What is different about building software in Saudi Arabia
Aranv builds custom software, AI agents and business systems for companies in Riyadh, Jeddah and across Saudi Arabia. We work with you online, and plan each project around ZATCA e-invoicing, Arabic-first use and the Personal Data Protection Law.
ZATCA brings businesses into its e-invoicing integration phase in waves. ZATCA’s latest wave covers taxpayers with revenue subject to VAT above SAR 187,500 in any year from 2022 to 2025, who must integrate with the Fatoora platform by February 1, 2027. Your software has to meet that date, and it is easier to test early.
Personal data matters too. The Personal Data Protection Law has been fully enforced since September 14, 2024, and it reaches organizations outside the Kingdom that handle data of people living there. Our guide to Gulf data and AI laws covers it alongside the rest of the region. It is general information, so please confirm what applies with your lawyer.
How a Saudi project starts
Start with your ZATCA date or your biggest bottleneck
- 01 Tell us the goal A ZATCA integration, a manual process or a new product.
- 02 Check data and language What personal data is involved, and where Arabic is required.
- 03 You approve the plan Scope, budget and milestones agreed before work starts.
- 04 We build and support Regular demos, a careful go-live and support afterwards.
Meetings run online, with times shown in your own time zone.
What we build for Saudi companies
Most projects start from a date set by ZATCA, or a process that has outgrown its spreadsheets.
-
ZATCA Phase 2 integration
Your invoicing or ERP system creates compliant invoices and connects to the Fatoora platform, with errors handled instead of re-keyed.
-
Arabic-first business software
Apps, portals and internal tools designed in Arabic from the first screen, with English alongside where you need it.
-
AI for documents and customer service
Assistants and document reading tested on your own Arabic and English examples, with a person reviewing what matters.
-
Online stores and payments
Stores and customer apps with local payment options, including mada through your payment provider.
ZATCA e-invoicing integration
Phase 2 asks more of your software than producing a PDF. Invoices need a set structure, a cryptographic stamp and a QR code, and they have to reach the Fatoora platform through its API.
What we do
- Generate invoices in ZATCA’s XML format, in Arabic
- Send standard invoices for clearance and report simplified ones
- Connect your ERP, point of sale or billing system
- Handle rejected invoices without re-keying, and keep the records
Personal data and transfers abroad
Sending personal data out of the Kingdom needs a legal route: an adequacy decision, approved safeguards such as standard clauses, or a narrow exception, sometimes with a risk assessment. That affects which cloud and which AI services a project can use.
What we do
- List the personal data each system touches
- Plan hosting and AI services around the transfer rules, with your lawyer
- Build in consent, notices and people’s rights to their data
- Plan how a breach would be spotted and reported
How we approach a project
Our offices are in Cary, North Carolina and Canton, Michigan, and we work with Saudi companies online. Book a meeting below, or send a short note about what you need. A rough description is enough to start.
How we work
- ZATCA integration
- Arabic first
- Support after launch
What to settle before we start
-
Your integration date
Check which ZATCA wave you fall under, and work back from it, leaving time to test.
-
Where the data will live
Decide this with your lawyer before choosing a cloud or an AI service, because it can rule some out.
-
Arabic from the first screen
Invoices must be in Arabic, and many users will expect the same of everything else.
-
Who you sell to
If you supply government bodies or critical infrastructure, their cybersecurity controls can reach you through contract terms.
Good places to start
Small businesses joining ZATCA’s later waves
As the revenue threshold falls, more companies need software that can integrate, and many are starting from simple tools. Choosing the right route early avoids a rushed change.
Retail and e-commerce
Local payment options and Arabic customer service often matter more than extra features. Start with the checkout or the most common customer questions.
Suppliers to large organizations
Larger buyers often ask for security and data answers before they sign. Getting those in order first makes the sale easier.
Planning Software and AI Development for Saudi Arabia?
Book a 30-minute conversation with the team that would build it.
Not ready to talk yet? Get a cost estimate online (opens in a new tab)
Saudi Arabia FAQs
-
Do you have an office in Saudi Arabia?
Not today. Our offices are in Cary, North Carolina and Canton, Michigan, and we work with Gulf companies online. If a local company, a local contract or on-site work matters for your project, tell us at the start, so we can say plainly whether we can meet it.
-
When do we have to integrate with ZATCA?
It depends on your wave. ZATCA’s Wave 25 covers revenue subject to VAT above SAR 187,500 in any year from 2022 to 2025, with integration due by February 1, 2027. ZATCA notifies the businesses in each wave, so check your notice and ZATCA’s site.
-
Do invoices have to be in Arabic?
ZATCA’s guidance says tax invoices must be in Arabic. Another language can be added, but the Arabic wording is the official one.
-
Can customer data leave Saudi Arabia?
Sometimes, under conditions. The law allows transfers to places with an adequacy decision, or under approved safeguards or narrow exceptions, and some cases need a risk assessment. Rules can change, so confirm your case with your lawyer.
-
How do meetings work across time zones?
The calendar shows meeting times in your own time zone. At the start of a project we agree regular meeting times and how quickly we respond, around your working week.
-
What do you need from us for a first estimate?
A short note on the problem, who would use the result and any date you have to meet. After a brief discovery, we reply with a written plan covering priorities, milestones and cost.
Let’s talk about your next step
Contact Aranv to discuss your workflow, current tools, and goals. Meet with our team or send an inquiry.
Aranv at a glance
- 9Years in business
- 120+Clients served
- 300+Projects delivered
- 200+Team members
What happens next
- Pick a time, or send your project details.
- We review your goals, current tools and timeline.
- You get a clear next step: a scope, plan or estimate.
Book a meeting with our team
Choose an available date and time for a 30-minute conversation about your project.
- 30 minutes
- Online video call
- Times in your time zone
Tell us about your project
Share a few details so we can discuss a useful next step.
Prefer email? sales@aranv.com