Saudi Arabia (KSA) is one of the most dynamic and profitable markets globally for affiliate marketing, especially within the mobile VAS (mVAS) vertical. High purchasing power, digitalization, and active mobile service usage create unique opportunities for partners running campaigns for subscriptions, content services, and premium mobile products.
In this material, we will look at the key aspects of GEO Saudi Arabia: the mobile operators (or carriers), the specifics of the local population, and the factors that influence the performance of mVAS campaigns.
1. The Saudi Arabia Market: Digital Economy and Mobile Dominance
Saudi Arabia is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the Middle East:
- 90%+ smartphone penetration.
- 78% of the population uses the internet daily.
- High level of trust in mobile payments and carrier billing (DCB).
- Significant demand for digital-entertainment: gaming portals, video content, and major platforms for education and religious materials.
This makes the market extremely attractive for mVAS, where payment convenience and speed are the main drivers for Conversions (CR).
2. Mobile Operators in Saudi Arabia: What Affiliates Need to Know
The Main Market Players
The mobile market in Saudi Arabia is primarily controlled by three major Mobile Network Operators (MNOs): Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Mobily, and Zain KSA. Together, they account for approximately 99% of all mobile subscriptions.
Detailed Carrier Overview
🟢 STC (Saudi Telecom Company)
- Market Leader: As of 2025, STC has approximately 29 million subscribers, giving them roughly a 55% share of the mobile subscription market.
- Infrastructure & Coverage: The widest network in the kingdom, with some of the best 4G/5G coverage nationwide.
- 5G Dominance: STC leads in the number of 5G subscribers, with a 5G client base share of about 31%.
- Quality of Service: Research (2025) shows STC has the lowest average “disconnection time”—around 14 minutes per day (less than competitors).
- Affiliate/mVAS Advantages:
- Due to its wide coverage across the country, there’s a high likelihood of stable service delivery, including subscription-based VAS, streaming, and content services.
- A large user base means greater potential for campaign scaling.
- Good network quality and 5G coverage allow for promoting data-heavy services: video, streaming, gaming, and premium content.
STC Takeaway: In most cases, it’s the most reliable “workhorse” for mVAS launches—maximum reach and stability.
🟠 Mobily
- Second Largest: Latest data shows a mobile subscriber base of approximately 12.8–13.4 million, accounting for roughly a 26% market share.
- Coverage & Quality: Mobily has wide coverage, 4G/5G networks in many cities, and a stable presence in major urban areas.
- 5G Usage: While its 5G client share is slightly lower than STC/Zain, Mobily users spend 65% of their available network time on 5G, the highest among the three operators (a strong signal for data-centric offers).
- Positioning & Price: Mobily is traditionally positioned as a more “mass-market / value” operator—with competitive tariffs and promo packages.
- Affiliate/mVAS Advantages:
- Due to the balance of sufficient quality and moderate pricing, it works well for mid-tier audiences who are less sensitive to premium pricing but value stability.
- The high share of time spent on 5G (when available) gives an advantage for data-centric offers where the user actively consumes content.
Mobily Takeaway: A balance between reach, quality, and price—a good option if your target audience is less premium or you aim for the “broad masses.”
🔵 Zain KSA
- Third Largest MNO: Around 8.2–8.6 million subscribers in 2025, capturing an estimated 16–17% market share.
- Coverage & 5G: Zain is active in 5G deployment, rolling out new 5G SA networks.
- 5G Metrics: 5G client share is about 31% (similar to STC). However, Zain users spend significantly less time on 5G: only about 26% of the time.
- Strategy & Positioning: Zain often positions itself as a “budget / value” carrier—focusing on affordable tariffs, data bundles, and promotional offers. Zain also has MVNO operators/sub-brands targeting niche segments.
- Affiliate/mVAS Advantages:
- Due to lower pricing and value propositions, it can be effective for low-/mid-tier offers or price-sensitive users.
- Can be suitable for high-volume SIM campaigns or targeting students, youth, and budget-conscious audiences.
- For products with low ARPU or a low subscription price, it may yield better conversion than premium solutions on STC.
Zain Takeaway: A solid option for budget-/value-oriented mVAS campaigns, but with a smaller base and moderate 5G activity.
Additional Important Points for the KSA Market
- Market Saturation and Multi-SIM: The total number of mobile subscriptions in 2025 is estimated at about 52.7 million. This means many people own multiple SIM cards, giving them flexibility across different carriers—a major plus for affiliate campaigns running multi-operator offers or DCB offers.
- Shift to Data/Digital Services: The market is moving from voice to mobile data, digital services, and VAS—making 5G and data subscriptions an attractive direction.
- Coverage Stability: While all three carriers have good coverage, STC remains the most reliable in terms of stability. Zain and Mobily may have cases where 5G/4G coverage is unstable or less comprehensive in remote regions—a factor to consider when launching VAS that require stable internet (streaming, content, gaming).
What This Means for mVAS / Affiliate Campaigns
- If your campaign is for premium VAS, high-bandwidth content, or streaming, STC is the top choice: maximum reach, high quality, and a large user base.
- If the goal is a broad audience with moderate ARPU (value propositions, budget services, minimal subscriptions), Mobily or Zain may give better conversion at a lower cost.
- For testing, caching, or CPA/CPI campaigns, it makes sense to launch on multiple operators simultaneously to assess where the traffic is “cleaner” and where the conversion rate is higher.
- The multi-SIM user structure provides an opportunity to target users who may have different operational SIM cards and are potentially open to adopting a new service without changing their primary SIM.
- Due to active 5G development and increased mobile data consumption, the mVAS market in KSA is on a strong growth trend.
3. mVAS Specifics in KSA: What Converts Best
Top Service Categories:
- Gaming portals and gaming subscriptions.
- Fitness & well-being services.
- Religious content (Islamic videos, prayers, education).
- Educational platforms (languages, professional skills).
- Entertainment content: video, music, lifestyle.
Technical Points to Consider:
- PIN flow via DCB is frequently used.
- A pre-lander with a clear Call to Action (CTA) works better than aggressive push advertising.
- Animations, bright banners, and vertical video have a high Click-Through Rate (CTR).
- A/B testing languages (English + Arabic) significantly boosts the CR.
4. Socio-Cultural Specifics of Saudi Arabia Affecting Marketing
KSA has a unique culture, and successful campaigns must account for user behavior specificities.
1. Religious Population
Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country with very strong religious traditions. Therefore, the following are prohibited:
- 18+ content (adult).
- Gambling (betting, etc.).
- Provocative creatives, nudity, or violation of ethical norms.
Instead, the following work well:
- Family-friendly creatives.
- Religious and educational services.
- Content that emphasizes utility and value.
2. Young Population
Over 60% of residents are under 35. They:
- Actively use mobile subscriptions.
- Spend significant time on social networks.
- Respond quickly to modern digital trends.
3. High Income and Premium Content Affinity
People in KSA are willing to pay for quality: educational courses, exclusive content, fitness platforms, and mobile games.
4. Language and Localization
Arabic works best, but young people often understand English. Recommendation: Test both locales.
5. Launching Affiliate Campaigns in KSA: Practitioner Tips
✔️ Use culturally adapted creatives: Avoid risky themes and choose clean-style graphics.
✔️ Add Arabic Localization: CTR and CR significantly increase with local content.
✔️ Be aware that carriers are strict about traffic quality: Low-quality sources are rejected faster here than in many other GEOs.
✔️ Test different subscription flows: Especially effective are:
- 2-click flows
- PIN-submit
✔️ Target high-value segments: In KSA, premium content performs much better than “mass-market” low-quality product VAS.
Conclusion
Saudi Arabia is a strategically important GEO for those working with mVAS offers. The powerful mobile infrastructure, high ARPU, a large share of the young audience, and deep digitalization make the market exceptionally promising.
However, success requires considering cultural specificities, strict operator requirements, and prioritizing high-quality, locally adapted creatives.
For affiliate marketers aiming to scale in the mVAS vertical, KSA is not just another GEO, but a real growth point with stable payouts and strong potential.
