UAE Free Zones Comparison (2026) — Costs, Banking & Processing Ranked

Here are the 10 most popular UAE free zones compared by Year 1 cost, bank approval, and processing time. All data is independently verified by Sijil.

1. SPC Free Zone (Sharjah) — AED 4,999/yr • 1-day processing • 90%+ bank approval • Best for: budget e-commerce and consulting

2. RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah) — AED 6,000/yr • 3-4 day processing • 90% bank approval • Best for: cost-effective trading and industrial

3. IFZA (Dubai) — AED 12,900/yr • 2-3 day processing • 85% bank approval • Best for: affordable Dubai address (setup guide)

4. SHAMS (Sharjah) — AED 7,500/yr • 3-5 day processing • 80% bank approval • Best for: media and creative businesses

5. Meydan Free Zone (Dubai) — AED 12,500/yr • Same-day (Fawri) • 95% bank approval • Best for: Dubai address + easy banking (setup guide)

6. Dubai Silicon Oasis (Dubai) — AED 18,500/yr • 2-4 day processing • 90% bank approval • Best for: tech and R&D companies

7. DAFZA (Dubai) — AED 22,040/yr • 3-5 day processing • 92% bank approval • Best for: import/export near Dubai Airport (setup guide)

8. JAFZA (Dubai) — AED 40,211/yr • 5-7 day processing • 88% bank approval • Best for: large-scale trading and logistics (setup guide)

9. DMCC (Dubai) — AED 27,049/yr • 5-7 day processing • 85% bank approval • Best for: commodities and premium address (setup guide)

10. DIFC (Dubai) — AED 45,000/yr • 7-10 day processing • 90% bank approval • Best for: financial services and regulated entities (setup guide)

Compare any two zones side by side →

The price range across UAE free zones is dramatic — from AED 4,999 at SPC to over AED 50,000+ at premium zones like DIFC. Here is what you get at each price tier:

Budget tier (AED 4,999–10,000): SPC, UAQ FTZ, RAKEZ, SHAMS. These zones offer the basics — trade license, flexi desk, residency visa eligibility. Banking is generally straightforward. Ideal for startups and solo founders.

Mid-range (AED 10,000–25,000): Meydan, IFZA, Dubai South, DSO, DAFZA, Masdar City. Better infrastructure, more prestigious addresses, stronger industry clusters. Some offer unique perks like MeydanPay or DSO's R&D incentives.

Premium (AED 25,000–50,000+): JAFZA, DMCC, DIFC, ADGM. These zones offer premium banking, prestigious addresses recognized internationally, and specialized regulatory frameworks. Best for established companies, financial services, and commodities trading.

The key insight: price does not always correlate with quality. Meydan at AED 12,500 offers 95% bank approval — better than zones costing 3-4x more. Use our comparison tool to find the best value for your specific needs.

Banking approval is one of the biggest pain points for new UAE companies. Here are the zones ranked by bank approval rate:

• Meydan: 95% approval — 7 partner banks, Easy difficulty (banking guide)
• DAFZA: 92% approval — premium banking relationships
• SPC: 90%+ approval — straightforward documentation
• DSO: 90% approval — tech-friendly banking
• RAKEZ: 90% approval — good for RAK-based companies
• DIFC: 90% approval — premium banks but stricter KYC
• JAFZA: 88% approval — strong but requires more documentation
• IFZA: 85% approval — digital banking available
• DMCC: 85% approval — good banking but competitive scrutiny

For detailed banking advice, see our UAE banking guide.

If you need your company set up quickly, here are the zones with the fastest processing:

• Meydan: Same day (Fawri instant license)
• SPC: 1 day
• IFZA: 2-3 days
• DSO: 2-4 days
• Fujairah: 2-4 days
• RAKEZ: 3-4 days
• DAFZA: 3-5 days
• JAFZA: 5-7 days
• DMCC: 5-7 days
• DIFC: 7-10 days

Note: These times are for license issuance only. Bank account opening adds 1-4 weeks depending on the zone and bank.