# Masdar City or ADGM > Compare two Abu Dhabi free zones with very different purposes: Masdar City for cleantech and innovation companies, and ADGM for financial services under English common law with the FSRA regulating financial activity. - Canonical: https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/masdar-city-vs-adgm - 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 Masdar City Free Zone and ADGM, 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 | Masdar City Free Zone (Free zone) | ADGM (Free zone) | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | From, no visa | Not published | Not published | | From, one visa | Not published | Not published | | From, two visas | Not published | Not published | | Lowest package price | Not published | Not published | | Licence issued in | 1 calendar day (The authority advertises a digital licence in one day.) | 10 business days | | Residency visa in | Not published | Not published | | Renewal price | Not published | USD 500 (Renewal quoted alongside Foundation initial fee) | | Licence types | Clean tech, Sustainability, Services | Non-regulated, FSRA-regulated financial | | Facility options | Office, Campus facilities | Office, Coworking within ADGM | | Visa options | Not published | Not published | | Remote paperwork | No | No | | Activity guides catalogued | Not published | Not published | Each figure comes from the same source as its guide page. ### Not published - Masdar City Free Zone · From, no visa: Checked 2026-10-09: A three-step calculator exists, including LLC and 1–10 visas. The summary shows no numeric price before Finish, which requires accepting terms; it was not submitted. Public Startup / Business One / Enterprise / Innovation prices are available, but the package page does not establish a 12-month term. Business One includes medical and Emirates ID application. - ADGM · From, no visa: Checked 2026-10-09: The old fees URL returned 404. Current setup FAQs and the 2025 fee schedule describe registration and licence categories, not complete 0/1/2-visa setup packages. - Masdar City Free Zone · From, one visa: A 1-visa product is published, but it does not confirm included visas or is not a like-for-like package. It is listed under other published prices. - ADGM · From, one visa: Checked 2026-10-09: The old fees URL returned 404. Current setup FAQs and the 2025 fee schedule describe registration and licence categories, not complete 0/1/2-visa setup packages. - Masdar City Free Zone · From, two visas: A 2-visa product is published, but it does not confirm included visas or is not a like-for-like package. It is listed under other published prices. - ADGM · From, two visas: Checked 2026-10-09: The old fees URL returned 404. Current setup FAQs and the 2025 fee schedule describe registration and licence categories, not complete 0/1/2-visa setup packages. - Masdar City Free Zone · Lowest package price: No comparable company package price is confirmed. Other published fees and products are listed separately. - ADGM · Lowest package price: No comparable company package price is confirmed. Other published fees and products are listed separately. - Masdar City Free Zone · Residency visa in: No published residency-visa processing time was found for this zone. - ADGM · Residency visa in: No published residency-visa processing time was found for this zone. - Masdar City Free Zone · Renewal price: No complete public renewal detail was found. - Masdar City Free Zone · Visa options: No visa options recorded for this jurisdiction. - ADGM · Visa options: No visa options recorded for this jurisdiction. - Masdar City Free Zone · Activity guides catalogued: We have not published authored activity guides for Masdar City Free Zone. Confirm the selected licence line and approvals with the authority. - ADGM · Activity guides catalogued: We have not published authored activity guides for ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market). Confirm the selected licence line and approvals with the authority. ## Check before choosing ### Masdar City Free Zone Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case. [Read the Masdar City Free Zone guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/masdar-city) ### ADGM Confirm activity restrictions, premises and visa requirements for your case. [Read the ADGM guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/adgm) ## Frequently asked questions ### Which Abu Dhabi zone fits my business? Regulated financial firms and holding structures usually look at ADGM. Technology, sustainability and innovation companies usually look at Masdar City. Confirm the activity in each catalogue. ### 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, Masdar City Free Zone or ADGM? No like-for-like starting price is published for Masdar City Free Zone and ADGM, so the cost side of this comparison is open. Decide on activity fit, location and an itemised quote for your case. ## Related - [Masdar City Free Zone guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/masdar-city) - [ADGM guide](https://dubaisetupindex.com/free-zones/adgm) - [All comparisons](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare) ## Machine-readable - [Masdar City or ADGM (JSON)](https://dubaisetupindex.com/data/comparisons/masdar-city-vs-adgm.json) ## Citation Required when quoting any figure from this page. Copy one of these verbatim — the link is not optional. Dubai Setup Index. “Masdar City or ADGM.” Updated 2026-10-09. https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/masdar-city-vs-adgm [Dubai Setup Index](https://dubaisetupindex.com/compare/masdar-city-vs-adgm). “Masdar City or ADGM.” 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/masdar-city-vs-adgm, 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.