Does Shopify support KNET? Payment gateways for Shopify stores in Kuwait

Shopify does not offer KNET itself. Shopify Payments, its built-in payment processor, is not available to businesses in Kuwait, so KNET reaches a Shopify checkout through a payment app from a provider that Shopify has approved. This guide lists the apps whose own listings or documentation mention KNET, what Shopify charges on top, why a bank's KNET gateway cannot be wired straight into checkout, and the manual alternative. Every fact below was checked against the linked sources on 26 October 2026.

This is a technical guide from a software team, not legal or financial advice.

Is Shopify Payments available in Kuwait?

No. Shopify's help page on supported countries for Shopify Payments lists 41 countries on 26 October 2026. Kuwait is not on the list, and the United Arab Emirates is the only GCC country that is.

That one fact shapes everything else for a Kuwaiti store. Without Shopify Payments, every online card or KNET payment goes through a third-party provider, and Shopify charges its third-party transaction fee on those orders (see the fee section below).

How KNET reaches a Shopify checkout

Shopify's developer documentation says that "Only approved Partners can build payments extensions on Shopify's Payments Platform" and that payments apps "must be approved by Shopify". In practice, a Kuwaiti store adds KNET by installing one of these providers' apps and connecting it to an account with that provider.

The table lists the providers whose Shopify App Store listing or own documentation mentions KNET for Shopify, in alphabetical order. It is not a ranking, and Rukn receives no referral fees from any of them.

Two things follow from the table. First, in every case where the flow is described, KNET is a redirect: the customer leaves Shopify's checkout for the provider's or KNET's page and comes back. Second, the Checkout.com and Ottu rows depend on arrangements outside Shopify (a direct contract with a local provider, or a gateway such as MPGS), so ask the provider in writing whether KNET will work on your store before you build around it. For how the licensed providers compare on fees, see our guide to payment gateways in Kuwait.

What Shopify charges on top of the provider

Shopify's pricing page lists a third-party payment provider fee on every plan. It is charged in addition to whatever the provider charges you.

Shopify's help page on third-party transaction fees gives the formula as products minus discounts, plus tax and shipping, multiplied by your plan's rate, and says these fees are not returned when you refund an order. Because Shopify Payments is not available in Kuwait, this fee applies whichever KNET app you choose.

The manual payment exemption, and a conflicting page

The same help page says "Transaction fees don't apply for POS orders or for manual payment methods", and lists cash on delivery, bank deposits, checks, test orders, and draft orders marked as paid or pending. Shopify's manual payments page repeats that you are not charged third-party transaction fees for manual payments.

Shopify's "Getting paid" page reads differently: "If you don't activate Shopify Payments as your payment provider, then you're charged third-party transaction fees for all orders that aren't brokered financially by Shopify." A Kuwaiti store cannot activate Shopify Payments, so the two pages point in different directions. If the fee matters to your decision, ask Shopify's billing support to confirm your case in writing.

Why your bank's KNET gateway cannot plug straight into checkout

Many Kuwaiti merchants already hold a KNET gateway contract with their bank and ask why Shopify cannot simply use it. The answer is in Shopify's own terms, quoted here as they stood on 26 October 2026:

• Only approved partners build payment methods. Shopify's Partner Program Agreement (last updated 27 February 2026) says "A payment provider can apply to become a Payments Developer", and that Shopify "has the sole discretion of the approval or denial of any Payments Application".
• Custom payment extensions are for eligible Plus merchants only. Shopify's developer docs say "The option to build a custom payment extensions is limited to eligible Shopify Plus Merchants only", and point merchants to Shopify Plus Support to confirm eligibility.
• The API Terms bar alternative checkouts. Section 2.3.18 of Shopify's API Terms (last updated 7 October 2026) says developers must not, "except with Shopify's express written authorization", "use an alternative to Shopify Checkout for checkout or payment processing for Shopify Merchants, or register any transactions through the Shopify API in connection with such activity".
• The merchant terms say the same. Shopify's Terms of Service (last updated 20 October 2026) state: "You agree to use Shopify Checkout for any sales associated with your online store."

So on Shopify, a bank's KNET contract reaches checkout only through an approved provider's app that can use it, or through a custom payment extension that Shopify approves for an eligible Plus store. Checkout.com's "direct contract with local provider required" wording describes the first kind. We do not build workarounds to these terms, and we advise against any setup that sends Shopify customers to a separate checkout without Shopify's written approval.

The manual route: a KNET link after the order

Shopify supports manual payment methods for payments collected outside the online checkout. According to its manual payments page, a merchant can create a custom manual payment method under Settings > Payments, with payment instructions that "display on the order confirmation page". The order is placed through Shopify Checkout as usual, and it shows as unpaid until staff mark it paid.

For KNET, that becomes a simple routine:

1. The customer places the order and picks the manual method, for example one named "KNET payment link".
2. Staff create a KNET payment link for the order total from the business's own bank or licensed gateway account, using the order number as the reference.
3. Staff send the link by WhatsApp, SMS or email.
4. When the bank or gateway portal shows the payment, staff mark the order as paid in Shopify.
5. Refunds are made in the bank or gateway portal and recorded in Shopify.

The trade-offs are real. Payment happens after the order, so some orders will never be paid, and every order needs a person. It suits stores that already sell through chat or to repeat customers more than high-volume stores. Our guide to creating a KNET payment link explains which banks and providers issue links and how.

Apple Pay and cards on a Kuwaiti Shopify store

Cards and Apple Pay come through the same kind of provider apps. Among the listings and docs above, Apple Pay is named by UPayments, by both Tap apps, and by Checkout.com's offsite app docs (for the MENA region only). Visa and Mastercard are named by Hesabe, Payzah, Tap and UPayments, and MyFatoorah's listing refers to international credit cards.

Apple Pay in Kuwait is not described the same way by every provider. Hesabe's API documentation lists separate Apple Pay payment types: MPGS Apple Pay, Cybersource Apple Pay, KNET Debit Apple Pay, KNET Credit Apple Pay and KNET Apple Pay International. Amazon Payment Services' documentation says "Apple Pay through KNET is a mandate requirement for all Apple Pay transactions in Kuwait." Ask your provider which route your account uses, because it affects fees and refunds. Our Apple Pay integration guide covers the setup in more detail.

No surcharges for paying by KNET or card

Do not add a "KNET fee" or card fee line at checkout to recover Shopify's or the provider's charges. Central Bank of Kuwait Circular No. 2/RB, RBA, RK/600/2025, dated 30 September 2025, is addressed to all local banks, e-payment service providers and e-money service providers and bans collecting fees and commissions from the customer (the end beneficiary). Our payment gateways guide explains what it requires. Price the cost of payments into your product prices instead.

When WooCommerce or a custom store may fit better

On Shopify, hosting, checkout and platform security are Shopify's job, and payment options are limited to approved apps and manual methods. Two other routes work differently:

• WooCommerce. WooCommerce is a WordPress plugin, and its own site advertises "zero transaction fees from day one". Payment gateways are added as plugins: Hesabe's developer portal, for example, lists integration kits for both WooCommerce and Shopify, and Ottu's compatibility table lists more active gateways for WooCommerce than for Shopify. You or your developer then own hosting, updates and security. See our WooCommerce KNET guide.
• A custom store. A store built for you can use a direct KNET contract with your bank, with no platform fee and no app approval in the way. It also means you own the checkout code, testing and maintenance. Our KNET integration guide explains what a direct bank contract involves.

The right choice depends on order volume, how much you sell through chat, and who will run the store. Our Shopify vs WooCommerce comparison for Kuwait sets the two side by side.

How Rukn helps

Rukn builds and sets up Shopify stores in Kuwait, including KNET, card and Apple Pay through the provider you choose. We help you shortlist providers from their published terms, connect the app, test the checkout and refunds in the provider's test mode, set up Arabic and English store content, and, if you want it, set up the manual KNET link routine with your staff. The contract and the money stay between you and your provider: payments never pass through Rukn. Our website development service covers Shopify, WooCommerce and custom stores. Websites start from KD 799, and the final quote depends on scope.