Executive Summary
Global Rank
#1,851
Monthly Visits
~23.18M
Avg Duration
3m 4s
Pages/Visit
5.18
Strategic Overview
Regional brand leadership and high user traffic in MENA, Localized platforms and language support, Established mobile and web ecosystem, Investor backing from major regional funds.
User trust undermined by scam/fraud prevalence, Challenging moderation at scale in multi-country footprints, Intense competition from global ecommerce and local classified startups, Exposure to shifting regulatory environments in target geographies.
Our Verdict
Upside & Downside Analysis
The Bull Case
3 PointsLeading Classifieds Platform in MENA
- OpenSooq attracts over 23 million monthly visits and ranks in the global top 2,000 sites.
- Strong presence in Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, Oman, and Iraq.
- Serves over 65 million regional users via web and mobile apps.
Proven Monetization and Funding
- Reported annual revenue between $15–25M with sustained YoY growth.
- $24M+ in funding raised with notable investors like Saudi Jordanian Investment Fund and iMENA Group.
- Ongoing expansion across markets and product categories.
Moat Through Localization
- Heavy focus on Arabic language markets, customized features for local buyers/sellers.
- Physical offices and teams in 8+ countries ensure regulatory compliance and market fit.
The Bear Case
3 PointsFraud/Security Issues Impact User Trust
- Frequent complaints of scams, phishing links, and weak moderation.
- App and site review platforms consistently note user-targeted fraud.
- Vigilance is needed to avoid negative PR and ongoing trust erosion.
Competitive Risks
- Faces pressure from international (Amazon, Alibaba, Noon) and local classified platforms.
- Differentiation could erode if global players expand MENA focus or invest in regional languages.
Regulatory and Scaling Challenges
- Operating in diverse legal regimes with varied censorship and e-commerce regulations.
- Maintaining moderation quality at scale is operationally difficult with user-generated content.
Domain Integrity
OpenSooq.com is a mature domain (since 2007), hosted on AWS with valid Amazon-issued SSL and robust DNS security.
| Registrar | Name.com, Inc. |
|---|---|
| Domain Age | Apr 11, 2007 (18 years old) |
| Security Status |
Registry Locked
SSL: Amazon RSA 2048 M02
|
Reputation
0 Reviews
Sentiment Analysis
The platform is well-established and not blacklisted, but suffers a significant volume of scam complaints on third-party forums and app reviews.
Common Themes
Traffic Distribution
| Top Countries | Traffic Share | Trend |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
30.80% |
|
|
Egypt
|
13.70% |
|
|
United Arab Emirates
|
11.50% |
|
|
Oman
|
9.50% |
|
|
Iraq
|
9.30% |
|
Competition
| Competitor Type | Threat Analysis |
|---|---|
| MENA classifieds – local | Market share competition, especially in country-specific verticals (e.g., Haraj.com.sa, Dubizzle, mstaml.com) |
| Global e-commerce & marketplaces | Brand strength and resources of Amazon, Alibaba, Noon present long-term disruptive potential |
| Social media (Facebook Marketplace) | Ease of entry for consumer-to-consumer sales, informal substitutes, especially in mobile-first regions |
SWOT Analysis
Strengths
- Market leader for classifieds in MENA
- Strong, established domain and user base
- Localized user experience
- Mobile-first strategy with broad app reach
- Diverse revenue from listing upgrades and advertising
Weaknesses
- Frequent user reports of scams and fraud
- Mixed reputation outside core markets
- Scaling moderation and trust systems is difficult
- Dependent on changing regulatory climates
Opportunities
- Expansion into new MENA countries/verticals
- Enhanced AI/ML moderation systems
- Partnerships with local e-commerce and fintech
- Deeper monetization of premium listings
Threats
- Intense competition from global and local players
- Regulatory tightening or policy shifts
- Reputational damage if scams increase
- Potential loss of user trust and engagement
Tech Stack
Cloud & Hosting
Primary hosting via Amazon AWS and Route 53 with a distributed CDN (Amazon CloudFront, Cloudflare, jsDelivr, Amazon S3).
Security/SSL
Amazon-issued SSL, HSTS enforced, and modern anti-bot/CAPTCHA tools like Google reCAPTCHA for user security.
App & Site Analytics
Metrics and user behavior monitored by Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity, Mixpanel, and Facebook Insights.
Email & Communication
Transactional and support mail handled by G Suite, SendGrid, and Zendesk, ensuring robust customer support.
Multilingual & Localized Experience
Localized platforms via HREF LANG for regional Arabic variants, plus content in English and French for specific markets.
Key Risks
| Identified Risk | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|
| High rate of user-targeted scams/fraud impacting platform trust | High | Ongoing upgrades to moderation, communication advising users on scam avoidance, and automation in fraud detection. Room for improvement in AI/ML enforcement. |
| Regulatory uncertainty in target markets | High | Maintains legal entities/offices in each key country, adapts to local e-commerce, data, and content requirements. |
| Competitive displacement by global players or well-funded regional startups | Medium | Invests in regional brand building, continual product improvement, and adapts to global best practices. |
| Technological disruptions or infrastructure breaches | Medium | Cloud-based redundancy, SSL security, and major investment in CDN/DDOS protections and infrastructure agility. |
| Negative PR or brand damage from high-profile scam cases | High | Enhanced customer service, transparent incident reporting, and regular public safety campaigns. |
Contacts
Appendix & Sources
Key Citations
-
OpenSooq.com reviews & scam warnings
User complaints on Sitejabber highlight the prevalence of scams and platform weaknesses in user-to-user moderation.
-
OpenSooq Trademark Filing (USPTO)
The mark 'OPENSOOQ.COM' is registered by OpenSooq FZ-LLC as of Dec 2024, solidifying brand protection.
-
Saudi Wealth Fund backs OpenSooq
Coverage of OpenSooq's $24 million funding round and support from Saudi sovereign investors.
-
LinkedIn Company Profile: OpenSooq
Company profile showing current size, locations, and operations.
-
Company website & contacts
Official company about page lists leadership, mission, and core contacts.
-
OpenSooq Funding, Revenue, and Operations
CB Insights tracks OpenSooq's funding rounds, revenue, and market role.
-
Local office listing: Google Maps
Verified physical office in Amman, Jordan with full contact info.
-
SimilarWeb Traffic Analytics for opensooq.com
Traffic, country share, and engagement stats as of Jan 2026.
Data Sources Used
Disclaimer
This due diligence report is based on public and third-party data as of February 2026. All findings and risk assessments are best-effort and should be independently verified before making investment or business decisions.