A free zone licence is the fast, low-cost way to own 100% of a UAE company, keep your profits and trade with the world. Kinzaad sets it up end to end across 45+ zones — with a fixed price and your renewal cost told to you before you sign.
A free zone is a designated economic area with its own registration authority, its own rules and its own incentives. The UAE has more than 45 of them — IFZA, Meydan, DMCC, RAKEZ, SHAMS and Dubai South among the best known. Each was built to attract a particular kind of business: general trading, media, commodities, tech, e-commerce and so on.
The appeal is simple. You own 100% of your company with no local partner, there's 0% personal income tax, setup is fast and cheap, and you can repatriate your profits in full. It's the route most international founders take into the UAE.
A free zone company suits you if you plan to:
A word of honesty. If most of your customers are UAE-based — a shop, clinic or a firm bidding for local and government contracts — a mainland company is usually the better fit, because a free zone can't sell directly to the local market. We'll tell you which one genuinely suits you, even when it's the pricier option.
One provider for the whole thing, so you're not chasing the zone, a PRO and a bank separately:
We confirm your activity, visa needs and budget, then pick the zone that gives you the most for your money.
An itemised quote — our fee and zone fees shown separately, plus the Year-2 renewal cost. No surprises later.
Name reservation, activity approval and licence issuance with the free zone authority. We handle the paperwork.
Establishment card, your residence visa and staff visas, then your corporate bank account application.
The right zone depends on your activity, your visa plans and whether your clients care about a prestige address. A quick, honest guide to the ones we're asked about most.
| Free zone | Known for | Typical starting price |
|---|---|---|
| SHAMS (Sharjah) | Media, services, budget-friendly startups | From ~AED 5,750 |
| Ajman Free Zone | Trading and low-cost setups | From ~AED 6,000 |
| RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah) | Industrial, trading, SMEs | From ~AED 6,000 |
| Dubai South | Logistics, aviation, e-commerce | From ~AED 7,000 |
| Meydan (Dubai) | Prestige Dubai address, all-round | From ~AED 12,500 |
| IFZA (Dubai) | Flexible activities, popular all-rounder | From ~AED 12,900 |
| DMCC (Dubai) | Commodities, gold, crypto — premium tier | Higher — quoted per case |
Prices are indicative starting points and move with your activity, visa count and workspace. DMCC is a premium zone and sits well above the others. We give you the exact, fixed figure before you commit.
The honest short version — the full breakdown is in our comparison guide.
| Free Zone | Mainland | |
|---|---|---|
| Trade in the local UAE market | Via distributor / branch | Directly, anywhere |
| 100% foreign ownership | Yes | Yes (most activities) |
| Typical starting cost | From AED 12,500 (zero-visa from ~AED 6,000) | From AED 15,000 |
| Office requirement | Flexi-desk often enough | Tenancy (Ejari) needed |
| Visa allocation | Capped by package | Scalable |
| Government contracts | Generally no | Yes |
Book a free consultation and we'll pick the right zone for your activity and budget, then hand you a fixed-fee quote the same day — renewal cost included, no surprises.