- Why Saudi brands care so much about Instagram
- The Mawthooq licence comes before the money
- Which Instagram earning tools reach Saudi accounts?
- Getting paid in Saudi riyals
- Snapchat and Facebook as extra income streams
- Pricing an Instagram campaign in the Kingdom
- Saudi Arabia Instagram income at a glance
- Frequently asked questions
Instagram has no per-view rate for Saudi creators, and Saudi Arabia isn't named in Meta's announced lists for Instagram gifts, bonuses or its brand-matching tool, so the app itself pays very little directly. The real money in Saudi Arabia comes from brand campaigns paid in riyals, and if you earn from advertising there you'll need the Mawthooq influencer licence first.
Saudi Arabia is one of the most Instagram-hungry markets I've looked at, and that's exactly why the question comes up so often. If seven in ten adults scroll the app, surely Instagram pays creators there handsomely? The short version: Instagram doesn't, brands do. Let me walk you through what's open to a Saudi account, what the licensing rules mean for your income, and how the riyals reach you.
Why Saudi brands care so much about Instagram
According to DataReportal, Meta's own advertising tools showed 18.2 million Instagram users in Saudi Arabia in late 2025, a reach equal to 52.4 percent of the whole population. Even more striking, 71.0 percent of Saudi adults aged 18 and over were using it by the end of 2025. Very few countries come close to that.
The audience is still growing, too. DataReportal says Instagram's potential ad reach in the Kingdom rose by 2.20 million, or 13.8 percent, over the year to late 2025. Its adult ad audience was 58.9 percent male and 41.1 percent female, which is worth knowing if you're pitching a beauty brand and your followers lean the other way, or a car brand and they lean yours.
Put simply, Saudi brands spend on Instagram creators because their customers are there in huge numbers. That spending is where your income comes from.
The Mawthooq licence comes before the money
This is the part most guides written outside the Gulf skip, and it matters more than any rate card. Saudi Arabia runs a licence for content creators who earn from advertising, usually written as Mawthooq or Mouathaq, meaning trusted.
Gulf News reported that the licence, now issued by the General Authority for Media Regulation, is mandatory for influencers in Saudi Arabia and for those visiting the Kingdom, whatever their residency status, and that it applies to commercial adverts featuring influencers. The digital rights group SMEX reported that the licence, originally set up by the General Commission for Audiovisual Media, costs about 4,000 US dollars for three years and covers six platforms including Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok.
SMEX also noted the licence is aimed at creators whose online activity is a source of income. So if you post for fun, you're unlikely to need it. Once brands start paying you, you'll want it in place before you publish a single paid post. I'm not a lawyer, and rules change, so please check the regulator's own site and, if you're unsure, ask a local adviser.
Which Instagram earning tools reach Saudi accounts?
Instagram for Creators lists subscriptions, gifts, bonuses, badges, partnership ads and its brand-matching creator tool as ways to earn. Here's how Saudi Arabia shows up in Meta's own announcements:
- Gifts: when Meta expanded gifts to 33 countries, Saudi Arabia wasn't on the list.
- Bonuses: invite-only, and the holiday bonus test named only the United States, South Korea and Japan.
- The brand-matching tool: Meta named the US first, then Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the UK, Japan, India and Brazil. Saudi Arabia wasn't included.
- Subscriptions: Meta said they opened in an additional 35 countries but didn't name them.
None of that means the door's shut for good. Meta adds countries without much fanfare, so the honest test is your own Professional Dashboard. If a Monetisation section appears with gifts or subscriptions inside, they're switched on for you.
Getting paid in Saudi riyals
The Saudi riyal, code SAR, is issued by the Saudi Central Bank and split into 100 halala. It's pegged to the US dollar at 3.75 riyals to 1 US dollar, which makes it easy to compare a quote from an international agency with one from a Riyadh brand. Local brands will usually quote and pay in riyals by bank transfer, while overseas agencies often quote in US dollars.
If Meta ever pays you directly, Instagram's help centre says you set up a payout account in the professional dashboard, where you can connect a bank, PayPal or a debit card, depending on what's offered for your country, and you'll need to submit tax details. One warning worth remembering: if you don't add a payout account within 6 months, Instagram says you lose the right to those earnings.
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On tax, Saudi Arabia isn't on the IRS list of countries with a US income tax treaty, which can matter if a US platform ever pays you. Please talk to a local accountant about your own position rather than relying on forum advice.
Snapchat and Facebook as extra income streams
Saudi creators have a choice that creators in many countries don't. Saudi Arabia is on Snapchat's payout lists for Creator Midroll Ads within Stories, alongside Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the UAE, so a Snapchat presence can earn directly. My guide to what Snapchat pays creators in Saudi Arabia covers that side.
On Facebook, Meta lists Saudi Arabia as a country where Facebook Content Monetization ads are available, and Arabic is a supported language. It's invite-only, but sharing your Reels to a Facebook Page you manage puts them in front of a programme that can pay on performance. If longer videos suit you, it's also worth comparing how YouTube's per-view earnings work in Saudi Arabia.
Pricing an Instagram campaign in the Kingdom
I can't give you a riyal figure per post, because I haven't found a reputable named source publishing Saudi Instagram rates, and invented numbers only lead creators to undercharge or lose deals. What I can share is what Saudi brands and agencies tend to weigh:
- Your licence status. A licensed creator is simply easier to book.
- Where your audience lives. A Jeddah restaurant wants Saudi viewers, not viewers abroad.
- Arabic, English or both. Bilingual creators can serve brands targeting residents and nationals at once.
- Your typical Reel reach and saves, shown with screenshots from Insights.
- Usage rights, if the brand wants to run your content as paid ads.
- Timing. Campaign calendars around big seasonal moments fill early, so pitch ahead.
For a feel of how creator fees scale with audience size, my piece on what a million Reel views can earn shows the thinking in another big Instagram market.
Saudi Arabia Instagram income at a glance
| Route | Open to Saudi creators? | What I checked |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram gifts | Not named by Meta; check your dashboard | about.fb.com |
| Instagram bonuses | Invite-only; not named | creators.instagram.com |
| Brand campaigns paid in SAR | Yes, with a Mawthooq licence | Gulf News, SMEX |
| Snapchat Creator Midroll Ads | Saudi Arabia listed | help.snapchat.com |
| Facebook Content Monetization | Saudi Arabia listed; invite-only | facebook.com/business/help |
Frequently asked questions
Does Instagram pay per view in Saudi Arabia?
No. Instagram doesn't pay a standing per-view rate in Saudi Arabia. Bonuses based on plays are invite-only, and Meta's holiday bonus test named the United States, South Korea and Japan.
Do I need a licence to earn from Instagram in Saudi Arabia?
If advertising is a source of income for you, reports from Gulf News and SMEX say you need the Mawthooq licence from the media regulator. Check the regulator's own site for the current rules.
How much does the Mawthooq licence cost?
SMEX reported a cost of about 4,000 US dollars for three years. Fees can change, so confirm the figure with the regulator before you apply.
How are Saudi Instagram creators paid?
Mostly by brands, in Saudi riyals by bank transfer, or in US dollars by overseas agencies. If Meta pays you directly, your payout account sits in the professional dashboard.
Is Snapchat better than Instagram for Saudi creators?
They do different jobs. Snapchat can pay Saudi creators through Creator Midroll Ads, while Instagram's money mostly comes from brand campaigns. Many Saudi creators use both.
