The choice comes down to one thing: where you'll actually do business. Free zone is built for international and 100%-owned setups; mainland lets you trade and sell anywhere in the UAE. Here's a clear, side-by-side comparison — and a quick way to know your route.
Everything else — cost, visas, office, tax — follows from one decision: are your customers inside the UAE, or outside it? Get that right and the rest falls into place.
A business zone with its own licensing authority.
Best for international clients, online and remote businesses, services, and holding structures. You get 100% ownership and a fast, light setup. To sell directly inside the UAE mainland, you work through a distributor or a dual licence.
A standard UAE company, sell to anyone, anywhere.
Best for onshore clients, retail and F&B, hiring at scale, and government contracts. Full UAE market access with no trading restrictions. Most activities now allow 100% foreign ownership, with no local partner required.
The same factors, weighed for each route. Use it to spot the trade-offs that matter for your business — then talk to us about the specifics.
Your clients are mostly outside the UAE
You run an online, remote, or services business
You want 100% ownership with a fast, light setup
A flexi-desk or virtual office is enough
Lower starting cost is a priority
You need to invoice or sell to UAE companies directly
You're opening a physical shop, clinic, or restaurant
You want to bid for government contracts
You're hiring at scale and need a bigger visa quota
You need wide commercial flexibility
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A few things people get wrong about these two routes — and what's actually true.
Not true. A free zone company can sell onshore through a mainland distributor or a dual licence. It trades freely within its zone and internationally with no restrictions.
Not anymore. Most mainland activities now allow 100% foreign ownership, with no sponsor arrangement needed.
No. You can amend activities, and if you outgrow the free zone model, we can help you transition to a mainland structure.
Tell us what you're building, and we'll recommend the best jurisdiction, walk you through costs, and map out your next steps. 30 minutes. No obligation.
From choosing your activity to opening your bank account, here's the full process, step by step.
Start by picking the activity that reflects what you’re here to build. This decides your license type and ensures you’re fully compliant from day one.
Pick a name that represents your brand and follows UAE naming regulations. Once approved, it’s officially yours to build on.
Share your passport copies, address proof, business plan, and any Free Zone-specific forms. Clean paperwork means quicker approvals and a smoother setup.
The Free Zone authority reviews your application and gives the green light to confirm that your activity, structure, and plans all meet regulations.
Choose the workspace that suits your needs - from affordable flexi desks to dedicated offices. This becomes your official business address.
Once issued, you’re legally ready to trade, operate, and start building your Free Zone business in the UAE.
Apply for residency visas for yourself, your team, or family members. The Free Zone helps streamline visa applications, medical tests, and Emirates ID processing.
Common questions about Free Zone setup in the UAE, including costs, visas, and timelines.
Most Freezone setups are completed within 3 to 7 business days once all required documents and approvals are submitted. It’s a smooth, fast-track process, and if you’re in a hurry, several Free Zones even offer expedited, priority licensing to get you operational even sooner.
Yes, and this is one of the biggest reasons entrepreneurs choose Free Zones. You get 100% foreign ownership, which means no local sponsor, no shared equity, and full control over your business and profits. Your company stays fully yours.
Yes, but with conditions. A Free Zone company can operate within its Free Zone and internationally without restrictions. However, if you want to trade directly in the UAE mainland, you’ll need additional approvals, a mainland distributor, or a mainland branch/company setup to stay compliant.
Not always. Most Free Zones offer a range of workspace options: flexi desks, virtual offices, shared spaces, or full private offices. The exact requirement depends on the license you choose and the Freezone’s rules, giving you the flexibility to start lean or scale as needed.
With CorpWise, free zone setup starts from AED 12,500. The final price depends on the free zone, your business activity, visa count and office selection. Message us on WhatsApp and we'll confirm a starting cost breakdown for your case.
The UAE's 9% corporate tax applies to most businesses, including free zone companies. However, if your company qualifies as a Qualified Free Zone Person (QFZP), you can maintain 0% tax on qualifying income — such as revenue from other free zone entities or international clients. Non-qualifying income is taxed at 9%. Structuring this correctly from day one matters.
Yes, but it depends on the zone. Most free zones allow you to add or change activities by amending your licence. Moving your company to a different free zone requires deregistering and re-registering — which we can manage. If your business has outgrown the free zone model entirely, we can help you transition to a mainland structure.
It depends on the zone and your office type. A flexi desk typically allows 1–3 visas. A dedicated office supports 3–10+. Larger facilities can go higher. Some zones like RAKEZ include a visa in the base package. Others like SHAMS start at zero and let you add visas as needed. We'll confirm your allocation before you commit to anything.
Yes. Your free zone licence qualifies you to apply for a corporate bank account in the UAE. You'll need your licence, incorporation certificate, MOA, passport copies, and proof of address. Approval timelines vary by bank — some take days, others weeks. We prepare your documents and guide you through the application so nothing delays the process.
Licences are valid for one year. Missing the renewal deadline can freeze your visa, bank access, and operations. Renewal costs are typically similar to year one. We track your deadline, handle the paperwork, and make sure nothing lapses. You don't need to remember — we do.
GO DEEPER
The details behind the decisions. Read before you commit, or after you've already started.
The main Sharjah free zones compared by starting price, visas, setup time and best-fit business, plus how Sharjah compares with Dubai.
What FZE, FZCO, FZ-LLC and mainland LLC mean, how many shareholders each allows, which free zones issue which form, and how to pick the right one.
This guide covers how free zone setup works from start to finish and how to narrow 40+ options down to the one that fits.
All 22 UAE free zones ranked by published starting price, with and without a visa, plus what the headline price leaves out and how to choose without overpaying.
How UK tax residence really works when you move to Dubai: the Statutory Residence Test, split-year treatment, telling HMRC you have left, the five-year temporary non-residence rule, the UK–UAE treaty and UAE corporate tax.
The order UK founders should move to Dubai in: UK tax residence, company setup, residence visa, Emirates ID, banking and family, with real timelines and costs.
Tell us your business activity and how many visas you need. We'll come back with the right zone, a clear cost breakdown, and the steps to get started.
The honest comparison — ownership, market access, cost, visas, and setup time — so you choose the right route the first time. Tell us your activity and we'll recommend the cleaner path with exact costs.
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Tell us your business activity and visa needs. We map the right route, confirm the exact requirements, then handle the paperwork with clear steps and transparent costs.
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Max WhatsApp response time during business hours. Always a real person, never a bot.
Included in every formation package: Trade License, MOA, and Incorporation Certificate.
Licence renewals, visas, amendments, handled with deadlines tracked.
Bookkeeping, VAT registration, filings, reporting, audit coordination.
UBO, AML, trademarks, requirements covered with clear checklists.
Tell us what you need done and your deadline. We confirm the required documents, give you a clear scope and cost, then manage the steps through completion with status updates in one thread.
1
Point of contact for renewals, visas, PRO, and ongoing admin.
Always included: a clear checklist, a defined scope, and tracked progress updates.
From first message to license in clear, trackable steps. Share your activity and visa needs. We confirm the right route, the exact requirements, and a clean starting cost breakdown, then handle submissions through to issuance.
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Business activity, visas, and any constraints. We reply with the right starting point.
You get a clear scope, document checklist, and the exact next steps to move forward.
You get a clear scope, document checklist, and the exact next steps to move forward.
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Licence issued, documents delivered, and guidance for what comes next (visas, admin, compliance).
Clear scope, transparent costs, and one advisor who moves it through, start to finish.
Exact requirements and document checklist, plus a clean starting cost breakdown, before you commit.
One advisor owns your case end-to-end, coordinates steps, and keeps momentum without handoffs.
Status updates, next steps, and document requests in one thread, so you always know what’s pending.
Starting prices are upfront. Final scope depends on activity and visa needs, confirmed before you proceed.
Best for: Flexible setup with a straightforward formation path.
Final pricing depends on visa count, jurisdiction (free zone or mainland), and any add-ons you require.
Best for: Operating on the UAE mainland with room to scale.
Final pricing depends on visa count, jurisdiction (free zone or mainland), and any add-ons you require.
Best for: Offshore structure for specific business needs.
Final pricing depends on visa count, jurisdiction (free zone or mainland), and any add-ons you require.
Fill in the form bellow. We’ll reply with the recommended route and checklist.
The key details, explained clearly: setup route, timelines, pricing drivers, and post-licence support. Scan the answers, then reach out when you want a tailored recommendation.
Free zone = 100% owned, international/remote, lighter setup.
Mainland = full UAE onshore trading, retail, govt work. The deciding factor is where you sell.
Yes, indirectly — via a mainland distributor or a dual licence. Direct onshore selling needs a mainland presence.
No. Most activities now allow 100% foreign ownership.
Free zone, usually. With CorpWise, free zone setup starts from AED 12,500 and mainland from AED 35,000.
Free zone: 1–10 working days. Mainland: 7–21 working days.
Yes. You can transition as you grow; we manage the move.
Both fall under 9% corporate tax. Free zone QFZP income can qualify for 0%; mainland is 9% above AED 375,000 profit.
If your clients are mainly in the UK, EU or elsewhere outside the UAE, a free zone usually fits: 100% ownership, a lower starting cost and a residence visa through your own company. If you plan to sell to UAE businesses, open premises or hire locally, mainland gives you full onshore access. Both routes can sponsor your residence visa.
Not on its own. Your UK tax position is decided by HMRC's Statutory Residence Test, which looks at your days in the UK, your home and your UK ties, not where your company is registered. Plan the move, the company and how you pay yourself as one plan, and take advice from a UK tax adviser before you leave. We handle the UAE side: company, residence visa, Emirates ID and banking.
One dashboard for milestones, documents, tasks, and payments, with your advisor on WhatsApp. No chasing updates. You always know what’s pending, what’s next, and what we need from you.
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