Payment rules in Lebanon change often. Use this guide to understand the options, then confirm current fees, requirements, and settlement terms directly with each provider before you build.
The short answer
Most Lebanese online stores combine three things: cash on delivery, a local wallet such as Whish, and card payments through a Lebanese bank or processor once the business qualifies. Stores selling mainly to customers abroad often need a company registered outside Lebanon to use international providers.
Option 1: Cash on delivery
Cash on delivery is still how a large share of customers in Lebanon prefer to pay, especially for first orders from a store they don’t know yet.
- Pros: No setup or fees, and customers trust it.
- Cons: Failed deliveries, cash handling, and waiting for the delivery company to pay you.
- Make it work better: Confirm each order on WhatsApp before dispatch, ask for a landmark and a reachable phone number, and consider a small deposit for large or custom orders.
Option 2: Wallets such as Whish
Wallets have become an everyday way to pay in Lebanon. Whish Money is one of the most widely used, and has merchant services, including an integration for Shopify stores.
- Pros: Familiar to local customers, and no card needed.
- Cons: Mostly useful for customers in Lebanon, and each wallet has its own merchant requirements.
- Good for: Local stores that want an online payment option alongside cash.
Option 3: Card payments through a local bank or processor
Lebanese businesses can accept Visa and Mastercard through a merchant account with a bank or a licensed payment processor operating in Lebanon, such as Areeba.
- Pros: Customers can pay by card at checkout, including some cards issued abroad, depending on the provider.
- Cons: Paperwork, approval time, and fees vary. Ask how and in which currency you’ll receive your money, and how quickly.
- Questions to ask the provider: the fee per transaction, the settlement currency and timing, which cards are accepted, and whether they support the platform your store is built on.
Option 4: Stripe, PayPal, and a company abroad
Stripe and PayPal don’t support businesses registered in Lebanon as merchants. Businesses that sell mostly to customers abroad sometimes register a company in a supported country (for example the UAE, the UK, or the US) and accept payments through it.
- Pros: Smooth card checkout for international customers, and wide platform support.
- Cons: Company setup costs, a bank account in that country, and tax and legal obligations there. Get proper legal and tax advice before going this way.
Option 5: Bank transfer and manual payments
For business-to-business sales, large orders, or services, an invoice paid by bank transfer or a money transfer service is often simplest. The website takes the order, and payment is confirmed manually before delivery.
Which combination fits your business
| Your situation | A sensible starting point |
|---|---|
| Local store, new to online sales | Cash on delivery plus WhatsApp confirmation |
| Local store with steady orders | Cash on delivery plus a wallet, adding cards when your bank or processor approves you |
| Selling mostly to Lebanese abroad | Card payments through a provider that accepts international cards, possibly via a company abroad |
| B2B or large custom orders | Invoices and bank transfers, with an online order form |
What the website should do, whatever you choose
- Show prices clearly in USD, with delivery fees before checkout, not after.
- Never store card details on your own website. A proper gateway handles card data so you don’t have to.
- Send an order confirmation by email, and by WhatsApp where possible.
- Let you mark an order as paid manually, for cash and transfers.
- Make it easy to add a new payment method later without rebuilding the store.
If you’re planning a store, the ecommerce page explains how I build checkouts for the Lebanese market.