Dubai Airport Freezone or DIFC
Compare Dubai Airport Freezone and DIFC 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.
Your situation
Answer for the default situation: one visa. Change an answer above to update it.
Ajman Free Zone fits your answers, and it is not in this comparison.
Choose Dubai Mainland if you will sell or work onshore.
DIFC publishes the faster licence, 3–5 business days against 10–15 business days for Dubai Airport Freezone. No like-for-like starting price is published for Dubai Airport Freezone and DIFC, 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.
| Metric | Dubai Airport FreezoneFree zone | DIFCFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Dubai Airport Freezone Not published: Not published | DIFC Not published: Not published |
| Lowest package price | Dubai Airport Freezone Not published: Not published | DIFC Not published: Not published |
| Licence issued in | Dubai Airport Freezone 10–15 business days Talent Pass only: 10–15 working days after approval | DIFC 3–5 business days Fastest |
| Residency visa in | Dubai Airport Freezone Not published: Not published | DIFC Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | Dubai Airport Freezone Not published: Not published | DIFC Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | Dubai Airport Freezone Trading, Service, Logistics | DIFC Non-regulated commercial, DFSA-regulated financial |
| Facility options | Dubai Airport Freezone Office, Warehouse, Showroom | DIFC Office, Coworking within DIFC |
| Visa options | Dubai Airport Freezone Not published: Not published | DIFC Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | Dubai Airport Freezone No | DIFC No |
| Activity guides catalogued | Dubai Airport Freezone Not published: Not published | DIFC Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Explore Dubai Airport Freezone | Explore DIFC |
Check before choosing
Dubai Airport Freezone
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Dubai Airport Freezone guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
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, Dubai Airport Freezone or DIFC?
DIFC publishes the faster licence, 3–5 business days against 10–15 business days for Dubai Airport Freezone. No like-for-like starting price is published for Dubai Airport Freezone and DIFC, 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.