Every UAE free zone, priced

Choose your activity and how many visas you need, and see the free zones that fit, cheapest first.

Business activity Visas needed Emirate Budget in dirhams (optional)

Estimates add the free zone's published starting package and its published visa fees only. Where a free zone publishes no price, we use the lowest price published by setup agents and label it. Office upgrades, medical tests, Emirates ID and agency fees come on top. Prices change, so confirm with the free zone.

Every UAE free zone, lowest starting price first

Starting prices are the free zone's own published package or fees, with what they include. Where a free zone publishes none, the row says so and shows what setup agents publish instead. Checked October 2026. Packages change often: confirm before you pay.

Free zone	Emirate	Published starting price	Visas	Office options
Creative CityCreative City Fujairah (Media Free Zone)	Fujairah	AED 3,999 a year: Media Package, flexi desk, 0 visas (Creative City offer page; ask if it still applies)	Smart package has 1 free visa; Business packages carry quotas of 5 or 15; visas last 2 years	Flexi desk, Virtual office, Coworking, Private office
SRTIPSRTIP (Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park)	Sharjah	AED 3,999 a year: SPARK Starter licence, co-working, 0 visas (limited time)	SPARK packages come with 0, 1 or 2 visas; the SME Office allows up to 8	Maktabi co-working, First Step Hi-Tech Office, Start-Up Office, SME Office, Ecosystem Office, Innovation Office, Innovation Plot
ANCFZAjman NuVentures Centre Free Zone (ANCFZ)	Ajman	From AED 4,888: Zero Visa licence, up to 10 activities, lease, 0 visas	All inclusive packages: 1 visa AED 10,800, 2 AED 16,200, 3 AED 20,700, 5 AED 29,700, 10 AED 52,200	Flexi desk, Shared office, Private office, Executive office, Retail
AMCAjman Media City Free Zone (AMC)	Ajman	AED 4,999 a year: Business Club licence, co-working, 0 visas	Published tiers give 1, 2 or 3 visas; packages go up to 10 visas on request	Co-working space, Flexi desk, Shared workspace, Executive office, Creative studio
SPCSPC Free Zone (Sharjah Publishing City)	Sharjah	AED 4,999 a year: E-Publishing licence, online publishing only, 0 visas	No cap on flexi desk, paid per visa; licence with 1 visa from AED 13,165	Flexi desk, Furnished office, Unfurnished office, Retail, Storage, Warehouse
UAQ FTZUmm Al Quwain Free Trade Zone (UAQ FTZ)	Umm Al Quwain	AED 5,500 a year: UAQ LYTE licence, co-working, 0 visas	UAQ START includes 1 investor visa; executive offices offer 6+ visas	Co-working, Serviced office, Executive office, Warehouse, Land, Staff accommodation
AFZAjman Free Zone (AFZ)	Ajman	AED 5,555 to AED 5,565: no visa licence, shared desk (published by setup agents)	One residence visa on the Freelancer and Pioneers packages; no company visa quota published. Setup agents publish AED 3,400 to AED 5,000 per employee visa	Business centre (co-working), Office, Executive office, Warehouse, Land
ShamsShams (Sharjah Media City Free Zone)	Sharjah	AED 5,760 a year: Media Package, flexi desk, 0 visas, VAT inclusive	Up to 50 visas with a business plan and financial proof; AED 1,600 allocation per visa	Flexi desk, Shared desk, Dedicated desk, Shared office, Dedicated office
RAKEZRAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone)	Ras Al Khaimah	AED 6,000 a year: licence, coworking access, 0 visas	Instant Licence Lite includes 1 visa; All Inclusive has 1 plus up to 3 extra	Coworking, Serviced office, Standard office, Executive office, Warehouse, Land
Innovation CityInnovation City (formerly RAK DAO)	Ras Al Khaimah	AED 6,600 a year: licence, shared desk, 0 visas	Idea 0, Seed 1, Startup and Growth 1 included up to 4; extra visa AED 4,400	Shared desk, Dedicated desk, Premium office
Masdar CityMasdar City Free Zone	Abu Dhabi	AED 7,000 a year plus VAT: licence, up to 2 activities, no office	Innovation 2 visas, Business One 1, Enterprise 3; employment visa package AED 3,050 plus AED 2,500 refundable deposit	Flexi desk lite, Flexi desk, Flexi desk plus, Smart desk
KEZADKEZAD (Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi)	Abu Dhabi	AED 9,450 a year incl. VAT: licence, shared workstation, 1 visa	Start-up packages come with 1 to 4 visas, from AED 9,450 to AED 14,550 for one year	Shared workstation, Dedicated office, Warehouse, Light industrial unit, Land plot
SAIF ZoneSAIF Zone (Sharjah Airport International Free Zone)	Sharjah	AED 10,800 a year: flexi desk, 3 visa quota (published by setup agents)	3 visas with a SAIF Office, 5 with an Executive Office, 8 with a SAIF Suite	SAIF Office, Executive Office, SAIF Suite, Warehouse, Land
HFZAHamriyah Free Zone	Sharjah	AED 11,000: basic licence (archived HFZA FAQ, may be out of date); agents quote it with a 1 visa quota	Agents list AED 11,000 with a 1 visa quota; visa fees not confirmed by HFZA	E-Office, Executive Office, Warehouse, Industrial land
ADAFZADAFZ (Abu Dhabi Airports Free Zone)	Abu Dhabi	AED 11,500 to AED 14,590 first year, flexi desk, 0 visas (published by setup agents)	Agents list a 2 visa quota on a flexi desk; visa fees are not published by ADAFZ	Not published
Dubai SouthDubai South Free Zone	Dubai	AED 12,500 a year: Business Hub Starter licence, 0 visas (offer AED 11,375)	Business Hub Essential tier includes 1 visa from AED 16,500; Dubai South estimates AED 4,000 to 6,000 per visa	Flexi desk, Serviced office, Warehouse, Land plot
Expo CityExpo City Dubai Free Zone	Dubai	AED 12,500 a year: licence, registration, shared desk, 0 visas	Allocation depends on leased space; Business Hub Package 2 allows 1 to 4 visas	Shared desk, Coworking, Private office, Retail
Meydan FZMeydan Free Zone	Dubai	AED 12,500 a year: licence, 3 activity groups, flexi desk, 0 visas	Visas are add-ons: investor visa AED 4,000, employee visa AED 3,500, plus AED 2,250 medical and Emirates ID	Flexi desk, Office
IFZAIFZA (International Free Zone Authority)	Dubai	AED 12,900 a year: zero visa licence (published by 6 setup agents)	Agents sell 1 visa from AED 14,900 to AED 15,000 (processing extra) or AED 21,450 to AED 22,200 all in	Flexi desk (agent sources), Office
DHCCDubai Healthcare City (DHCC)	Dubai	AED 16,550: Zawel licence, 2 visa quota, no office in year 1 (limited-time offer)	Zawel includes a 2 visa quota; a 2-year employment visa costs AED 3,226.73 to AED 4,947.63	Desk space, Office, Clinical facility, Land
DWTCDWTC Free Zone (Dubai World Trade Centre)	Dubai	AED 16,845 to AED 17,800 with flexi desk and 1 visa (published by setup agents)	Official visa fee AED 2,000 from outside the UAE, AED 3,200 inside (older DWTC visa PDF)	On-demand licensing, Flexi desk, Business centre, Executive office, Commercial office, Home business (Expo Village)
d3Dubai Design District (d3)	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 licence a year; studio or office lease extra	d3 does not publish a visa quota per workspace; ask before you lease	Co-working (shared desks, micro studios), Office (from 700 sq ft), in5 Design
DIACDubai International Academic City (DIAC)	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 licence a year; lease and KHDA approval extra	1 visa per 80 sq ft of leased space (DIAC FAQ)	Commercial space, Campus (sale or rent)
DICDubai Internet City	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 a year per tech segment, lease extra	1 visa per 60 sq ft of leased space (DIC FAQ)	Co-working, in5 Tech, Office, Light industrial unit, Warehouse, Retail
DKPDubai Knowledge Park	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 a year per segment, lease extra	1 visa per 80 sq ft of leased space; 1 visa per freelancer on a hot desk	Hot desk (freelancers), Office, Built-to-suit
DMCDubai Media City	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 a year per media segment, desk extra	1 visa per 80 sq ft of leased space; Open Quarters desk gives 1 work permit	Co-working (D/Quarters), Office, Studios, Retail
DOCDubai Outsource City (DOC)	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 licence a year; lease extra	1 visa per 80 sq ft of leased space (DOC FAQ)	Commercial space, Retail
DPCDubai Production City	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 to AED 25,000 a year by segment	1 visa per 80 to 100 sq ft of leased space (DPC FAQ)	Office, Warehouse, in5 Media
DSCDubai Studio City	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 to AED 40,000 a year by segment	1 visa per 80 sq ft of leased space (DSC FAQ)	Office (700 to 1,300 sq ft), Sound stages, Studios, Backlot
DSPDubai Science Park (DSP)	Dubai	AED 3,500 registration plus AED 15,000 licence a year; desk or lab lease extra	1 visa per 80 sq ft of leased space (DSP FAQ); D/Quarters Open Quarters desk carries 1 work permit	Co-working (D/Quarters), in5 Science, Office, Light industrial unit, Warehouse
IHCInternational Humanitarian City (Dubai Humanitarian)	Dubai	AED 11,250 a year: NPO desk; commercial desk AED 20,800 (2 visa quota)	Every package includes a 2 visa quota and the establishment card; visa costs are charged on top	Business centre hot desk, Standard office, Warehouse
Dubai CommerCity	Dubai	AED 27,545 to AED 28,000 a year: smart desk, 2 visa quota (published by setup agents)	The zone publishes no visa quota or visa fees; agent smart desk packages come with visa allocations	Smart desk, Co-working, Office, Retail, Warehouse, Fulfilment centre
DMCCDMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre)	Dubai	AED 35,484 a year: Basic Biz licence, flexi desk options, 1 visa eligibility	Flexi desk up to 3 visas; a new 2 year visa from outside the UAE is AED 2,972.50 (DMCC schedule)	Flexi desk, Co-working, Serviced office, Office
DAFZDAFZ (Dubai Airport Freezone)	Dubai	AED 40,770 to AED 85,000 first year with an office (published by setup agents)	Visa quota tied to office size; agents say the smart office carries a 2 visa quota	Smart office, Office, Warehouse, Retail
ADGMADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market)	Abu Dhabi	USD 5,800 at registration: non-financial licence, 0 visas, office extra	Tech start-up licence gives 3 visas per dedicated desk; a new 2 year visa from outside the UAE is AED 3,237.39	Registered office in ADGM, Dedicated desk, Office
COMTECHCOMTECH (Sharjah Communication Technologies Free Zone)	Sharjah	No price: no official website and no sign it issues licences yet	Not published	Not published
DIFCDIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)	Dubai	USD 1,500 a year: Innovation licence, tech firms only, plus USD 100 registration	Innovation licence: up to 4 visas on the first desk; new employment visa AED 3,950 plus AED 2,500 refundable deposit (DIFC handbook, may be out of date)	Coworking (Innovation Hub), Shared office, Leased office
DMCDubai Maritime City	Dubai	Licensed through Jafza (Jafza licences from AED 5,000 a year); DMC lease extra	Not published	Office, Warehouse, Workshop, Showroom, Ship repair plot
DSODubai Silicon Oasis (DSO)	Dubai	Licence AED 12,000 to AED 15,000 a year, office extra (published by setup agents)	DSO publishes no visa quota or fee; agents quote AED 3,000 to AED 5,100 per visa	Flexi desk, Fixed desk, Office, Warehouse, Light industrial unit, Retail, Land
DUCAMZDubai Cars and Automotive Zone (DUCAMZ)	Dubai	AED 5,500 to AED 14,000 trading licence (published by setup agents, who disagree)	Not published	Showroom
Fujairah FZFujairah Free Zone (FFZA)	Fujairah	Flexi desk AED 18,000 a year plus AED 5,300 incorporation (archived FFZA price list, may be out of date)	Residence visa AED 3,460 per person on the archived FFZA price list; agents quote AED 3,500 to AED 7,500	Flexi desk, Virtual office, Trading office, Warehouse, Pre-built factory, Land
Gold and Diamond ParkDubai Gold and Diamond Park	Dubai	Jafza licence from AED 5,000 a year; unit lease extra	Visas are processed by Jafza under Jafza Free Zone Rules	Retail showroom, Workshop, Office
ICADIndustrial City of Abu Dhabi (ICAD)	Abu Dhabi	Land from KEZAD: serviced industrial plots AED 32 to AED 38 per sq m a year; licence by quote	Not published; ask KEZAD Group for the quota on your plot	Not published
JAFZAJAFZA (Jebel Ali Free Zone)	Dubai	Licence from AED 5,000 a year (one activity group); facility lease extra	Visa quota not published; employment entry permit from AED 2,378 (Normal, 1 year)	Co-working and workstations, Office, Warehouse, Showroom, Retail, Land plot
RAK ICCRAK ICC (RAK International Corporate Centre)	Ras Al Khaimah	AED 3,250 to set up, AED 3,950 a year to renew: registry fees (published by setup agents)	No residence visas: offshore registry, not a free zone	Registered office through registered agent
RAK Maritime CityRAK Maritime City Free Zone	Ras Al Khaimah	No price published: RMC and the RAK Ports tariff list no licence fees; online estimates disagree	Immigration approval through the zone; visa quota and fees not published	Land lease (Musataha), Waterside plot
SHCCSharjah Healthcare City	Sharjah	Priced by quote: no fee published by SHCC or by setup agents	Not published	Land, Offices and business centres, Warehouse, Clinical space
twofour54twofour54 (Creative Media Authority)	Abu Dhabi	Licence and registration waived for 2 years; office and visas extra	Co-Lab office gives 1 visa and Co-Create 2; setup agents put each visa at about AED 3,500 to AED 7,000	Co-Lab, Co-Create, Co-Quip, Co-Customize

The UAE has about 40 free zones, according to the government portal, spread over all seven emirates. This directory compares 48 of them. Published starting prices run from AED 3,999 on two offers, at SRTIP in Sharjah and Creative City in Fujairah, and AED 4,888 at Ajman NuVentures, all with no visa, up to AED 35,484 for the DMCC Basic Biz Package with one visa. This directory puts every zone's own prices side by side, with sources and dates.

How to choose a free zone

Five things decide which free zone fits your company, roughly in this order.

Your activity. Each zone licenses its own list of activities. A crypto business, a clinic, a media studio and a trading company will not all fit the same zone. DMCC, the Dubai Healthcare City Authority and the creative zones each have their own focus.
The number of visas. The cheapest packages come with no visa or one. Visa quotas usually depend on the office you take: a flexi desk allows a few, a private office more. If you need five visas in year one, compare zones on that, not on the headline price.
The office. A flexi desk or co-working seat is enough for most service and online businesses. Trading in physical goods often means a warehouse, which narrows the list to zones like JAFZA, KEZAD, SAIF Zone or Hamriyah.
Where your customers are. A free zone company trades freely abroad and inside its zone. Selling into the UAE market needs a mainland distributor, a mainland branch or a permit. If most of your clients are UAE companies, read free zone or mainland before you pick.
The real yearly cost. Renewal, the establishment card, visa fees, medical tests and Emirates ID come on top of many starting packages. The cost calculator adds the published figures for you.

What the starting price usually leaves out

A package price tells you what the zone charges for the licence and, sometimes, a desk and a visa allocation. Other costs follow once you hire or sponsor yourself. On the federal side, ICP charges AED 100 a year for the residence permit and AED 100 a year of residence for the Emirates ID, plus application and smart service fees. A change of status inside the country costs AED 500. The zone adds its own visa processing and establishment card fees. Our guide to free zone visa costs lists them zone by zone.

Free zones by emirate

Dubai has the most zones, from DMCC in Jumeirah Lakes Towers and JAFZA at the port to Meydan, IFZA and the TECOM business parks. See Dubai free zones.
Abu Dhabi has six on the economic department's list, including ADGM, KEZAD, Masdar City and twofour54. See Abu Dhabi free zones.
Sharjah has six on Invest in Sharjah's list, among them SAIF Zone, Hamriyah, SHAMS and SPC Free Zone. See Sharjah free zones.
Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain hold most of the low-cost options: Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.

Need help with the setup?

If you would rather not file it yourself, see our list of 497 business setup consultants in Dubai. Each has a website we checked and a Google score with its review count, and you can also read the best-ranked firms or PRO services in Dubai.

Business setup consultants in Dubai: all 497 firms, filter by area and service
PRO services in Dubai: firms that handle visas, Emirates ID and licence renewals
Best business setup consultants in Dubai: ranked by Google score and number of reviews

Tax in a free zone

Corporate tax is 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above that. A Qualifying Free Zone Person that meets the conditions pays 0% on qualifying income and 9% on the rest, and needs audited accounts. VAT is 5%, and registration is mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000 a year. Registering for corporate tax and VAT with the Federal Tax Authority is free.

How we check the prices

Every price comes from the free zone's own pages first, then from government pages, then from the public price lists of setup agencies, shown only as a range when two or more agencies publish one. Each page shows the date we checked it. Free zones change packages often, so confirm the current price before you pay. More on how we work and how we earn.

Get free quotes from several free zones

Tell us about choosing a UAE free zone: your activity, the visas and the office you need. We pass it to the free zones that fit or to a licensed setup partner, and reply with options you can compare side by side.

UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is an independent directory, not a free zone or a government office. You pay nothing for using this form.

What you need Business activity Number of visas Office need Timeline Your name Phone or WhatsApp Email Message (optional)

We use your details only to answer this enquiry and share them only with the free zone or setup partner that replies. See the privacy policy.

How it works

From question to licence in four steps

1
Tell us the business
Your activity, the number of visas, the office you need and when you want to start.
2
Get matched options
We pass the enquiry to the free zones that fit or to a licensed setup partner and reply with options.
3
Compare the quotes
You see what each package includes: licence, visas, office, fees that come on top.
4
Choose and apply
You pick one. The free zone or partner opens the file and guides the application.

Good to know

Questions people ask

How many free zones are there in the UAE?

The UAE government portal says there are about 40 free zones, and its own list names 37. Dubai's Free Zones Council counts 27 in Dubai alone, under 11 authorities. Counts differ because some authorities run several zones and some areas exist only for customs or VAT. This directory compares 48 zones, listed on the free zones list.

Which is the cheapest free zone in the UAE?

Two offers start at AED 3,999 with no visa: SRTIP's limited time SPARK Starter in Sharjah and a Creative City Media Package in Fujairah. Among standing prices, Ajman NuVentures starts from AED 4,888 and Ajman Media City at AED 4,999. Each visa you add raises the price.

Can a free zone company be 100% foreign owned?

Yes. The UAE government portal states that free zone companies can be fully owned by foreign investors. Most mainland companies can also be 100% foreign owned now, so ownership alone is rarely the reason to choose a free zone.

Can a free zone company sell to customers in the UAE?

It trades freely inside its zone and abroad. To sell into the UAE market it needs a licensed mainland distributor, a mainland branch or, in Dubai, a mainland operating permit from DET under Executive Council Resolution No. 11.

Do free zone companies pay corporate tax?

Corporate tax is 0% up to AED 375,000 of taxable income and 9% above it. A Qualifying Free Zone Person that meets the conditions pays 0% on qualifying income. Check your zone's status with the Federal Tax Authority or a tax agent.

Is this site run by a free zone?

No. UAEFreeZoneDirectory.com is an independent directory. It is not a free zone, a government body or an official agent. The facts and the order of the tables come from published prices only.