Meydan Free Zone or Dubai mainland
Compare Meydan Free Zone's professional and trading licences with a Dubai mainland company licensed by DET. Start with the activity, operating location and premises; prices on each side have different inclusions.
Your situation
Answer for the default situation: one visa, selling abroad or in free zones. 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.
The published figures do not yet support a like-for-like call between Meydan Free Zone and Dubai Mainland; decide on activity fit, location and an itemised quote for your case.
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 | Meydan Free ZoneFree zone | Dubai MainlandMainland |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Meydan Free Zone AED 19,870 12 months · calculator output | Dubai Mainland Priced by owners, not visas Visa costs are separate |
| Lowest package price | Meydan Free Zone AED 12,520 12 months · calculator output | Dubai Mainland AED 14,000 Licence only · plus 5% of rent |
| Licence issued in | Meydan Free Zone 24 hours Regular: typically within 24 hours, conditional | Dubai Mainland Not published: Not published |
| Residency visa in | Meydan Free Zone 5–7 business days Visa processing typically takes five to seven working days after company incorporation. | Dubai Mainland Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published | Dubai Mainland Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | Meydan Free Zone Commercial, Professional | Dubai Mainland Commercial, Professional, Industrial |
| Facility options | Meydan Free Zone Flexi desk, Office | Dubai Mainland Confirm the premises are suitable for the exact activity before signing a lease or paying for fit-out. Ejari registration alone does not establish activity approval. 2 moreShow less
|
| Visa options | Meydan Free Zone Employment visas, priced in the official calculator for zero to two visas 1 moreShow less
| Dubai Mainland Visa eligibility, quota, documents and fees have not been verified for your scenario; confirm separately from company licensing. |
| Remote paperwork | Meydan Free Zone Yes | Dubai Mainland Not published: Not published |
| Activity guides catalogued | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published | Dubai Mainland 2,327 |
| Next step | Start with Meydan Free Zone | Start with Dubai Mainland |
Check before choosing
Meydan Free Zone
- Warehouse, land or industrial operations that need physical premises
- Companies with several owners that want the Fawri route, which needs one person in every role
Dubai Mainland
- Choosing a licence before defining the actual activity and operating requirements
- Comparing a quoted package without its premises, visa and renewal assumptions
Ask an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
When is mainland worth considering over Meydan?
When the business needs to trade onshore directly, hold government contracts or operate from mainland premises. A free-zone licence suits businesses working from the zone for clients abroad or in free zones.
How are the prices compared?
The mainland column shows the official licence estimate, which excludes rent, visas and approvals, so it is never ranked against a free-zone package. Confirm the activity, premises and visa plan to get a like-for-like quote.
Which costs less on published figures, Meydan Free Zone or Dubai Mainland?
The published figures do not yet support a like-for-like call between Meydan Free Zone and Dubai Mainland; decide on activity fit, location and an itemised quote for your case.
Still torn?
Explore the full guides to compare package costs, visa requirements and how you plan to trade.