Company Formation in Dubai & the UAE

Three routes. One right answer for your business. Compare Free Zone, Mainland, and Offshore — or tell us your activity and we'll recommend the best fit.

Free Zone Company Formation

Set up in a designated business zone with its own licensing authority. No local partner required, 100% foreign ownership, and a streamlined path from application to licence, typically within 1–10 working days.

Free Zones are the most popular route for entrepreneurs who operate internationally, run digital or service-based businesses, or want the fastest formation path with packaged visa and workspace options.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

Trade licence, MOA, and incorporation certificate
100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor or partner
Flexi-desk or office options depending on the zone
Visa allocation tied to your workspace package
Dedicated advisor handling your case end to end

BEST FOR:

International and remote-first businesses
Consultants, freelancers, and digital service providers
Entrepreneurs who want a fast, low-friction setup
Businesses that don't need to trade directly onshore in the UAE
Dedicated advisor handling your case end to end

Get Free Zone pricing

Mainland Company Formation

A standard UAE company licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism. Trade with anyone — consumers, businesses, government entities — across all seven emirates. No restrictions on who you sell to or where you operate.

Mainland is the right choice when you need full market access, plan to open a physical location, want to bid on government contracts, or need to scale your team beyond what a free zone visa quota allows.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

Trade licence, MOA, and incorporation certificate
100% foreign ownership for most commercial activities
Unrestricted UAE market access, sell to anyone, anywhere
No visa cap, scale headcount based on office size
Dedicated advisor handling your case end to end

BEST FOR:

Businesses that need to trade onshore across the UAE
Retail, F&B, construction, and regulated industries
Companies bidding on government or semi-government contracts
Founders planning to hire a larger team in-country

Get Mainland pricing

Offshore Company Formation

A UAE-registered entity built for international operations. Hold assets, invoice globally, protect intellectual property, and structure cross-border transactions, without a physical office or residence visa requirement.
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Offshore companies cannot trade inside the UAE, but they're a powerful tool for holding structures, IP ownership, international invoicing, and wealth protection. Often set up alongside a Free Zone or Mainland company.

WHAT'S INCLUDED:

Trade licence, MOA, and incorporation certificate
100% foreign ownership — no local sponsor
No physical office or UAE residency required
Strong asset protection and confidentiality provisions
Dedicated advisor handling your case end to end

BEST FOR:

Asset holding and wealth protection structures
International invoicing and cross-border operations
Intellectual property ownership and licensing
Entrepreneurs structuring a multi-entity setup alongside a Free Zone or Mainland company

Get Offshore pricing

Not sure which route fits?

Most founders know what they want to do, they just don't know which setup route matches.

Tell us your business activity, where your clients are, and how many visas you need.

We'll reply with a recommendation, a document checklist, and a clear starting cost.

No commitment, no pressure.

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At a glance

Compare all three routes

Free Zone, Mainland, or Offshore, each has different ownership rules, costs, and market access. Here's how they stack up.

Comparison of Free Zone, Mainland, and Offshore business setup routes in the UAE
Feature	Free ZonePopular	Mainland	Offshore
Ownership	100%Foreign ownership	100%Most activities	100%Foreign ownership
UAE Market Access	Within zone + international	Full UAE+ international	International only
Visa options	Zone-dependent quota	Scales with office size	None
Office required	Flexi-desk or office	Physical office + Ejari	None
Starting cost	AED 5,750	AED 12,500	AED 11,500
Setup time	1–10 working days	7–21 working days	5–10 working days
Best for	International, digital, and service-based businesses	Onshore trade, retail, F&B, government contracts	Asset holding, IP ownership, international invoicing

Common questions

The most common questions we get when founders are comparing Free Zone, Mainland, and Offshore.

What's the difference between Free Zone and Mainland?

Free Zone company is licensed by a specific zone authority — fast to set up, 100% foreign-owned, but limited in onshore UAE trading. A Mainland company is licensed by the Department of Economy and Tourism and can trade freely across the entire UAE, bid on government contracts, and open a physical shop or office anywhere. If your clients are inside the UAE, lean Mainland. If you operate internationally or remotely, Free Zone is usually simpler.

Can I switch from Free Zone to Mainland later?

Yes, but it's not a toggle — you close the Free Zone licence and open a new Mainland one. New trade licence, new Ejari, potentially new visas. Typically takes 3–6 weeks. If you might need onshore trading within a year, it's worth starting with Mainland.

Which route is the cheapest?

Free Zone has the lowest entry point — from AED 5,750 (Sharjah, no visa). Dubai Free Zone starts from AED 12,500. Mainland and Offshore both start from AED 19,999. Final cost depends on your activity, visa count, workspace, and add-ons.

Do I need a local partner?

For most activities, no. UAE law allows 100% foreign ownership across all three routes. A small number of regulated sectors still require a local service agent — we check this during your consultation.

Which route lets me sell to UAE customers?

Mainland — unrestricted access across all seven emirates. Free Zone allows international sales and in-zone trading but restricts direct onshore UAE sales. Offshore cannot sell inside the UAE at all.

Can I combine routes?

Yes. Many founders hold a Free Zone or Mainland company for operations and an Offshore company for holding, IP, or international invoicing. Each is registered separately — tell us your full picture and we'll map the right structure.

Go deeper before you decide