01
Performance budget
We set targets for page weight, scripts and Core Web Vitals up front, then test against them in staging and report before launch.
Custom WordPress theme development in Dubai written like software, handed over like a product.
Block themes with theme.json, ACF Pro blocks, Gutenberg patterns and a git workflow. A theme your next developer can read, and your editors can use.
FromAED 9,950
With commerceAED 22,000
Timeline4 to 8 weeks
Theme typeBlock theme
Custom WordPress theme development in Dubai starts from AED 9,950, excluding 5% VAT, for a bespoke block theme with ACF Pro blocks, English and Arabic support and a measured performance budget. Larger builds with WooCommerce or bookings are AED 22,000. Most projects take 4 to 8 weeks.
Updated · Prices in AED, excluding 5% VAT
- Fixed price in writingScope and AED price agreed before work starts
- You own everythingStore, domain, code and accounts in your name
- 30-day fix windowBugs after launch are fixed at no charge
- Reply in one working dayFrom a senior person, not a form robot
Block themes
theme.json is the design system
A modern WordPress theme starts with theme.json: colours, type scale, spacing, layout widths and block settings defined once. Editors then choose from your palette and sizes instead of picking arbitrary values. The design stays consistent because the system enforces it, and the front end ships less CSS because styles are generated from the same source.
- Colour, type and spacing tokens defined in theme.json
- Block styles and variations for buttons, quotes, cards and media
- Templates and template parts editable in the site editor, where it helps
- Custom CSS kept small, in one place, and commented
ACF Pro blocks and patterns
Structured content, flexible pages
Where content has a shape, we give it fields. ACF Pro blocks render server-side templates from structured data, so a services grid, a team list or a location card stays consistent wherever it appears. Gutenberg patterns then give editors ready-made page sections to insert and adjust, within limits we set.
- Blocks registered in code and versioned with the theme
- Patterns for common page sections, such as hero, feature row, FAQ and contact band
- Custom post types for services, team, projects and locations
- Clear field labels and help text written for your editors
Custom theme or page builder
Where each approach earns its place
We build both. Here is how we decide.
| Page builder | Custom block theme | |
|---|---|---|
| Time to first version | Fast | Slower, more design work first |
| Front-end weight | Builder scripts and styles load on every page | Only the CSS and JS the page uses |
| Design control | Wide, includes room to break the brand | Defined by your tokens and blocks |
| Accessibility | Depends on each widget and the editor's care | Built into every block, tested |
| Developer handover | Needs someone who knows that builder | Standard WordPress and PHP, in git |
| Content portability | Markup tied to the builder | Content stays in blocks and fields |
| Long-term cost | Licence renewals and plugin upgrades | Maintained code you own |
If your team redesigns pages weekly, a page builder may be the honest answer. If the site is a brand asset for years, custom is usually cheaper over time.
Quality bar
What every theme ships with
02
Accessibility
Semantic landmarks, visible focus, keyboard navigation, colour contrast and form labels, checked with automated tools and by hand against WCAG 2.2 AA as our target.
03
Multilingual
English and Arabic using Polylang or WPML. We pick one based on your editors and budget, then set up RTL styles, translated slugs and hreflang.
04
Git and staging
Code in a repository you own, a staging site for review, and deployments that can be rolled back.
05
Security hygiene
No unnecessary plugins, escaped output, validated input, and role permissions trimmed to what each person needs.
06
Schema and SEO
Structured data, clean heading order and editor-friendly metadata fields, compatible with your SEO plugin of choice.
Process
How a theme build runs
Four to eight weeks depending on the number of block types, languages and integrations.
- Week 1
Audit and content model
We list the content types, blocks and patterns the site needs, and agree the fields for each.
- Weeks 1 to 2
Design system
Tokens, type, components and key templates designed together, with Arabic layouts reviewed alongside English.
- Weeks 2 to 6
Build in git
Theme, blocks and integrations built on staging. You review working pages, not screenshots.
- Next
Test and tune
Performance, accessibility, browser and device checks, then fixes against the written budget.
- Handover
Documentation and training
A README for developers, an editor guide, a recorded session and a 30-day fix window.
Handover
A theme the next developer can pick up in an afternoon
Many WordPress sites become hostage to whoever built them. We work the other way. The repository holds the theme, build scripts and a README that explains how to run it locally, how blocks are registered and how to deploy. Staging mirrors production, deployments can be rolled back, and your editors get a guide written for their tasks, such as adding a service, publishing news or translating a page.
- Repository transferred to your organisation at launch
- Coding standards enforced with linting, so the code stays consistent
- Recorded editor training you can replay for new staff
- Optional care plan if you prefer us to keep it running
Stack
Tools in the repository
Theme
- Block theme
- theme.json
- PHP templates for dynamic blocks
- Vite or wp-scripts build
Content
- ACF Pro blocks
- Custom post types
- Gutenberg patterns
- Block variations
Language
- Polylang or WPML
- RTL styles
- Arabic fonts
- Translated slugs
Workflow
- Git
- Staging environment
- PHP and JS linting
- Lighthouse and axe in review
Pricing
Fixed scope, excluding 5% VAT
Over AED 20,000 we invoice 30% at start, 40% at design approval and 30% at launch.
Configured theme
AED 3,950
A quality starting theme set up to your brand, for simple sites.
- 2 to 4 weeks
- Brand colours and type
- Core pages and forms
- No custom blocks
Custom block theme
AED 9,950
Bespoke theme with ACF Pro blocks, patterns and a performance budget.
- Custom design
- ACF Pro blocks and patterns
- English and Arabic
- Git, staging and handover
- 4 to 8 weeks
Theme with WooCommerce or bookings
AED 22,000
Custom theme plus a store or booking flow.
- Everything in Custom
- Styled shop or booking templates
- Payment gateway setup
- Order and booking emails
Care plans from AED 395 a month cover updates, backups and small changes after launch.
Who we are not for
When we are the wrong choice.
A fair view, so you do not pay for more than you need.
01
A five-page site on a small budget
Our WordPress business site starts at AED 3,950 on a well-built base theme. A custom theme starts at AED 9,950.
02
You want to drag and drop every page
We build fixed, fast blocks your team fills in. If you want a free-form page builder, a theme made for that fits better.
03
Mostly an online shop
If selling products is the main job, Shopify is usually simpler to run. See the Shopify agency page.
Based in Dubai, working remotely
Zelqori is a Dubai-based ecommerce and performance marketing agency.
Zelqori builds ecommerce websites and runs performance marketing for premium brands across Dubai, the rest of the UAE, the GCC and globally. We are based in Dubai and work remotely by design: projects run on Gulf Standard Time over Google Meet, WhatsApp and a shared project channel, and we meet clients in Dubai by appointment.
- Based in DubaiDubai time (GST), replies within one working day
- Remote by designGoogle Meet and WhatsApp, meetings in Dubai by appointment
- Dubai, GCC, globalUAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman and beyond
- One teamThe store, the ads and the tracking built by the same people
A store only sells when the right people see it. See our performance marketing →
Design studies
Work that shows how we think.
Stores and systems we designed and engineered to show how we approach a brief like yours.
Questions
Answers before you call.
Prices are in AED and exclude 5% VAT.
A block theme builds its templates and styles from blocks, with design settings in theme.json, so the site editor can adjust headers, footers and templates. It is WordPress's current direction and keeps front-end code lean.
Core blocks suit free-form content. ACF Pro blocks suit content with a fixed shape, such as service cards or team members, where you want consistent markup and simple fields. We use both where each fits.
Both work for English and Arabic. Polylang is lighter and simpler to maintain. WPML offers more translation management features for larger teams. We recommend one after seeing how many editors and languages you have.
Usually, because it contains only what your site uses. Premium themes often bundle many features. We set a performance budget and share the Lighthouse report, so you see the real result.
Yes. It is standard WordPress and PHP in a git repository, with a README, coding standards and comments. That is a core reason to choose custom over a builder.
We build to WCAG 2.2 AA as a target, with semantic markup, keyboard support and contrast checks. Full conformance also depends on your content, such as image descriptions, which we cover in editor training.
Yes. We rebuild the design as blocks and fields, move your content, and set up redirects so search visibility is protected. Scope depends on how much page-builder markup needs rewriting.
You get a 30-day fix window for defects. After that, a care plan from AED 395 a month covers updates, backups and small edits, or your own team can take it on.
Read next
Start a project
Send us the design or the problem
Share your current site or a design file. We reply with a block list, a timeline and a fixed price.