IFZA or Sharjah Publishing City
Compare IFZA's Dubai address and multi-activity packages with Sharjah Publishing City's publishing-focused zone. The decision is whether the Dubai address is worth the difference in package scope.
Your situation
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.
IFZA publishes the faster residency visa, 1–2 business days against 5 business days for Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone. IFZA and Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone both show starting figures, but they cover different scopes, so neither is the cheaper route on this evidence.
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 | IFZAFree zone | Sharjah Publishing City Free ZoneFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | IFZA AED 20,650 12 months · current package | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone AED 14,345 12 months · calculator output |
| Lowest package price | IFZA AED 12,900 12 months · current package | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone AED 5,760 12 months · calculator output |
| Licence issued in | IFZA 3–5 business days | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Same day |
| Residency visa in | IFZA 1–2 business days Fastest | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone 5 business days The authority advertises UAE residency in five working days. |
| Renewal price | IFZA AED 12,900 No visa; AED 17,100 with one visa, AED 19,100 with two (card included) | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | IFZA Commercial, Professional, Industrial | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Publishing, Printing, Related media |
| Facility options | IFZA Flexi desk, Smart office, Office | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Office, Publishing facilities |
| Visa options | IFZA Investor or partner visa against the licence for shareholders 3 moreShow less
| Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | IFZA Yes | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | IFZA 823 | Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Start with IFZA | Explore Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone |
Check before choosing
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
Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
Dubai or Sharjah on the licence?
IFZA licences carry a Dubai address; Sharjah Publishing City licences carry Sharjah. Both let you serve clients across the UAE through the usual free-zone channels.
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, IFZA or Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone?
IFZA publishes the faster residency visa, 1–2 business days against 5 business days for Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone. IFZA and Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone both show starting figures, but they cover different scopes, so neither is the cheaper route on this evidence.
Still torn?
Explore the full guides to compare package costs, visa requirements and how you plan to trade.