ADGM or IFZA

Compare ADGM and IFZA on the same rows: starting packages at each visa count, licence and residency-visa timelines, renewal, facilities and remote paperwork. Every figure is read from the two guide pages.

Forno visa one visa two visas

and a Dubai addressneeded not needed

Answer for the default situation: one visa, Dubai address not needed. Change an answer above to update it.

Ajman Free Zone fits your answers, and it is not in this comparison.

Choose IFZA if a Dubai address matters, or Dubai Mainland if you will sell or work onshore.

Start with Ajman Free Zone Compare IFZA or Ajman Free Zone

Updated 9 Oct 2026

IFZA publishes the faster licence, 3–5 business days against 10 business days for ADGM. No like-for-like starting price is published for ADGM, so the cost side of this comparison is open.

Read from the same published figures as the table. Activity eligibility, approvals and the full first year still decide the route.

Side by side

Package figures cover their stated inclusions only. Activity eligibility, the full first-year cost and renewal still need confirmation for your case.

Each figure comes from the same source as its guide page. Lowest and fastest are marked only where the figures share a scope.
Metric	ADGMFree zone	IFZAFree zone
From, one visa	ADGM Not published: Not published	IFZA AED 20,650 12 months · current package
Lowest package price	ADGM Not published: Not published	IFZA AED 12,900 12 months · current package
Licence issued in	ADGM 10 business days	IFZA 3–5 business days Fastest
Residency visa in	ADGM Not published: Not published	IFZA 1–2 business days
Renewal price	ADGM USD 500 Renewal quoted alongside Foundation initial fee	IFZA AED 12,900 No visa; AED 17,100 with one visa, AED 19,100 with two (card included)
Licence types	ADGM Non-regulated, FSRA-regulated financial	IFZA Commercial, Professional, Industrial
Facility options	ADGM Office, Coworking within ADGM	IFZA Flexi desk, Smart office, Office
Visa options	ADGM Not published: Not published	IFZA Investor or partner visa against the licence for shareholders 3 moreShow less Employment visas up to the allocation in the package, priced from zero to two visas Dependant sponsorship once the primary residency and Emirates ID are issued Establishment card is issued first and gates every visa that follows
Remote paperwork	ADGM No	IFZA Yes
Activity guides catalogued	ADGM Not published: Not published	IFZA 823
Next step	Explore ADGM	Start with IFZA

Compare all free zone prices

Check before choosing

ADGM

Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.

Read the ADGM guide

IFZA

The lowest possible first-year cost, where Ajman is materially cheaper
Warehouse, land or industrial operations that need real premises
Activities carrying a third-party approval before licence issuance, which breaks the fast timeline

Read the IFZA guide

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FAQ

How are the prices compared?

Only package prices at the same visa count and term are ranked against each other. A calculator output, a licence-only estimate or a product flagged as not like for like is shown in the table but never used to name a cheaper side.

Which costs less on published figures, ADGM or IFZA?

IFZA publishes the faster licence, 3–5 business days against 10 business days for ADGM. No like-for-like starting price is published for ADGM, so the cost side of this comparison is open.

Still torn?

Explore the full guides to compare package costs, visa requirements and how you plan to trade.

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