In this article 7 sections
To send bulk WhatsApp messages in Saudi Arabia, format numbers as 966 plus the mobile number without the leading 0, write in Arabic first, send Sunday to Thursday in working hours, and message only people who agreed. Saudi spam rules require an easy opt-out, honoured within 24 hours. LeadTrapper costs $50 a year, SAR 187.50.
- Saudi mobile numbers start with 05 locally; for WhatsApp, drop the 0 and add 966: 050 123 4567 becomes 966501234567.
- The CST's Regulations for Curbing Spam Messages and Calls expect consent for promotional messages, a free and easy unsubscribe, and opt-outs honoured within 24 hours.
- The PDPL asks for opt-in consent before using personal data for direct marketing; keep a record of who agreed.
- The Saudi working week is Sunday to Thursday; Friday and Saturday are the weekend.
- LeadTrapper costs $50 a year, SAR 187.50 at the riyal's fixed rate of 3.75, with no per-message fees.
WhatsApp is how most Saudi customers talk to a business: a restaurant in Riyadh, a car service centre in Jeddah, an online abaya shop in Dammam. Sending one offer to all your customers saves hours, but Saudi Arabia also has some of the clearest rules in the region on promotional messages. This guide covers the 966 number format, Arabic messages, the spam and data protection rules, and timing, so your campaigns win customers instead of complaints.
Format Saudi Numbers Correctly
Saudi mobile numbers are written locally with a 0 and nine more digits (for example 050, 054, 055 or 056). For WhatsApp, drop the 0 and add the country code 966:
| In your sheet | For WhatsApp |
|---|---|
| 050 123 4567 | 966501234567 |
| +966 55 987 6543 | 966559876543 |
| 00966 54 765 4321 | 966547654321 |
The free number formatter tool fixes a whole column at once. In LeadTrapper, Check Numbers adds 966 to local numbers when you choose Saudi Arabia, and removes numbers that aren’t on WhatsApp before you send. For the general rules, see the WhatsApp number format guide.
Write in Arabic First
Most Saudi customers read Arabic first. Put the Arabic on top and a short English line below for expatriate customers:
مرحباً {{name}}، عروض نهاية الأسبوع في فرعنا في {{city}}: خصم 20% حتى السبت. أرسل "نعم" للتفاصيل، أو "إيقاف" لإيقاف العروض.
Hi {{name}}, 20% off at our {{city}} branch until Saturday. Reply YES for details or STOP to stop offers.
Send your first Saudi campaign free for 14 days
Write two or three versions so not every customer gets the same words, as the guide to message variations explains, and add the Arabic replies (نعم, إيقاف) to your auto reply rules. The Arabic templates here were written by us, not checked by a native-speaking copywriter.
The Saudi Rules for Marketing Messages
- The CST spam regulations. The Communications, Space and Technology Commission's Regulations for Curbing Spam Messages and Calls cover electronic promotional messages. Summaries by law firms and Saudi messaging providers describe the core rules: get explicit consent first, keep proof of it, include a free and easy way to unsubscribe, and stop within 24 hours of an opt-out.
- The PDPL. Under the Personal Data Protection Law and its implementing regulations, using personal data for direct marketing needs the person's opt-in consent, and the way to opt out must be at least as easy as the way to opt in. SDAIA opened a consultation on changes to these regulations in October 2026, so check for updates.
- The E-Commerce Law. Electronic advertising by an online seller must include a clear way to stop receiving it, and the seller must honour the request.
- WhatsApp's own policy. WhatsApp's business messaging policy asks for the same: message people who gave their number and agreed, and stop when asked.
In practice: send only to your own customers, add “أرسل إيقاف لإيقاف العروض” (send STOP to stop offers) to every offer, and keep a do-not-send list. This is a summary, not legal advice.
Sector Rules
- Property: every property ad needs its own REGA advertising licence, social media included. See WhatsApp marketing for real estate.
- Clinics: no diagnoses or treatment claims in messages. See the clinic reminder guide.
- Restaurants: no rewards for reviews. See the guide for restaurants.
When to Send
- Sunday to Thursday. The Saudi working week. Thursday afternoon suits weekend offers.
- Ramadan. Days shift around iftar and suhoor. Send in the afternoon or after iftar; the Ramadan templates guide has the 2027 dates.
- National moments. Founding Day (22 February) and Saudi National Day (23 September) are public holidays with many offers, and White Friday sales in late November.
- Payday. Government salaries are paid around the 27th of each Gregorian month, and many people shop in the days after.
- Pause hours. Set pause hours in LeadTrapper so nothing goes out at night.
Send Your First Campaign
- Open Check Numbers, upload your Excel list and choose Saudi Arabia. Local numbers get 966; numbers without WhatsApp are removed.
- Press Send messages to these: the list moves to Send Bulk Messages with names from your file.
- Write the message in Arabic and English, with codes from your columns such as
{{city}}. - Choose the Safe speed, set pause hours, and press Start Sending or Send Later.
LeadTrapper costs $50 a year, SAR 187.50 at the riyal’s fixed rate of 3.75 to the dollar, with no per-message fees. For what other tools cost, see the comparison of WhatsApp bulk sender prices. To build a list of Saudi businesses, the Saudi B2B lead generation guide shows where to find them.
Sources
- CST. Approval of Regulations for Curbing SPAM Messages and Calls.
- Al Tamimi & Company. Navigating the legal landscape of marketing consent in Saudi Arabia.
- Unifonic. A short guide to the SMS compliance landscape in KSA (24-hour opt-out).
- Al Tamimi & Company. SDAIA opens public consultation on proposed amendments to the PDPL Implementing Regulation, October 2026.
- WhatsApp. WhatsApp Business Messaging Policy.
The WhatsApp bulk sender is part of LeadTrapper for Windows, which costs $50 a year with a 14-day free trial. LeadTrapper is not affiliated with or endorsed by WhatsApp.
Before you send: warm up new or quiet numbers first with the WhatsApp warmer (LeadTrapper's Account Warmer), which runs in the same app.
Frequently Asked Questions
Marketing on WhatsApp is common in Saudi Arabia, but promotional messages are regulated. The CST spam regulations expect consent and an easy unsubscribe, honoured within 24 hours, and the PDPL requires opt-in consent for direct marketing using personal data. Message people who agreed to hear from you and let them stop. This is not legal advice.
Drop the leading 0 and add 966: 050 123 4567 becomes 966501234567, and 055 987 6543 becomes 966559876543. In LeadTrapper's Check Numbers, choose Saudi Arabia and local numbers get 966 added automatically.
Sunday to Thursday, in working hours, and Thursday afternoon for weekend offers. In Ramadan, send in the afternoon or after iftar. Keep offers away from late night.
LeadTrapper is $50 a year, SAR 187.50, with no per-message fees. Official API platforms charge a monthly plan plus Meta's fee for every marketing message.
About LeadTrapper
LeadTrapper is a Windows app for finding business leads and contacting them on WhatsApp. It collects business contacts from Google Maps, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, LinkedIn and business websites, checks which numbers are on WhatsApp with its Number Filter, and sends personalised campaigns with automatic delays from one or more WhatsApp accounts. It also has a chatbot, a shared inbox for every account, and Store Orders for online shops. It installs from the Microsoft Store, and the full app is free for 14 days, then $50 a year. Free web tools, browser extensions and a Wix app are listed on the Free Tools page.
Send Your Next Saudi Offer in Arabic and English
LeadTrapper for Windows sends WhatsApp campaigns from your own Saudi numbers, with pause hours and safe pacing. $50/year (SAR 187.50), 14-day free trial.
