Blog
Searchable, paginated guides built for founders comparing costs, activities, visas, tax, banking, and free zone fit.
RAKEZ suits multi-activity real estate firms: professional licences from AED 11,400/year with flexi-desk. ANCFZ is the lowest-cost compliant option: service licence from AED 9,000, 1-visa all-in around AED 12,000.
Cheapest entry: RAKEZ and ANCFZ both start from AED 5,750/year for cleaning or FM licences. Activities covered: Cleaning Contractor, Facility Management, Pest Control, Waste Management, Building Maintenance, HVAC Maintenance and more.
RAKEZ is the top-priority free zone for sports and recreation businesses, with service licences from AED 5,750 per year and flexible workspace options suited to physical-facility operators.
First-year setup: AED 35,000–55,000+ (licence + flexi-desk + registration + 1 visa). Three licence types: Trading, Service, Industrial — up to 5 activities per licence in the same category. Activity list: 2,000+ approved activities across 20 sectors.
RAKEZ leads on cost for road freight and industrial logistics, with licences from AED 9,000/yr and warehouse and industrial unit availability in Ras Al Khaimah.
Start the renewal process 60 days before your licence expiry date — most zones send a reminder at 90 days. AFZA and ANCFZ are among the most affordable renewers at AED 5,555–5,750/year; HFZA and SRTIP are at the higher end.
Compare UAE free zone manufacturing licences 2026 — costs, activities, MoIAT rules and zone-by-zone setup guide for RAKEZ, HFZA, IFZA and more.
Start a food or beverage business in a UAE free zone — compare licences, costs, visa quotas, and compliance rules for 2026.
Total AFZA visa cost 2026: AED 3,400–6,500 per person (investor: AED 3,800–4,500; employee: AED 3,200–4,000). Processing time: 3–7 working days from entry permit to stamped residence visa. Visa quota: 2–3 visas (flexi-desk) | ~5 visas (executive office) | 14+ (warehouse from 100 sqm).
RAKEZ is the top pick for cost-effective entry: professional licence from AED 6,500, all-in with 1 visa from AED 14,000. ANCFZ leads for Abu Dhabi government and federal project work, with up to 10 visas from AED 7,500.
RAKEZ is the top-ranked free zone for consulting businesses — professional licence from AED 11,400/year, flexi-desk included, covers management consulting, IT advisory, HR, and marketing services.
RAKEZ is the most affordable entry point for IT and software startups — from AED 6,000 licence only, AED 14,000 all-in with one visa. SRTIP (Sharjah) is the UAE's only dedicated R&D and innovation free zone — ideal for deep-tech, research, and IP-intensive companies, from AED 5,500.
