refused |
|---|---|---|
| COD orders a month | 500 | 500 |
| Refused parcels | 100 | 50 |
| Lost at SAR 78 each | SAR 7,800 | SAR 3,900 |
| Extra paid orders | – | 50 |
Halving refusals saves SAR 3,900 a month. A courier with a SAR 5 lower COD fee saves far less. On 400 delivered parcels, that's about SAR 2,000.
So fix delivery and confirmation first, then shop around for lower fees. The full cost breakdown is in COD refusals and returns.
Which Saudi cities are hardest for COD?
The big three regions are easy to serve, so smaller cities are where couriers differ most.
Riyadh takes about 44% of app-based delivery orders. Makkah region and the Eastern Province add another 38%, and every major courier covers them well.
The rest is spread across the Kingdom, from Abha and Jazan to Tabuk and Hail. Here's what Saudi store builders report:
- SMSA has the best reach into small towns.
- SPL covers 146 cities and villages, with lockers and post offices.
- Aramex is fastest in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam.
- Naqel suits bulky and heavy parcels.
So split last month's COD orders by city. If a fifth of them leave the big three regions, test a courier with strong small-town reach. Our playbook on reducing COD return-to-origin shows how to score couriers by city.
COD logistics companies in Saudi Arabia
Nine providers on our list handle COD in the Kingdom: two Saudi aggregators, Saudi couriers, and regional and cross-border networks. All were independently researched and appear in no particular order.
On each card, the "Best for" line is our summary. The bullet points are what the company says, or what platforms have reported.
OTO (tryoto)
Best for: Saudi stores wanting to compare COD couriers and consolidate remittance
- 460+ carriers through one API, 45+ sales channels (company site)
- Free plan transfers COD twice a month; discounted rates with no minimums
Torod
Best for: Merchants juggling several COD couriers who want one settlement
- 240+ carriers, 5,000+ organizations, 10M+ annual shipments (company claims)
- Pools all couriers' COD into one corporate wallet with periodic payouts
Aramex COD
Best for: GCC-wide COD from one carrier
- COD fee SAR 6 via OTO; SAR 8 + 1% of order value via Salla integration (2025)
Quiqup
Best for: UAE brands fighting high COD refusal rates
- Says pre-dispatch confirmation cuts COD RTO by 10-15 percentage points (2026 blog)
- Reports 20-35% RTO for many unmanaged UAE COD merchants
AyMakan
Best for: Saudi SMEs wanting transparent COD settlement reports
- COD with tracking and settlement reporting (company site); COD fee ~SAR 6 via OTO (2025)
Shipa
Best for: Lowest-cost Saudi COD
- Lowest listed COD courier fee on OTO: ~SAR 3 (2025)
iMile
Best for: Chinese sellers offering COD into GCC
- ~SAR 4 via OTO (2025); widely used by Chinese cross-border sellers
- Founded 2017 in Dubai; US$40m Series A (Nov 2021) to connect Chinese sellers with emerging markets
J&T Express
Best for: Chinese-language support for Saudi COD
- ~SAR 8 COD courier fee via OTO (2025)
Naqel Express
Best for: High-volume Saudi sellers negotiating contract rates
- ~SAR 14 COD courier fee via OTO - highest listed (2025); 20m shipments/yr
How do you choose a Saudi COD courier?
Start with your cities and your cash flow, then test two couriers before you commit to one.
- 1
Map your COD orders by region
Split last month's COD orders by city. The more you ship outside Riyadh, Makkah and the Eastern Province, the more coverage matters.
- 2
Pick how you'll book
Use Salla or Zid's built-in couriers to start. Add an aggregator once you want two or more couriers.
- 3
Shortlist two couriers
One with strong big-city speed and one with small-town reach. Ask both for their licence and their delivery rate in your top cities.
- 4
Match your platform's payout
Salla deals pay twice a week. Ask a direct courier to match that, or keep the platform deal for cash flow.
- 5
Require the Short Address
Make the National Address a required checkout field and pass it to the courier label.
- 6
Route by region
After a month, send each region to the courier that delivers there best. An aggregator keeps that on one dashboard.
Holding stock in the Kingdom? A local warehouse cuts delivery time and refusals. Compare 3PL and fulfilment companies in Saudi Arabia.
What should you ask a Saudi COD courier?
Send the same questions to every courier on your shortlist, because clear written answers now save arguments later.
Notes for foreign and Chinese sellers
- Plan where the cash lands. Saudi couriers pay into a local bank account. Without a Saudi company, use a cross-border courier or a 3PL that collects for you.
- iMile and J&T serve Chinese sellers. iMile raised its Series A to connect Chinese sellers with markets like the Gulf. J&T runs its MENA headquarters from Riyadh.
- Returns from abroad cost more. A refused parcel shipped from China is costly to bring back, so local stock pays off once you have steady sales.
- Selling from a UAE hub? UAE couriers with a Saudi lane can deliver your Saudi orders. See our list of COD logistics companies in the UAE.
Notes for Salla and Zid stores
- Start with the built-in couriers. They're the fastest way to switch on COD, and SMSA and Aramex pay Salla stores twice a week.
- Watch the percentage fee. Salla's Aramex and SMSA deals add 1–2% of the order value, which adds up on bigger baskets.
- Add an aggregator to compare. OTO and Torod both connect to Salla and Zid. Our guide to Saudi shipping aggregators compares them.
Get COD logistics quotes for Saudi Arabia
Share your order volume, COD share and cities once. We'll match you with COD couriers and aggregators that fit your store.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on how you book. On Salla, SMSA pays on Sundays and Wednesdays and Aramex on Mondays and Thursdays. OTO's Free plan pays twice a month, and direct contracts are usually set per merchant. Ask for the payout day in writing before you ship.
Sources & further reading
- Cheapest domestic shipping companies in Saudi Arabia (COD fee comparison) — OTO
- Integrating with Aramex standard shipping — Salla Help Centre
- Saudi National Address for ecommerce — Quiqup
- National Address — Saudi Post (SPL)
- SPL e-commerce services — Saudi Post (SPL)
- Saudi delivery sector tops 124 million orders in Q4 2025 — Mubasher, citing the Transport General Authority
- Saudi Arabia last-mile delivery market — Mordor Intelligence
- OTO pricing — OTO
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.
Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
Meet Maya