Our Favourite Family Money-Saving Apps in the UAE

Family life in the UAE is full of amazing things to do, but those restaurant meals, beach days, children’s activities and shopping trips can quickly add up. With two girls and a family calendar that always seems to be full, I have learned that saving money is often less about staying home and more about planning our spending properly.

Before we book an activity, reserve a restaurant or plan a pool day, we usually check whether one of our favourite apps can make it more affordable. Sometimes the saving is a buy-one-get-one-free offer. Sometimes it is discounted entry, complimentary access or points that can be used against a future purchase.

These are four of our favourite family money-saving apps and memberships in the UAE: The ENTERTAINER, Fazaa, Privilee and AURA.

They work in different ways, and not every option will suit every family. The secret is knowing what each one does best and using it for spending that was already part of your plans.

1. The ENTERTAINER

The ENTERTAINER is one of the first places we check when planning a family meal, attraction or day out.

It is best known for its buy-one-get-one-free offers, with deals across restaurants, brunches, attractions, activities, spas, salons, fitness venues and hotels. The exact participating venues and offer conditions can change, so we always search the app before deciding where to go.

For families, the savings can be significant. Paying for two children at an attraction or ordering several main meals at a restaurant quickly increases the bill. If the venue has a suitable two-for-one offer, one redemption can sometimes make a noticeable difference to the total cost.

We find it especially useful for:

• Family meals and casual dining
• Brunches
• Children’s attractions and activities
• Waterparks and theme parks
• Staycations and hotel experiences
• Trying somewhere new without paying the full price for everyone

The ENTERTAINER works best when you check it before making plans. Instead of choosing a venue and hoping there is an offer, we often browse the available options first and use them to help us decide where to go.

However, a discount is only a saving if it is something you genuinely wanted. There is no point driving across the UAE or spending more than planned simply because an offer is available.

Our tip for using The ENTERTAINER

Search the exact branch before visiting and read the offer conditions carefully. Some offers may not apply on public holidays, special occasions or certain menu items. If you are unsure, call the venue before booking.

For a family that regularly eats out or visits paid attractions, the membership can often pay for itself surprisingly quickly.

2. Fazaa

Fazaa is one of those apps that is easy to forget about until you remember just how many different areas it can cover.

It is not limited to restaurants and entertainment. Depending on your membership type and the offers available, Fazaa can provide savings across everyday shopping, food and consumer products, travel, hotels, entertainment, healthcare, education, transport and other family-related services.

That variety is what makes it useful for family life. The biggest savings are not always attached to a glamorous day out. Sometimes it is a discount on something practical that we already needed to buy.

We check Fazaa for:

• Entertainment and attraction tickets
• Hotel and travel offers
• Restaurants and food-related discounts
• Retail purchases
• Family services and everyday expenses
• Limited-time promotions

Eligibility and benefits can vary, so families should check which Fazaa membership they qualify for and what is currently included. During the UAE’s Year of the Family 2026, Fazaa also introduced a free discount membership initiative for eligible resident families. As programmes and eligibility rules can change, it is best to apply through the official Fazaa website or app and confirm the current terms.

Our tip for using Fazaa

Do not only open the app when you are planning something expensive. Check it before routine purchases too. Smaller savings used regularly can add up to more than one large discount used once a year.

3. Privilee

Privilee is different from a traditional discount app. It is a paid lifestyle and wellness membership that provides access to participating hotel pools, private beaches, gyms, fitness facilities and selected family-friendly venues across the UAE.

At first glance, the membership cost can seem high. Whether it saves money depends entirely on how often your family will use it.

For families who enjoy regular pool and beach days, Privilee can replace the cost of repeatedly purchasing resort day passes. Selected venues offer family-friendly pools, splash areas, kids’ clubs or waterpark access, although children’s access rules, ages and availability differ by location and membership.

It can also combine family leisure with adult fitness. Rather than paying separately for a gym membership, fitness classes and weekend resort access, one membership may cover several parts of your lifestyle.

We see the greatest value in Privilee for:

• Regular family pool and beach days
• Access to participating five-star resorts
• Gym and fitness access for adults
• Trying different venues instead of returning to the same hotel
• Restaurant and spa savings at selected locations
• Planning easy weekends without booking a full staycation

The real saving comes from frequency. If you only want a hotel pool day once or twice a year, individual day passes will probably make more sense. If your family uses Privilee several times a month, especially during the UAE’s cooler months, the cost per visit can become much more reasonable.

Our tip for using Privilee

Before joining, make a realistic list of the nearby venues you would actually use. Check the children’s access rules, excluded dates, booking requirements and whether your preferred locations are available on the membership you are considering.

Do the calculation based on your normal habits, not your most ambitious version of family life.

4. AURA

AURA is the easiest app on this list to justify because membership is free.

It is Alshaya’s lifestyle rewards programme, allowing members to earn points at participating brands across categories including fashion, beauty, footwear, home and dining. Points can then be redeemed against eligible future purchases or selected rewards.

For our family, AURA is useful because it connects spending across multiple familiar brands. Instead of collecting small amounts of value in several unrelated places, the points build within one programme.

Participating brands and exclusions can change, but the AURA network includes popular names across shopping and dining. The app also features member-only prices, personalised offers, bonus-point opportunities and different membership tiers.

We use AURA for:

• Collecting points on eligible family shopping
• Earning rewards when eating at participating restaurants
• Checking member-only offers before buying
• Using accumulated points towards future purchases
• Taking advantage of bonus-point promotions when they match something we already need

Because joining is free, there is very little downside. The main challenge is remembering to scan the app or connect your membership whenever you make an eligible purchase.

Our tip for using AURA

Open the app before shopping rather than afterwards. Check for bonus offers or member prices and make sure your AURA membership is linked when ordering online. Also keep an eye on point expiry dates so the value you have earned is not wasted.

The ENTERTAINER tends to deliver the most obvious immediate saving because you can see the second meal, ticket or experience removed from the bill.

Fazaa can save money across a much wider range of family expenses, including purchases we may already need to make.

Privilee can offer excellent value, but only when it is used regularly. It is the one that requires the most honest calculation before joining.

AURA is the easiest one to keep because it is free and rewards purchases at participating brands without requiring a paid subscription.

How we avoid spending more in the name of saving

Discount apps can be incredibly useful, but they can also tempt us to spend money we had not planned to spend.

Our basic rule is simple: decide what we want to do or buy, then look for a saving. We try not to buy something purely because an app tells us it is discounted.

Before using an offer, we ask:

• Would we have bought this without the discount?
• Is the participating venue convenient for us?
• Are there restrictions that make the offer difficult to use?
• Does the final price still fit our family budget?
• Will we realistically use a paid membership often enough?

This turns the apps into budgeting tools rather than excuses to spend.

Small habits can create meaningful savings

Living in the UAE gives families access to an incredible range of restaurants, attractions, resorts and experiences. We do not want to miss out on those things, but we also do not want every family day to place unnecessary pressure on our budget.

The ENTERTAINER, Fazaa, Privilee and AURA help us enjoy more of what the UAE offers while being smarter about what we pay. Some deliver instant discounts, while others create value over time. Used properly, they can reduce the cost of everything from a casual dinner to a full family resort day.

The most important lesson we have learned is to check before paying. A few minutes spent searching the apps can make a genuine difference to the cost of family life, and those savings can be put towards the next meal, day out or memory together.

Offers, memberships, participating venues, eligibility requirements and prices may change. Always check the latest conditions in the relevant app before making a booking or purchase.