Free Zone Company Formation — 100% Yours, 0% Tax Options

UAE Free Zones — The International Entrepreneur’s Favourite

Free zones are special economic regions where the conditions for business setup and trade are most favourable. As the most popular type of business setup in the UAE among international entrepreneurs, free zone licences offer excellent opportunities and a variety of attractive benefits: a fast and uncomplicated setup process, 100% foreign ownership, several employment visas, and little to no taxes. The first step — obtaining your UAE free zone licence — can often be carried out entirely online from abroad: once you have chosen a specific free zone and provided the necessary information and documentation, the free zone administration issues your business licence.

What a Free Zone Setup Costs

Free zone formation involves licence fees, establishment card fees, and residency visas. Establishment cards in Dubai free zones start from around AED 2,000, and an investor entry permit plus residency visa from around AED 4,750 — which is why comparing single line items is misleading. Our packages bundle everything into one fixed all-in price: licences from AED 9,900, complete Full Residency packages (licence + visa + bank account support) from AED 19,999 — and multi-year licences save 15-20%. Build your configuration in the free Setup Cost Calculator.

Which Free Zone? The Honest Comparison

Licences vary from free zone to free zone, and the type you need is determined by your business activity. IFZA is our most-recommended all-rounder (1,000+ activities, strong banking acceptance, partner rates through our official partnership); MEYDAN stands out for its central location and fully digital process; RAKEZ and SHAMS can undercut Dubai zones significantly when the address matters less than the maths. As partners of all major zones, we compare live quotes for your case — neutrally.

All UAE Free Zones — We Work Across the Whole Map

The UAE has 45+ active free zones across all seven Emirates — and as consultants (not a zone’s sales office), we register companies in whichever one genuinely fits your case:

Dubai (20+): IFZA, MEYDAN, JAFZA, DMCC, DAFZA, DUQE, Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Silicon Oasis, DIFC, Dubai CommerCity and more — see the Dubai zones guide.
Sharjah: SHAMS (media & e-commerce), SPC Free Zone (same-day licences), SAIF Zone (airport logistics), Hamriyah (industrial), SRTIP (tech & research), Sharjah Healthcare City.
Ras Al Khaimah: RAKEZ (one of the UAE’s most affordable, with dual licensing), RAK ICC (offshore registry), RAK Maritime City, RAK Digital Assets Oasis (Web3 & crypto).
Ajman: Ajman Free Zone and Ajman Media City — the UAE’s cheapest entry points.
Umm Al Quwain: UAQ Free Trade Zone — budget-friendly for micro-businesses and SMEs.
Fujairah: Fujairah Free Zone (trade & logistics) and Fujairah Creative City (media & consulting).
Abu Dhabi: ADGM (financial services, English common law), KEZAD (industrial giant), Masdar City (clean tech), twofour54 (media), Abu Dhabi Airport Free Zone.

Don’t see your zone named? We still cover it — tell us your activity and budget on WhatsApp and we’ll shortlist the two or three zones that actually fit, with live quotes.

Know the Limits Before You Choose

Free zone setups offer a limited number of resident visas — the exact number depends on the specific free zone and your facility. If you anticipate hiring a larger number of employees, a mainland licence may fit better. Licences are usually valid for one year (in some cases up to three) — renew before expiry to avoid fines; our renewal service tracks every deadline for you.