# DMCC or IFZA > Compare an established commodities and trading free zone in Jumeirah Lakes Towers with a general multi-activity Dubai free zone. Both put Dubai on the licence; they differ in focus, facilities and how their published packages are scoped. - Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-ifza - Updated: 2026-10-09 - Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology ## Verdict IFZA starts AED 23,130 lower with one visa (AED 20,650 against AED 43,780 for DMCC). 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 | DMCC (Free zone) | IFZA (Free zone) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | From, no visa | Not published | AED 12,900 (12 months · current package) | | From, one visa | AED 43,780 (12 months · published package) | AED 20,650 (12 months · current package) | | From, two visas | Not published | AED 26,400 (12 months · current package) | | Lowest package price | AED 35,484 (12 months · published package) | AED 12,900 (12 months · current package) | | Licence issued in | 2 weeks (Company setup is described as usually taking about two weeks.) | 3–5 business days | | Residency visa in | 0–20 business days (The employee visa guide allows up to 20 working days.) | 1–2 business days | | Renewal price | AED 20,265 (Trading or service licence renewal for one year is AED 20,265.) | AED 12,900 (No visa; AED 17,100 with one visa, AED 19,100 with two (card included)) | | Licence types | Trading, Service, Industrial | Commercial, Professional, Industrial | | Facility options | Flexi desk, Office, Retail | Flexi desk, Smart office, Office | | Visa options | Not published | Investor or partner visa against the licence for shareholders, Employment visas up to the allocation in the package, priced from zero to two visas, Dependant sponsorship once the primary residency and Emirates ID are issued, Establishment card is issued first and gates every visa that follows | | Remote paperwork | No | Yes | | Activity guides catalogued | Not published | 823 | Each figure comes from the same source as its guide page. ### Not published - DMCC · From, no visa: Checked 2026-10-09: Official setup packages and tariffs are published. The existing one-visa package remains available as evidence; quota-only Basic Biz is not an issued-visa bundle. No active setup calculator was located on the checked official surfaces; a rewards calculator is unrelated. - DMCC · From, two visas: Checked 2026-10-09: Official setup packages and tariffs are published. The existing one-visa package remains available as evidence; quota-only Basic Biz is not an issued-visa bundle. No active setup calculator was located on the checked official surfaces; a rewards calculator is unrelated. - DMCC · Visa options: No visa options recorded for this jurisdiction. - DMCC · Activity guides catalogued: We have not published authored activity guides for DMCC (Dubai Multi Commodities Centre). Confirm the selected licence line and approvals with the authority. ## Check before choosing ### DMCC Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case. [Read the DMCC guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc) ### 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 [Read the IFZA guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) ## Frequently asked questions ### Why do founders compare DMCC with IFZA? Both are Dubai free zones with broad activity lists. DMCC is built around commodities, trading houses and JLT-based services; IFZA targets lighter trading and consultancy licences. The choice usually turns on activity, office needs and budget. ### 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, DMCC or IFZA? IFZA starts AED 23,130 lower with one visa (AED 20,650 against AED 43,780 for DMCC). ## Related - [DMCC guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/dmcc) - [IFZA guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) - [All comparisons](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare) ## Machine-readable - [DMCC or IFZA (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/comparisons/dmcc-vs-ifza.json) ## Citation Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional. Dubai Setup Index. “DMCC or IFZA.” Updated 2026-10-09. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-ifza [Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-ifza). “DMCC or IFZA.” Updated 2026-10-09. Licensed CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). Any use or transformation of the data carries: Source: Dubai Setup Index (dubaisetupindex.com), licensed CC BY 4.0. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/dmcc-vs-ifza, updated 2026-10-09. Licensed CC BY 4.0: any use or transformation carries the attribution text, with its link and date. Quoting any figure from this record requires a resolvable link to url. Keep the figure's unit, what it covers (licence only, package, government fee) and the updated date with it. A starting price is not a total setup cost, and an unknown amount stays unknown. A figure sourced from a third party (Invest in Dubai, DET, a free zone authority or a partner's quote) keeps its source citation — the source named in the record, with its URL and checked date — alongside the licence attribution.