Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Checked against the Dubai Land Department's FlexiRent initiative, Keyper's product pages and registered rent data from the Dubai Land Department. Sources are listed at the end.
Key Takeaways
- Very few landlords in Dubai take a credit card directly. The market still runs on post-dated cheques, and a landlord who accepts cards carries processing fees and chargeback risk.
- You can still pay by card: Rent Now, Pay Monthly pays your landlord up to 100 percent of the year's rent upfront and you pay Keyper in 12 monthly card instalments. Terms and eligibility apply.
- Since June 2026 the Dubai Land Department's FlexiRent initiative lets participating property companies offer monthly, quarterly or half-yearly rent, paid by debit card, credit card or cheque. It applies only to their own units.
- Rewards depend on how your bank codes the payment. Most UAE-issued cards treat rent-platform payments as ordinary spend and award the card's usual points, miles or cashback.
- To use Rent Now, Pay Monthly you need a UAE residence visa, a regular income and a UAE-issued credit or debit card. The contract is registered in Ejari as normal.
Why Landlords in Dubai Do Not Accept Credit Cards Directly
If you are renting in Dubai, you will have met the cheque system already: one, two or four post-dated cheques covering the year, handed over when you sign. Landlords like it because a cheque is legally enforceable and the money is committed in advance. Accepting a card directly would mean paying processing fees, waiting for settlement and accepting chargeback risk, so very few landlords or agencies do it.
The system is changing, though, in two ways. On 23 June 2026 the Dubai Land Department launched FlexiRent. Participating property management companies offer monthly, quarterly or half-yearly instalments on their own units, with the same annual rent split over the period the tenant chooses. Payment can be by debit card, credit card or cheque. Twelve companies signed up at launch, including Wasl Properties, Deyaar Property Management and Dubai World Real Estate. And for everyone whose landlord is not one of them, Rent Now, Pay Monthly has made monthly rent the normal option rather than the exception.
How Paying Rent by Credit Card Actually Works in Dubai
Because direct card payment to the landlord is rare, the practical route is a platform that sits between you and the landlord. Here is how Rent Now, Pay Monthly works as a rent payment method in Dubai:
- You apply through the Keyper app with your tenancy contract details, a few details about your income, and your card.
- Keyper runs a quick eligibility check and shows you a monthly rent offer, with the service fee included, before you accept anything.
- Keyper pays your landlord up to 100 percent of the annual rent upfront, in the cheque structure the landlord prefers.
- You pay Keyper in 12 equal monthly instalments charged to your credit or debit card, managed in the app.
Your landlord's experience does not change. They get their money upfront. You turn one large payment into a predictable monthly outgoing. That matters at Downtown Dubai rents: according to Dubai Land Department data on data.realkeyper.com, the average annual rent registered in Downtown Dubai between July and September 2026 was AED 178,691, as at 24 October 2026.
Three Ways to Pay Rent by Card, Compared
| Card direct to the landlord | Rent Now, Pay Monthly (Keyper) | FlexiRent (DLD partners) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who can use it | Tenants of the few landlords with card facilities | Any tenant, any landlord, with a UAE residence visa and income | Tenants of the participating companies' own units, leases of a year or more |
| What the landlord receives | Card payments, less processing fees | Up to 100 percent upfront, in the cheques they ask for | Instalments under the company's own plan |
| What you pay | Rent, sometimes plus the landlord's card surcharge | 12 monthly instalments plus a service fee shown before you accept | The same annual rent, split monthly, quarterly or half-yearly |
| Card rewards | Yes | Yes, on every instalment | Yes, where the company takes cards |
| Security deposit | Paid in full at signing | Split across the first three payments | As the company requires |
Sources: Dubai Land Department FlexiRent initiative page and Khaleej Times, 24 June 2026; Keyper Rent Now, Pay Monthly product page, October 2026.
What Keyper Offers
Keyper pioneered Rent Now, Pay Monthly in Dubai, and more than 10,000 tenants have used it. The product, as stated on Keyper's own page:
- Monthly instalments paid by credit or debit card through the Keyper app, with zero upfront cost to apply.
- The landlord is paid upfront, so there is no negotiation about payment terms.
- The security deposit is split across the first three payments.
- Bank partnerships. Keyper has run cashback offers with FAB Mastercard and Dubai First Mastercard cardholders, including guaranteed cashback on the first monthly payments and monthly draws for a month's rent. The 2025 offers have ended. The bank pages show what is current.
Pay rent on your card, earn the rewards, keep the landlord on cheques
Keyper pays the landlord upfront and you pay 12 monthly card instalments. See your monthly figure and the service fee before you commit.
Split your annual rent into 12 monthly card paymentsWill You Earn Credit Card Rewards on Rent?
That depends on how your bank codes the transaction. Most UAE-issued Visa and Mastercard products treat a rent-platform payment as ordinary retail spend and award the card's standard points, miles or cashback. Some banks exclude certain merchant categories from rewards, so before you commit, ask your card issuer how it classifies Keyper payments. Cards with a flat earn rate on all spend are the safest bet. On an annual rent of AED 178,691 paid through the card, even a 1 percent return is AED 1,787 a year. Which card you use changes the return, and the main UAE options differ on earn rate and caps.
FAQs
Can I pay rent with a credit card in Dubai?
Yes, through a platform. Most landlords do not take cards directly, but with Rent Now, Pay Monthly Keyper pays the landlord upfront and you pay 12 monthly instalments by credit or debit card. Tenants of FlexiRent partner companies can also pay their instalments by card.
How do I pay rent using a credit card?
In Dubai, apply in the Keyper app with your tenancy details, income details and card. Accept the monthly offer, Keyper pays the landlord, and each month the instalment is charged to your card. Payments are managed in the app.
How is rent usually paid in Dubai?
By post-dated cheques, typically one to four a year, or by bank transfer where the landlord allows it. Monthly options are Rent Now, Pay Monthly, FlexiRent with participating companies, and direct debit mandates where the landlord's bank supports them.
Do I earn points or cashback on rent paid through Keyper?
Usually yes. Rewards depend on how your bank categorises the payment, and most UAE cards treat it as regular spend. Check with your issuer, and look at the current FAB and Dubai First offers on Keyper's bank pages.
What do I need to qualify for Rent Now, Pay Monthly?
A UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, a regular income, a UAE-issued credit or debit card, and a tenancy contract that will be registered in Ejari. Salaried applicants are the quickest to approve. Self-employed applicants are assessed on bank statements.
Is there a fee for paying rent by credit card?
In Dubai, Rent Now, Pay Monthly adds a personalised service fee to the monthly instalments, shown before you accept. There is no upfront cost to apply. Whether it is worth it depends on the value you put on monthly cash flow and the rewards your card returns.
Is It Worth Paying Rent by Credit Card?
If your priority is cash flow, paying AED 14,891 a month rather than AED 178,691 at once, then yes, and the card rewards soften the service fee. If your landlord accepts a bank transfer and you have the full amount, paying annually remains the cheapest method. For most Dubai tenants managing a mid-to-high rent on a monthly salary, a monthly card payment is the more useful tool. Set against a traditional lease the cost is the service fee, and what tenants gain for it is cash flow.
Pay your rent monthly by card
Apply in minutes. Keyper pays the landlord upfront, you pay 12 monthly card payments and earn your card's rewards on rent. Zero upfront cost.
Apply to pay rent monthlySources
- Dubai Land Department: FlexiRent initiative (payment options, eligibility, voluntary participation)
- Khaleej Times, 24 June 2026: Dubai's new flexible rent scheme (card and cheque payment, the twelve partners)
- Keyper: Rent Now, Pay Monthly (12 instalments, deposit split, zero upfront cost, 10,000 plus tenants)
- Keyper data platform: registered rents by area (Downtown Dubai average annual rent, July to September 2026, Dubai Land Department data, read 24 October 2026)
