The reframe
The headline is the bait. The company is the cost.
A zone advertises its lowest licence, and the number is genuine. So is everything it leaves off the banner. Put the two side by side and the gap stops surprising you.
What you actually buy
A company you can run
Visas you live on. A business that needs you resident is not the price the headline quotes.
A bank that opens. Harder than the licence, and not our decision. A rushed attempt at the wrong corporate bank marks your profile for the next.
The right activity. The wrong one never surfaces on the price list. It surfaces at the bank or at renewal.
Who decides the bank: the bank, regulated by the Central Bank, not us
Year 1
The setup invoice
Licence, visas, workspace, the bank file. The number most people compare, and the smallest one.
Year 2
It starts compounding
Renewals, per-visa costs, bookkeeping, and corporate tax now recur. The headline saving thins.
Year 3
The cheap zone is the expensive one
The lowest licence today is often the costliest decision by now. We cost the structure over its life, not the setup receipt.
What moves your number
Four decisions, not forty line items.
Skip the fee-by-fee spreadsheet. Four choices set most of what a free zone company costs, and they are judgement calls, not prices. Settle these well and the rest is arithmetic we do for you.
The right zone for the workJurisdiction
What you are licensed to doActivity
How many people you sponsorVisas
Flexi-desk to a real officeWorkspace
Indicative, not a quote: a functional one-person setup lands well above the advertised licence in year one, and where you fall is a decision, not a sticker price. We build your number privately and confirm it in writing before you commit. See how the free zones compare, or take it straight to pricing.
What a free zone does not exempt you from
A licence is not a tax holiday.
A free zone company carries the same federal obligations as any other UAE company, including corporate tax and VAT. Know these eligibility facts before you set the budget. They are why the licence price was never the whole story.
Mandatory for every UAE company, free zone includedCorporate tax registration
9% on taxable profit above AED 375,000Corporate tax rate
Relief possible while revenue stays under AED 3MSmall Business Relief
Mandatory once taxable supplies pass AED 375,000VAT registration
The honest part
We do not compete on the headline, and we will not call the cheapest licence the right one when it is not.
You pay us for the judgement that keeps the cheap version from becoming the expensive one:
- The right zone.
- The right activity.
- A bankable file.
- A number that holds after you commit.
In their words
Why founders stay with the firm.
5.0
Verified Google reviews and LinkedIn recommendations. Every name real, every source linked.
Read on Google
Google review
Everything was perfect, very fast, easy and super professional. You helped me and my family get our Golden Visas without any stress.
Google review
From the initial assessment to final implementation, the team demonstrated strong expertise, structured methodology, and clear communication.
Google review
They delivered what they promised without any hidden agenda and informed me of better and less costly ways to achieve what I need.
Google review
Thanks to Manish Kumar, we were finally able to speed up the process of getting our visa after months of struggling with other agents.
Google review
He was super quick to reply, very efficient and honestly the best I have worked with. He made the whole process so much easier.
LinkedIn recommendation
Manish demonstrated deep expertise, professionalism, and a thorough understanding of the incorporation process. Proactive, responsive, and efficient.
Google review
They've assisted me and my family obtain golden residency in the UAE. All timelines were clearly defined and all processes transparent.
LinkedIn recommendation
Communication was clear from the start, everything managed end to end with full transparency on costs.
LinkedIn recommendation
Manish was instrumental in setting up our company in Dubai. Always responsive, readily available to answer our questions.
LinkedIn recommendation
A trusted advisor, a skilled navigator of complex regulatory landscapes, with unshakeable integrity.
LinkedIn recommendation
Great and professional support from Manish. I recommend working with him on any project.
The cost question, answered
What founders actually ask.
Why is the real cost of a free zone company higher than the headline licence?
Because the headline is the licence alone, and a licence alone is not a working company. The figure that wins your click is the smallest true number in the story, not the one you will live with. By the time the company can sponsor a visa, satisfy a bank, and carry the compliance UAE law requires, the real cost sits well above the advertised price. The gap is not hidden. It is left off the banner so the banner stays low.
Is the cheapest free zone the right choice?
Rarely, and we say so plainly when it is not. The cheapest licence becomes the most expensive decision when the bank declines it, the activity is wrong for what you sell, or you restructure twelve months later. For a holding entity or a founder already resident, a lean zero-visa licence can be correct. For most people building an operating business and needing to live in the UAE, choosing on the headline alone is how the saving turns into the bill.
What actually decides what a free zone company costs?
Four decisions, not forty line items: the zone, your activity, how many people you need on visas, and the workspace the bank will accept. These set most of what you pay, and they are judgement calls, not prices. Settle them correctly and the cost follows. Get them wrong and no licence figure, however low, saves you the rework.
Does a free zone company still have to register for corporate tax?
Yes. Corporate tax registration is mandatory for every UAE company, free zone entities included, regardless of turnover. The 9% rate applies on taxable profit above AED 375,000, and Small Business Relief can apply where revenue stays under AED 3 million. VAT registration becomes mandatory once taxable supplies cross AED 375,000 in a rolling twelve-month period. A free zone licence does not place you outside these regimes, which is why the licence price was never the whole number.
Can you tell me my exact number?
Yes, privately. Once we know your activity, your zone, and how many people you need resident, we build your number and confirm it in writing before you commit. That is a short conversation, not a banner price and not a form.