# IFZA or Dubai mainland

> Both put a Dubai address on the licence. The split is onshore trading rights and registered premises against free-zone speed and a lighter facility commitment.

- Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-dubai-mainland
- Updated: 2026-09-06
- Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology

## 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 | IFZA (Free zone) | Dubai Mainland (Mainland) |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| From, no visa | AED 12,900 (12 months · package price) | AED 14,000 (Licence only · plus 5% of rent) |
| From, one visa | AED 20,650 (12 months · package price) | Priced by owners, not visas (Visa costs are separate) |
| From, two visas | AED 26,400 (12 months · package price) | Priced by owners, not visas (Visa costs are separate) |
| Lowest available price | AED 12,900 (12 months · package price) | AED 14,000 (Licence only · plus 5% of rent) |
| Licence issued in | 3–5 business days | Not published |
| Residency visa in | 1–2 business days | Not published |
| Renewal price | AED 12,900 | Not published |
| Licence types | Commercial, Professional, Industrial | Commercial, Professional, Industrial |
| Facility options | Flexi desk, Smart office, Office | 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., Ejari registration: DLD publishes AED 177.75 through the app/website and AED 220 through a trustee. Confirm company-tenant channel eligibility; rent, deposits and fit-out are separate., The trustee fee components total AED 219.75 with 5% VAT on the partner fee, while DLD prints AED 220. Confirm the payable amount. |
| Visa options | Investor or partner visa against the licence for shareholders, Employment visas up to the allocation in the package, priced from zero to three visas, Dependant sponsorship once the primary residency and Emirates ID are issued, Establishment card is issued first and gates every visa that follows | Visa eligibility, quota, documents and fees have not been verified for your scenario; confirm separately from company licensing. |
| Remote paperwork | Yes | Not published |
| Activity guides catalogued | 447 | 9 |

Each figure comes from the same source as its guide page.

### Not published

- Dubai Mainland · Licence issued in: An end-to-end formation timeline has not been verified for your activity and applicant profile.
- Dubai Mainland · Residency visa in: A complete owner-residency timeline still needs confirmation for the selected visa route, applicant status, medical and biometrics appointments.
- Dubai Mainland · Renewal price: Renewal needs a current licence assessment, premises, membership and any permits or immigration renewals due that year. Historical fee schedules do not establish a current total.
- Dubai Mainland · Remote paperwork: Remote setup eligibility and any in-person steps depend on the activity and applicant; not verified here.

## 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

[Read the IFZA guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza)

### Dubai Mainland

- Choosing a licence before defining the actual activity and operating requirements
- Comparing a quoted package without its premises, visa and renewal assumptions

[Read the Dubai Mainland guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland)

## Related

- [IFZA guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza)
- [Dubai Mainland guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/mainland)
- [All comparisons](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare)

## Machine-readable

- [IFZA or Dubai mainland (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/comparisons/ifza-vs-dubai-mainland.json)

## Citation

Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional.

Dubai Setup Index. “IFZA or Dubai mainland.” Updated 2026-09-06. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-dubai-mainland

[Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-dubai-mainland). “IFZA or Dubai mainland.” Updated 2026-09-06.

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.