Meydan Free Zone or Shams
Compare a Dubai free zone aimed at cost-sensitive professional and trading licences with Sharjah Media City, aimed at media freelancers and service licences. Both are shortlisted for lean online and service businesses.
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.
No like-for-like starting price is published for Sharjah Media City, so the cost side of this comparison is open. 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 | Sharjah Media CityFree zone |
|---|---|---|
| From, one visa | Meydan Free Zone AED 19,870 12 months · calculator output | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Lowest package price | Meydan Free Zone AED 12,520 12 months · calculator output | Sharjah Media City AED 6,875 starting price |
| Licence issued in | Meydan Free Zone 24 hours Regular: typically within 24 hours, conditional | Sharjah Media City 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. | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Renewal price | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Licence types | Meydan Free Zone Commercial, Professional | Sharjah Media City Media, Freelance, Services, E-commerce |
| Facility options | Meydan Free Zone Flexi desk, Office | Sharjah Media City Flexi desk, Office |
| Visa options | Meydan Free Zone Employment visas, priced in the official calculator for zero to two visas 1 moreShow less
| Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Remote paperwork | Meydan Free Zone Yes | Sharjah Media City Yes |
| Activity guides catalogued | Meydan Free Zone Not published: Not published | Sharjah Media City Not published: Not published |
| Next step | Start with Meydan Free Zone | Explore Sharjah Media City |
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
Sharjah Media City
Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case.
Read the Sharjah Media City guideAsk an assistant about this page: ChatGPT · Claude · Perplexity
FAQ
Which suits a lean e-commerce or service business?
Both license online and service activities. Meydan gives a Dubai address; Shams gives a Sharjah address with a media focus. Confirm the exact activity in each catalogue, then compare package inclusions.
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 Sharjah Media City?
No like-for-like starting price is published for Sharjah Media City, so the cost side of this comparison is open. 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.