Key Takeaways
"Rent Now, Pay Later" (RNPL) services help tenants avoid the large upfront payments required by the traditional 1- or 2-cheque system in the UAE.
This article compares the top RNPL providers in the UAE—including Rently, Keyper, Rentify, and ezy.rent—on key features like property eligibility, security deposit coverage, and geographic reach.
Key differences emerge in crucial areas such as the freedom to choose any property, bundled security deposit coverage, and multi-emirate support.
With features like support for any property and bundled security deposit coverage, Rently UAE offers a flexible solution to reduce upfront move-in costs.
Imagine this: you've finally found the perfect apartment in Dubai. Great location, right price, the ideal number of bedrooms. Then your agent hands you the tenancy agreement — and you realise you need to hand over AED 60,000 to AED 80,000 upfront, in one or two cheques, before you can even get the keys.
For the vast majority of expats and professionals in the UAE, that's not a small ask. It's a cash-flow crisis waiting to happen.
That's exactly why Rent Now, Pay Later (RNPL) services have become one of the fastest-growing categories in UAE proptech. Instead of providing a year's rent in a single payment, you use an RNPL provider as an intermediary: they pay your landlord upfront in full, and you pay them in 12 manageable monthly payments. On paper, it sounds like the obvious solution.
But dig into any Reddit thread on the topic and you'll quickly encounter the elephant in the room. Tenants are asking the right questions — and not always getting clear answers:
"I know one from Keyper but they charge too much." — r/UAE
"I'm considering using their services but worry if they're legit or not!" — r/dubai
"Would you be able to give me a brief walkthrough of how you rented a unit through Rently? Would really appreciate it." — r/dubai
These aren't unreasonable concerns. Fees, legitimacy, documentation, and process clarity are all valid decision criteria — and this information isn't always addressed directly.
This article does the opposite. We’ll directly compare how Rently’s flexible approach stacks up against other options like Keyper, Rentify, and ezy.rent across the key criteria that matter to tenants: property eligibility, security deposit coverage, geographic reach, and approval speed. This is a clear-eyed guide to help you make the right call.
Meet the Contenders
Rently UAE is a UAE-born tenancy support platform that pays your full annual rent and security deposit upfront to the landlord, while you pay in 12 monthly payments. It works with any residential property from any portal, landlord, or agent across five emirates.
Keyper is a Dubai proptech player offering RNPL services integrated with the Property Finder ecosystem. Its service is primarily tied to listings on that specific portal.
Rentify offers a similar RNPL service called Rentify Pay. It allows tenants to pay rent monthly for any property but is primarily focused on the Dubai market.
ezy.rent is a Dubai-based PropTech platform offering RNPL services that work with any property, with a focus on a streamlined user experience.
Rewa operates on a different model. It is not an RNPL service but a "rewards-first" platform that allows tenants to pay their rent via credit card to earn points, rather than splitting the full year's rent into installments.
What the Numbers Actually Mean: A Deep Dive
1. Freedom to Choose Your Home (Property Eligibility)
This is arguably the most important factor for many tenants. Your ability to use an RNPL service shouldn't restrict your property search.
Rently, Rentify, and ezy.rent are all property-agnostic. Whether you find your next home on Bayut, Dubizzle, Property Finder, or through a personal contact, these services can accommodate your choice. There is no required portal or approved list of properties, meaning you can find your ideal home first and arrange payments later.
Keyper, by contrast, is integrated into the Property Finder ecosystem. This means its RNPL service is primarily available for properties listed on that specific portal. If your perfect apartment is listed elsewhere, you may have to compromise on your property choice or find an alternative payment solution.
Bottom line: While most RNPL providers offer flexibility, Keyper's model restricts you to a single platform. Rently, Rentify, and ezy.rent give you the freedom to choose any property on the market.
2. Speed to Secure Your Lease (Approval Time)
The UAE rental market moves fast. A well-priced apartment can receive multiple inquiries within hours. If your financing takes days to confirm, you could lose the property.
Rently offers a 24-hour approval process for eligible applicants, a critical advantage in a competitive market. Uniquely, Rently also provides pre-approval, allowing house-hunters to get their financing sorted before they even find a property. This means you can make an offer immediately once you find your ideal home.
The approval timelines for Keyper, Rentify, and ezy.rent are not publicly stated. Without a guaranteed fast turnaround or a pre-approval option, tenants may face uncertainty when trying to close a deal quickly.
3. The True Cost of Convenience (Fees & Transparency)
Fees are a common point of discussion in online forums — and understandably so. RNPL is not a free service; you are paying for the convenience of monthly payments, and that service has a cost. The question is how transparent and fair that cost is.
Rently charges a personalised service fee based on your credit history, monthly financial obligations, and your landlord's preferred payment method. This means no two quotes are identical — which is actually a fairer model, since it reflects your actual risk profile rather than applying a one-size-fits-all markup.
To give you a real-world anchor: based on Rently's own website calculator, an annual rent of AED 100,000 results in a monthly payment of approximately AED 9,375 — totalling AED 112,500 over 12 months, implying an approximate 12.5% annualised service fee. Some Reddit users have estimated up to 13–16% for higher-risk profiles.
Rently is licensed in the UAE under Prime Refin Real Estate L.L.C. (Trade Licence: 1381941) — a detail confirmed by community members on Reddit who did their due diligence. So for those wondering about legitimacy: it's a regulated entity.
Keyper uses a flat fee structure, which some users have described as feeling expensive — hence the Reddit comment about them charging "too much." A flat rate can work fine for average-risk applicants, but it lacks the nuance of a profile-based system.
ezy.rent similarly operates on a flat fee, and while it promotes transparency on its website, the actual cost at contract stage can vary.
The takeaway: While no RNPL service is without cost, you're paying for the convenience of avoiding a large lump-sum payment. A personalised fee like Rently's ensures you're not overpaying for a risk profile that doesn't match yours.
4. Eliminating the Upfront Burden (Security Deposit Coverage)
Here's a detail that most RNPL comparisons overlook — and it's a big one.
Signing a new tenancy in the UAE typically requires a security deposit of 5% of the annual rent for unfurnished properties, and up to 10% for furnished ones. On a AED 100,000/year flat, that's AED 5,000 to AED 10,000 on top of everything else — due upfront, alongside your first cheque.
Rently is the only major RNPL provider that bundles security deposit coverage into its core service. During the application, you simply use a toggle to have Rently pay the deposit directly to your landlord along with the rent. The cost is then distributed across your 12 monthly payments. At the end of your lease, the landlord returns the full deposit directly to you.
Keyper, Rentify, and ezy.rent do not offer integrated security deposit coverage. With these services, you still need to find thousands of dirhams upfront for the deposit, which partially undermines the goal of reducing large move-in costs.
For a newly arrived expat managing relocation costs, or a family upgrading to a bigger home while managing school fees and moving expenses, this single feature can be the difference between a financially stressful start and a smooth one.
5. Where Can You Actually Use It? (Geographic Coverage)
While many residents work in Dubai, they may choose to live in other emirates for better value or a different lifestyle.
Rently offers the widest geographic coverage, operating in five emirates: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah. This provides flexibility for residents across the UAE, not just those in Dubai.
In contrast, Keyper, Rentify, and ezy.rent are all primarily focused on the Dubai market, with Keyper also having a presence in Abu Dhabi. For tenants looking for properties in Sharjah or the Northern Emirates, these services may not be an option, making Rently the more versatile choice.
Your Next Lease Doesn't Have to Start With a Cheque
Choosing a "rent now, pay later" service isn't just about splitting payments. The real difference lies in the details: whether you can pick any apartment you want, how quickly you can get approved, and whether the service also covers your security deposit. Some providers lock you into their network, while others give you the freedom to search anywhere.
If you're in the middle of your apartment search, these details matter now more than ever. The Dubai rental market moves quickly, and losing the right place because your financing is slow or tied to a specific platform is a frustrating, and avoidable, outcome. The time to figure out your payment options is before you're sitting with a tenancy contract in hand, feeling the pressure to sign.
We designed our service around these pain points. We cover the full annual rent and the security deposit, so your only upfront cost is your first month's payment. Our online application takes about two minutes, and you can check your monthly estimate before your next viewing to see your potential monthly payments.
FAQs
What is a "Rent Now, Pay Later" (RNPL) service?
A "Rent Now, Pay Later" service is a service that pays your annual rent upfront to the landlord in one or two cheques. You then pay the service provider in 12 monthly payments, avoiding a large initial cash outlay.
Do I have to choose a property from a specific website to use Rently?
No, you do not have to choose a property from a specific website to use Rently. Rently works with any residential property found on any platform—like Bayut, Dubizzle, or Property Finder—or even one you found directly through a landlord.
How long does Rently's approval process take?
Getting approved with Rently typically takes just 24 hours for eligible applicants. The company also offers pre-approval, so you can secure your payment arrangement even before you have found the perfect home.
Does "Rent Now, Pay Later" also cover the security deposit?
Yes, Rently's "Rent Now, Pay Later" service can also cover your security deposit. You can choose to bundle the deposit into your monthly payments, and your landlord returns it directly to you at the end of the lease.
What documents do I need to apply for an RNPL service in the UAE?
To apply for an RNPL service in the UAE, you typically need proof of income (like a salary certificate), your Emirates ID or UAE Pass, and an AECB credit report. Most providers, including Rently, offer a fully digital application process.
