Company setup in Dubai: freezone or mainland

Choosing a freezone or the mainland decides where you can trade and what the office will cost you. We start from your business, not from a package.

Freezone or mainland

The market you sell to matters more than the price of the licence.

	Freezone	Mainland
Ownership	100% foreign	100% foreign for most activities
Clients in the UAE	Through a branch, a dual licence or a distributor	Directly, anywhere in the UAE
Office	Flexi-desk often enough	Physical office with Ejari
Visas	By package	Depends on office size
Setup cost, indicative	AED 5,000–20,000	AED 12,000–30,000
Setup time, indicative	From a few days	1–3 weeks
VAT and corporate tax	VAT is the same; tax depends on activity	VAT is the same; standard rules apply

Market ranges from published comparisons, without visas and office. We give an exact quote for your activity.

Who pays you?: UAE clients point to mainland, foreign ones to a freezone.
Do you need an office?: A warehouse or staff change the calculation.
How many visas?: Both now and in two years.
What will the bank ask?: Real activity in the UAE makes opening an account easier.

Which is better: freezone or mainland?

A freezone is often simpler to start with; the mainland gives wider access to the local market. It depends on who your clients are.