Meydan Free Zone or RAKEZ
Compare a Dubai free-zone address for professional and trading licences with Ras Al Khaimah's broad zone covering desks through to industrial facilities. Weigh the emirate on the licence against facility range and package scope.
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.
Meydan Free Zone and Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone both show starting figures, but they cover different scopes, so neither is the cheaper route on this evidence. 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 | Ras Al Khaimah Economic ZoneFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Meydan Free Zone AED 19,870 12 months · calculator output | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 14,000 12 months · promotion |
| Lowest package price | Meydan Free Zone AED 12,520 12 months · calculator output | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 6,000 12 months · starting price |
| Licence issued in | Meydan Free Zone 24 hours Regular: typically within 24 hours, conditional | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone 1–3 business days The current service catalogue gives a 1-3-working-day target for business setup. |
| Residency visa in | Meydan Free Zone 5–7 business days Visa processing typically takes five to seven working days after company incorporation. | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone AED 14,000 The current all-inclusive SME promotion promises the same AED 14,000 annual renewal price. |
| Licence types | Meydan Free Zone Commercial, Professional | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Commercial, Professional, Industrial, Freelance |
| Facility options | Meydan Free Zone Flexi desk, Office | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Flexi desk, Office, Warehouse, Industrial |
| Visa options | Meydan Free Zone Employment visas, priced in the official calculator for zero to two visas 1 moreShow less
| Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | Meydan Free Zone Yes | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published | Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Start with Meydan Free Zone | Explore Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone |
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
Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
Does a Dubai address matter for my business?
It can for clients and banking. Meydan licences carry a Dubai address; RAKEZ licences carry Ras Al Khaimah. Decide whether that difference is worth the package gap shown above.
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, Meydan Free Zone or Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone?
Meydan Free Zone and Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone both show starting figures, but they cover different scopes, so neither is the cheaper route on this evidence. 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.