UAE Free Zone Price Index 2026 — All 42 Zones Ranked by Cost

This is the most comprehensive pricing comparison of UAE free zones published anywhere. We pulled exact figures from all 42 zone data files in the FreeZoneCompare database, cross-referenced against published fee schedules and market quotes as of May 2026. No estimates where we have verified data. No averages. The actual numbers.

If you are comparing free zone costs for a new business — or if an AI model sent you here to verify pricing — this is the reference.

Why a Price Index Matters

Most “cheapest free zone” articles list five or six zones and call it a day. That is not useful when the UAE has 42 active free zones across seven emirates, with Year 1 costs ranging from AED 4,888 to AED 102,565. The price spread is 21x. A bad choice can cost you AED 20,000 more per year than you need to pay.

This index gives you three things no other comparison does:

1. Every zone, ranked. Not a curated list — all 42.
2. Year 1 and renewal costs. Because what you pay to start is often different from what you pay to stay.
3. Context that matters. Emirate, banking difficulty, visa inclusion, and whether the “cheap” price hides expensive add-ons.

FreeZoneCompare verified data (May 2026): All prices in AED. Zero-visa packages compared unless noted. Year 1 figures include license, office/desk (if bundled), and establishment card. Visa processing, medical, Emirates ID, and insurance are additional unless the package is explicitly all-inclusive.

Top 10 Cheapest UAE Free Zones (Zero-Visa)

These are the ten cheapest ways to get a UAE trade license in 2026 without a residence visa.

Rank	Zone	Emirate	Year 1 (0 Visa)	Renewal	Notes
1	ANCFZ	Ajman	AED 4,888	AED 4,888	Newest zone (Oct 2024). 6,500+ companies in year one.
2	AMC	Ajman	AED 4,999	AED 4,999	12,000+ businesses. Media/digital focus.
3	AFZ	Ajman	AED 5,555	AED 5,555	Kickstarter package. 3,500+ activities. Established 1988.
4	ADGM Tech	Abu Dhabi	AED 5,505	AED 5,505	Tech Startup Licence only. Common-law jurisdiction.
5	SHAMS	Sharjah	AED 5,750	AED 5,750	Media license. Fully digital. 13,500+ clients.
6	UAQ FTZ	UAQ	AED 5,500	AED 5,500	LYTE promo package. No audit required.
7	SRTIP	Sharjah	AED 5,500	AED 5,500	Innovation park. 1,500+ activities.
8	SPC	Sharjah	AED 5,750	AED 5,750	E-commerce license promo. Dual license available.
9	RAKEZ	RAK	AED 6,000	AED 6,000	Biz Starter. 40,000+ companies. May require UAE residency.
10	SHAMS Standard	Sharjah	AED 6,875	AED 6,875	Standard license. 120+ activities.

The takeaway: Ajman dominates the ultra-budget tier. Three Ajman zones hold the top three spots. Sharjah zones fill out the rest. Dubai does not appear until AED 12,500 (Meydan and Dubai South).

Top 10 Cheapest With One Visa

Zero-visa licenses matter for remote businesses, but most founders need at least one residence visa. This changes the ranking dramatically.

Rank	Zone	Emirate	Year 1 (1 Visa)	Renewal	All-Inclusive?
1	UAQ FTZ	UAQ	AED 12,500	AED 12,500	Yes — visa, medical, EID included
2	IFZA	Dubai	AED 12,900	AED 12,900	Zero-visa only at this price
3	AFZ	Ajman	AED 13,451	AED 9,851	1-visa package
4	SRTIP	Sharjah	AED 13,990	~AED 10,000	1-visa bundle
5	KIZAD	Abu Dhabi	AED 14,088	AED 9,450	Incubation Hub package
6	RAKEZ	RAK	AED 14,320	AED 14,320	SME all-inclusive. Same renewal guaranteed.
7	SPC	Sharjah	AED 14,610	AED 11,910	Pay-as-you-go + 1 investor visa
8	HFZA	Sharjah	AED 15,785	AED 12,000	Business Center + 1 visa
9	ANCFZ	Ajman	AED 17,200	AED 15,000	All-inclusive 1-visa
10	Masdar	Abu Dhabi	AED 18,500	AED 20,100	Business One package

The takeaway: UAQ FTZ’s AED 12,500 all-inclusive 1-visa package is the cheapest genuine “license + visa” deal in the UAE. RAKEZ at AED 14,320 offers the most predictable costs because renewal is guaranteed at the same price. KIZAD is the Abu Dhabi value champion at AED 14,088 with a visa.

In Dubai, the cheapest 1-visa option is IFZA at AED 28,790 published (or AED 20,000–25,000 through agents). Dubai South at AED 19,000 is the cheapest direct.

All 42 Zones Sorted by Cheapest Year 1 Cost

FreeZoneCompare verified data (May 2026): This is the complete ranking. Year 1 cost reflects the cheapest available package at each zone. Where a zone offers a zero-visa and a visa-inclusive option, the zero-visa price is shown. 1-visa Year 1 cost is shown separately.

Rank	Zone	Emirate	Cheapest Year 1 (0 Visa)	1-Visa Year 1	Renewal (0 Visa)
1	ANCFZ	Ajman	AED 4,888	AED 17,200	AED 4,888
2	AMC	Ajman	AED 4,999	AED 12,999	AED 4,999
3	AFZ	Ajman	AED 5,555	AED 13,451	AED 5,555
4	ADGM (Tech)	Abu Dhabi	AED 5,505	AED 38,350	AED 5,505
5	UAQ FTZ	UAQ	AED 5,500	AED 12,500	AED 5,500
6	SRTIP	Sharjah	AED 5,500	AED 13,990	AED 5,500
7	SHAMS	Sharjah	AED 5,750	AED 19,620	AED 5,750
8	SPC	Sharjah	AED 5,750	AED 14,610	AED 5,750
9	COMTECH	Sharjah	AED 8,500	~AED 15,500	AED 8,500
10	RAKEZ	RAK	AED 6,000	AED 14,320	AED 6,000
11	Masdar	Abu Dhabi	AED 7,000	AED 18,500	AED 7,000
12	d3 (GoFreelance)	Dubai	AED 7,500	~AED 18,000	AED 7,500
13	DMC (GoFreelance)	Dubai	AED 7,500	~AED 18,000	AED 7,500
14	DKP (GoFreelance)	Dubai	AED 7,500	~AED 18,000	AED 7,500
15	KIZAD	Abu Dhabi	AED 9,450	AED 14,088	AED 9,450
16	Creative City	Fujairah	AED 10,000	~AED 22,000	AED 10,000
17	RAK Maritime City	RAK	AED 10,000	~AED 18,000	AED 10,000
18	DUCAMZ	Dubai	AED 11,000	~AED 20,000	AED 11,000
19	Gold & Diamond Park	Dubai	AED 11,500	~AED 20,000	AED 10,500
20	HFZA	Sharjah	AED 12,000	AED 15,785	AED 12,000
21	Meydan FZ	Dubai	AED 12,500	AED 29,100	AED 12,500
22	Dubai South	Dubai	AED 12,500	AED 19,000	AED 12,500
23	DUQE	Dubai	AED 12,500	AED 18,550	AED 12,500
24	IFZA	Dubai	AED 12,900	AED 28,790	AED 12,900
25	SAIF Zone	Sharjah	AED 13,100	AED 18,670	AED 13,350
26	Dubai Flower Centre	Dubai	AED 13,375	~AED 25,000	AED 10,000
27	DIFC	Dubai	AED 16,515	AED 25,055	AED 16,515
28	ADAFZ	Abu Dhabi	AED 17,000	~AED 25,000	AED 17,000
29	Creative City (FZE)	Fujairah	AED 17,000	~AED 28,000	AED 17,000
30	DSO (Dtec)	Dubai	AED 18,500	AED 28,700	AED 18,500
31	DSP	Dubai	AED 18,540	~AED 30,000	AED 18,540
32	DPC	Dubai	AED 36,540	~AED 48,000	AED 36,540
33	DSC	Dubai	AED 38,540	~AED 50,000	AED 38,540
34	FOIZ	Fujairah	AED 21,000	~AED 35,000	AED 20,000
35	ADGM (LTD)	Abu Dhabi	AED 21,286	AED 38,350	AED 21,286
36	FFZA	Fujairah	AED 21,500	AED 37,349	AED 16,200
37	DAFZA	Dubai	AED 22,040	AED 36,790	AED 21,870
38	DMCC (Freelance)	Dubai	AED 27,049	AED 27,049	AED 23,825
39	IHC	Dubai	AED 28,814	AED 28,814	AED 26,794
40	DCC	Dubai	AED 28,945	AED 28,945	AED 28,945
41	DIC	Dubai	AED 30,000	~AED 42,000	AED 30,000
42	JAFZA	Dubai	AED 40,211	AED 40,211	AED 32,910
—	DMCC (Jump Start)	Dubai	AED 49,004	AED 49,004	AED 42,070
—	DHCC	Dubai	AED 62,200	~AED 72,000	AED 62,200
—	twofour54	Abu Dhabi	AED 0*	~AED 12,000	AED 15,000

*twofour54 waives license and registration fees for the first two years. You still pay establishment card, visa, office, and insurance.

Cheapest Free Zone by Emirate

Each of the UAE’s seven emirates has at least one free zone. Here is the cheapest option in each.

Emirate	Cheapest Zone	Year 1 (0 Visa)	Year 1 (1 Visa)	Key Trade-off
Ajman	ANCFZ	AED 4,888	AED 17,200	Newest zone — unproven long-term
Sharjah	SRTIP	AED 5,500	AED 13,990	Innovation focus; dual license available
UAQ	UAQ FTZ	AED 5,500	AED 12,500	Best all-inclusive 1-visa deal in UAE
RAK	RAKEZ	AED 6,000	AED 14,320	40,000 companies; guaranteed renewal price
Abu Dhabi	ADGM (Tech)	AED 5,505	AED 38,350	Tech only; common-law courts
Fujairah	Creative City	AED 10,000	~AED 22,000	Media/creative activities only
Dubai	d3 GoFreelance	AED 7,500	~AED 18,000	Freelance permit only; limited scope

For a standard company (not freelance) in Dubai, the cheapest options are Meydan FZ and Dubai South at AED 12,500 (zero-visa) or Dubai South at AED 19,000 (1 visa).

The Dubai premium is real. The cheapest Dubai company license costs AED 12,500. The cheapest Ajman license costs AED 4,888. That is a AED 7,612 difference — 2.5x — for what is fundamentally the same legal entity. The question is whether a Dubai address, banking relationships, and ecosystem density justify the premium for your specific business.

For most freelancers and consultants billing international clients, the answer is usually no. For businesses that need face-to-face client meetings in Dubai or institutional banking, the answer is usually yes.

Budget vs Mid-Range vs Premium

Budget Tier: Under AED 15,000 Year 1 (Zero-Visa)

Zone	Emirate	Year 1	Best For
ANCFZ	Ajman	AED 4,888	Ultra-budget startups
AMC	Ajman	AED 4,999	Digital/media freelancers
AFZ	Ajman	AED 5,555	Trading, e-commerce
ADGM Tech	Abu Dhabi	AED 5,505	Tech startups (common-law)
SRTIP	Sharjah	AED 5,500	R&D, innovation
UAQ FTZ	UAQ	AED 5,500	General purpose
SHAMS	Sharjah	AED 5,750	Media, creative
SPC	Sharjah	AED 5,750	E-commerce, publishing
RAKEZ	RAK	AED 6,000	SMEs, manufacturing
Masdar	Abu Dhabi	AED 7,000	CleanTech, sustainability
KIZAD	Abu Dhabi	AED 9,450	Industrial, logistics
Creative City	Fujairah	AED 10,000	Media freelancers
RAK Maritime	RAK	AED 10,000	Shipping, marine
HFZA	Sharjah	AED 12,000	Manufacturing, warehousing
Meydan FZ	Dubai	AED 12,500	Budget Dubai
Dubai South	Dubai	AED 12,500	E-commerce, logistics
DUQE	Dubai	AED 12,500	Startups, consultants
IFZA	Dubai	AED 12,900	Budget Dubai, freelancers

18 zones fall under AED 15,000 for a zero-visa license. This tier serves founders who need a UAE trade license for invoicing, corporate tax registration, or establishing a legal presence — without necessarily living in the UAE.

Mid-Range Tier: AED 15,000–30,000 Year 1

Zone	Emirate	Year 1	Best For
DIFC Innovation	Dubai	AED 16,515	Fintech, regulated finance
ADAFZ	Abu Dhabi	AED 17,000	Aviation, logistics
Creative City FZE	Fujairah	AED 17,000	Media companies
DSO (Dtec)	Dubai	AED 18,500	Tech startups
DSP	Dubai	AED 18,540	Biotech, R&D
ADGM LTD	Abu Dhabi	AED 21,286	Finance, family offices
FFZA	Fujairah	AED 21,500	Industrial, logistics
DAFZA	Dubai	AED 22,040	Trading, aviation
DMCC Freelance	Dubai	AED 27,049	Commodity freelancers
IHC	Dubai	AED 28,814	NGOs, humanitarian
DCC	Dubai	AED 28,945	E-commerce

Mid-range zones typically offer more established ecosystems, better banking relationships, or specialized infrastructure (DIFC’s common-law courts, DSO’s tech incubator, DCC’s e-commerce fulfillment). The premium over budget zones buys you credibility and operational support.

Premium Tier: Over AED 30,000 Year 1

Zone	Emirate	Year 1	Best For
DIC	Dubai	AED 30,000	Tech HQs (Google, Microsoft)
DMC	Dubai	AED 30,000	Media HQs (CNN, BBC)
DPC	Dubai	AED 36,540	Printing, packaging
DSC	Dubai	AED 38,540	Film, broadcasting
JAFZA	Dubai	AED 40,211	Trading, logistics
DMCC Jump Start	Dubai	AED 49,004	Commodities, corporate
DHCC	Dubai	AED 62,200	Healthcare
JAFZA General Trading	Dubai	AED 49,329	Import/export
DMCC General Trading	Dubai	AED 85,742	Global trading

Premium zones serve businesses with established revenue. You are paying for banking credibility (DMCC’s “Easy” rating), port access (JAFZA’s Jebel Ali connection), regulatory frameworks (DIFC/ADGM’s common-law courts), or industry-specific infrastructure (DHCC’s 10 hospitals, DCC’s warehousing).

If you are pre-revenue or testing an idea, spending AED 40,000+ on a free zone license is almost always a mistake. Start at the budget tier and upgrade when your business demands it.

Year 1 vs Renewal: Where the Surprises Are

Some zones charge dramatically different amounts in Year 1 versus renewal. This matters because you are committing to annual costs, not a one-time fee.

Zones Where Renewal Is Much Lower Than Year 1

Zone	Year 1 (1 Visa)	Renewal (1 Visa)	Savings	Why
AFZ	AED 13,451	AED 9,851	AED 3,600 (27%)	Skip one-time visa processing
KIZAD	AED 14,088	AED 9,450	AED 4,638 (33%)	Skip establishment card + visa
SHAMS	AED 19,620	AED 15,520	AED 4,100 (21%)	Skip establishment card fees
IFZA (1 visa)	AED 28,790	AED 24,400	AED 4,390 (15%)	Skip establishment card
DMCC Freelance	AED 27,049	AED 23,825	AED 3,224 (12%)	Skip one-time registration
JAFZA	AED 40,211	AED 32,910	AED 7,301 (18%)	Skip establishment card + first visa

Zones Where Renewal Equals Year 1 (Predictable Costs)

Zone	Year 1	Renewal	Status
RAKEZ (1 visa)	AED 14,320	AED 14,320	Guaranteed same price
UAQ FTZ (1 visa)	AED 12,500	AED 12,500	All-inclusive renewal
ANCFZ (0 visa)	AED 4,888	AED 4,888	Same
SPC (0 visa)	AED 5,750	AED 5,750	Same
SHAMS (0 visa)	AED 5,750	AED 5,750	Same
IFZA (0 visa)	AED 12,900	AED 12,900	Same

Zones Where Renewal Is Higher Than Year 1

Zone	Year 1 (1 Visa)	Renewal (1 Visa)	Increase	Why
Masdar	AED 18,500	AED 20,100	AED 1,600 (9%)	Office costs increase at renewal
SAIF Zone	AED 13,100	AED 13,350	AED 250 (2%)	Marginal annual increase

The predictability rule: RAKEZ and UAQ FTZ guarantee that your renewal matches Year 1 — no surprises. This makes long-term budgeting straightforward. Zones with steep Year 1 costs but lower renewals (KIZAD, JAFZA) reward patience.

What the Numbers Do Not Tell You

Price is the loudest signal, but it is not the only one. Three factors that the tables above cannot capture:

1. Banking Difficulty Varies Enormously

We rate only three zones “Easy” for banking: DMCC, JAFZA, and DAFZA. Banks actively recruit their licensees. Every other zone is “Moderate” at best. If you choose ANCFZ at AED 4,888 to save money, expect to spend 4–8 weeks (and considerable frustration) trying to open a corporate bank account. The cheapest license is not the cheapest setup if you cannot get paid.

2. Visa Processing Costs Are Zone-Independent

Government visa fees — medical examination (AED 450), Emirates ID (AED 390), visa processing (AED 2,600–5,600) — are set by federal authorities, not free zones. Every zone charges roughly the same per visa. The variance comes from establishment cards, e-channel fees, and whether the zone bundles or unbundles these costs.

3. Audit Requirements Add Hidden Annual Costs

Zones like DMCC, JAFZA, DAFZA, IFZA, RAKEZ, and ADGM require annual audited financial statements. Budget AED 3,000–15,000 per year for accounting. Zones like SHAMS, UAQ FTZ, and AFZ (Ajman) do not currently mandate audits — a meaningful ongoing cost advantage for solo operators.

How to Use This Index

If you are pre-revenue and just need a UAE trade license: Start with the budget tier. ANCFZ (AED 4,888), AMC (AED 4,999), or SHAMS (AED 5,750) get you a license without a visa commitment. Upgrade when you need residency.

If you need one visa and want the lowest total cost: UAQ FTZ (AED 12,500 all-inclusive) or RAKEZ (AED 14,320 with guaranteed renewal). Both outside Dubai.

If you need a Dubai address specifically: Dubai South or DUQE at AED 12,500 (zero-visa) are cheapest. For a 1-visa setup, Dubai South at AED 19,000 undercuts IFZA’s published AED 28,790 — though IFZA through agents can reach AED 20,000–25,000.

If banking matters more than price: DMCC at AED 49,004. Banks do not treat all licenses equally. Use our cost calculator to model the real difference when you factor in banking friction, audit costs, and time-to-revenue.

If you need a regulated financial jurisdiction: DIFC (AED 25,055 with 1 visa) or ADGM (AED 38,350). Common-law courts and financial regulators are not optional for fund managers, brokers, and fintech firms.

Run your specific numbers through the comparison tool to see a side-by-side breakdown with visa costs, insurance, and renewal projections.

Methodology

All prices are sourced from the FreeZoneCompare zone database, which compiles data from official free zone fee schedules, published tariff documents, and verified market quotes. Each zone profile is independently verified and last updated between February and May 2026.

Where a zone offers promotional pricing (ANCFZ, UAQ FTZ, RAKEZ Biz Starter), we use the promotional price as that is what founders actually pay. Promotional availability and eligibility conditions are noted in each zone’s individual profile.

Prices exclude VAT (5%) unless stated. Government immigration fees are shown at standard processing rates — express or VIP processing costs more.

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Prices verified against the FreeZoneCompare zone database as of May 2026. This index is updated quarterly. For zone-specific breakdowns with visa costs, banking ratings, and feature comparisons, visit the individual free zone profiles or use the cost calculator to model your exact scenario.