# IFZA or Shams > Compare IFZA's Dubai multi-activity licences with Sharjah Media City's media and service licences. The questions are the emirate on the licence, the activity list and what each package includes. - Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-shams - Updated: 2026-10-09 - Publication: below the publication gate (No decision value beyond the activity name) - Method: https://dubaisetupindex.com/methodology ## Verdict 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 | IFZA (Free zone) | Sharjah Media City (Free zone) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | From, no visa | AED 12,900 (12 months · current package) | Not published | | From, one visa | AED 20,650 (12 months · current package) | Not published | | From, two visas | AED 26,400 (12 months · current package) | Not published | | Lowest package price | AED 12,900 (12 months · current package) | AED 6,875 (starting price) | | Licence issued in | 3–5 business days | Not published | | Residency visa in | 1–2 business days | Not published | | Renewal price | AED 12,900 (No visa; AED 17,100 with one visa, AED 19,100 with two (card included)) | Not published | | Licence types | Commercial, Professional, Industrial | Media, Freelance, Services, E-commerce | | Facility options | Flexi desk, Smart office, Office | Flexi desk, Office | | Visa options | 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 | Not published | | Remote paperwork | Yes | Yes | | Activity guides catalogued | 823 | Not published | Each figure comes from the same source as its guide page. ### Not published - Sharjah Media City · From, no visa: Checked 2026-10-09: A multi-step cost calculator exists on startwith.shams.ae. In this browser test the dummy-data contact step did not advance or return a price, and the page displayed PHP warnings. AED 5,750 Media and AED 6,875 Standard are headline prices, not newly verified 0/1/2-visa totals. - Sharjah Media City · From, one visa: Checked 2026-10-09: A multi-step cost calculator exists on startwith.shams.ae. In this browser test the dummy-data contact step did not advance or return a price, and the page displayed PHP warnings. AED 5,750 Media and AED 6,875 Standard are headline prices, not newly verified 0/1/2-visa totals. - Sharjah Media City · From, two visas: Checked 2026-10-09: A multi-step cost calculator exists on startwith.shams.ae. In this browser test the dummy-data contact step did not advance or return a price, and the page displayed PHP warnings. AED 5,750 Media and AED 6,875 Standard are headline prices, not newly verified 0/1/2-visa totals. - Sharjah Media City · Licence issued in: No published company-formation or licence-issuance time was found. - Sharjah Media City · Residency visa in: No published residency-visa processing time was found for this zone. - Sharjah Media City · Renewal price: Marketing states a fixed lifetime renewal cost subject to terms, but no exact renewal total was found. - Sharjah Media City · Visa options: No visa options recorded for this jurisdiction. - Sharjah Media City · Activity guides catalogued: We have not published authored activity guides for Sharjah Media City (Shams). Confirm the selected licence line and approvals with the authority. ## 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) ### Sharjah Media City Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case. [Read the Sharjah Media City guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/shams) ## Frequently asked questions ### What separates IFZA from Shams? IFZA is a Dubai free zone for trading, services and consultancy; Shams is a Sharjah free zone focused on media and service licences. Activity coverage and the emirate on the licence usually decide. ### 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, IFZA 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. ## Related - [IFZA guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/ifza) - [Sharjah Media City guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/shams) - [All comparisons](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare) ## Machine-readable - [IFZA or Shams (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/comparisons/ifza-vs-shams.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 Shams.” Updated 2026-10-09. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-shams [Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/ifza-vs-shams). “IFZA or Shams.” 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/ifza-vs-shams, 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.