- UAE free zones sell licences directly. Setup agents resell them, add visas, banking and accounting, and handle mainland companies.
- Ecommerce licences start from about AED 6,000 including a visa. Year one with one visa runs about AED 10,250–25,000 in a free zone.
- A mainland company with an office usually costs AED 20,000–40,000+ in year one.
- Online delivery to UAE shoppers from a free zone company is common. Get the zone's written confirmation that your activity allows it.
- Every licensed company registers for corporate tax. VAT applies above AED 375,000 in taxable sales.
The UAE is the easiest place in the Gulf to open a company. You can buy a licence online, sometimes within the hour, and own it 100%.
The hard part is choosing. There are dozens of free zones, a mainland option in every emirate and hundreds of setup agents selling packages.
A good company formation consultant narrows that down to the one licence that fits how you sell. Below you'll find what each route costs in AED, how to compare quotes, the red flags and 11 independently researched free zones and agents. For Saudi Arabia and the regional view, see our main list of business setup consultants in the Middle East.
Do you need a company formation consultant in the UAE?
Not always. If you want one licence and one visa in a free zone, you can buy it straight from the zone.
An agent earns its fee when things get more involved:
- You're not sure which zone fits. A good agent compares several zones for your activity and budget.
- You want a mainland company. Mainland setup needs an office lease, more approvals and more paperwork.
- You need several visas. Staff visas, family visas and medicals take a lot of coordination.
- You want banking and accounting handled. Many agents bundle bank introductions, VAT and corporate tax filings.
Selling on Amazon.ae or noon from abroad? You may not need a UAE company at all yet. A licence matters once you run your own store, hold stock or import in your own name.
What are your options for a UAE company?
There are four routes, and each one comes with a different kind of provider.
| Free zone, direct | Free zone via an agent | Mainland via an agent | Dubai eTrader | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Who issues the licence | The free zone | The free zone | The emirate's economic department (DET in Dubai) | DET |
| Examples | RAKEZ, Meydan, Shams, IFZA, DMCC, Dubai CommerCity | Virtuzone, Shuraa, Creative Zone, Commitbiz | Virtuzone, Shuraa, Creative Zone, Commitbiz | Apply online yourself |
| Foreign ownership | 100% | 100% | 100% for most activities | Individuals only |
| Office | Flexi-desk or none | Flexi-desk or none | Registered office (Ejari) usually needed | Home-based |
| Typical year one, one visa | About AED 10,250–25,000 | Similar, plus any service fee | AED 20,000–40,000+ | About AED 1,370, no visa |
| Best for | Solo sellers who know what they want | First-timers who want visas and a bank handled | Shops, showrooms and government clients | UAE and GCC nationals, and some Dubai residents |
For most online sellers, a free zone licence with an ecommerce activity is enough. Delivering online orders to UAE shoppers from a free zone company is common, but get the zone's written confirmation that your activity covers it.
A mainland company makes sense once you open a shop, sell to government or need a mainland office. Our guide to UAE free zone vs mainland compares the two on customs, tax and cost.
What does a UAE setup consultant do?
They turn your plan into a licence, a visa and a bank account. Here's the usual run for a free zone ecommerce company:
- 1
Pick the activities and the zone
Choose an ecommerce or trading activity that matches what you sell. The consultant checks which zones license it and at what price.
- 2
Reserve the name and get initial approval
The zone checks your trade name and shareholder documents. Passport copies are usually enough for an individual owner.
- 3
Get the online-activity approval
Selling through a website or app needs a TDRA NOC in some zones. RAKEZ says it's free, takes about two working days and needs a .ae domain.
- 4
Receive the licence
Issue takes under an hour to about 10 working days, depending on the zone.
- 5
Apply for the establishment card and visa
The visa needs a medical test and Emirates ID biometrics, so plan one visit.
- 6
Open the bank account and register for tax
The consultant prepares your file for the bank. Every licensed company registers with the FTA for corporate tax.
The licence is usually the quick part. The bank account often takes the longest, so start that conversation early.
Want the zones compared on ecommerce perks and warehousing? See the best UAE free zones for ecommerce.
What do company formation consultants in the UAE charge?
Most UAE quotes are package prices that bundle the licence, a desk and sometimes a visa. Headline prices differ less than what they leave out.
| Provider | Published 2026 price | What's in it |
|---|---|---|
| RAKEZ | From AED 6,000 | Ecommerce licence with one residence visa |
| Shams, SPC Free Zone | From AED 5,750 | Ecommerce or social-selling licence, no visa |
| Shuraa | From AED 5,555 | Free zone "zero visa" package (promo) |
| Virtuzone | From AED 6,000 | Ecommerce accelerator package |
| Meydan Free Zone | From AED 12,500 | Digital trade licence and flexi-desk |
| IFZA, via agents | About AED 12,900 + AED 2,200 registration | Licence, no visa |
| DMCC | About AED 20,000–50,000 a year | Licence; year one with a desk and visa usually tops AED 30,000 |
| Mainland company | About AED 20,000–40,000+ in year one | Licence, office lease and agent service |
The visa is where totals change most. RAKEZ's AED 6,000 package comes to about AED 10,250 in year one once the establishment card, medical and Emirates ID are added.
Worked example: a two-person team in Meydan
Say you and one employee run a Dubai beauty store on Shopify. You both need residence visas. At Meydan's published "from" prices, here's year one:
| Line | Cost (AED) |
|---|---|
| Digital trade licence with flexi-desk | 12,500 |
| Establishment card (one-time) | 2,000 |
| Investor visa | 4,000 |
| Employee visa | 3,500 |
| Medical and Emirates ID, two people | 4,500 |
| Total | 26,500 |
One visa would bring it to AED 20,750. So each extra person adds about AED 5,750 in year one.
Bank fees, accounting and any office upgrade come on top. Corporate tax registration with the FTA is free.
Company formation consultants in the UAE
Six free zones on this list sell licences directly. Five agents set up across many zones and the mainland. All were independently researched and appear in no particular order.
Meydan Free Zone
Best for: Founders who want a fast, fully online Dubai licence with a Dubai address
- Standard digital trade licence from AED 12,500 with up to 3 activity groups and flexi-desk
- Fawri licence 'in 60 minutes' from AED 15,000, with money-back guarantee if delayed
- 2,500+ selectable activities; 26+ banking partners; multi-year licences save up to 15%
IFZA (International Free Zone Authority)
Best for: Cost-conscious Dubai setups sold through agents, including trading/ecommerce activities
- Free zone in Dubai Silicon Oasis with its own business park
- Also offers business setup in Panama
RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone)
Best for: Ecommerce sellers who need low-cost licence plus affordable warehouse space in the UAE
- 'Straight to Business in 24 Hours' package from AED 6,000; all-inclusive set-up AED 14,000
- Instant online licence in under five minutes (company claim)
- Dedicated ecommerce package; warehouses of various sizes
DMCC
Best for: Brands wanting a prestige Dubai address and physical office, including Chinese trading companies
- 26,000+ registered companies from 180+ countries
- Setup takes 'around 10 working days'
- 1,000+ licensed activities; 0% corporate tax on qualifying income
Dubai CommerCity
Best for: Pure-play ecommerce businesses wanting licence, office and fulfilment in one Dubai zone
- Says it is the first free zone dedicated exclusively to digital commerce in MEASA
- Joint venture of DIEZ and Wasl Properties
- Warehousing and fulfilment inside the zone
Shams (Sharjah Media City)
Best for: Solo founders, creators and small online sellers wanting a low-cost UAE licence
- Established 2017 by Emiri decree; 2 million sq m site
- Podcast room and filming locations for content creators
Virtuzone
Best for: First-time UAE founders who want an end-to-end agent including banking and accounting
- Says it has helped 80,000+ entrepreneurs; 17+ years, 250+ staff, 25+ awards
- Team speaks 40+ languages
- E-commerce Accelerator from AED 6,000
Shuraa Business Setup
Best for: Price-sensitive sellers comparing free zone vs mainland packages
- Says it has served 100,000+ businesses over 26+ years
- 180+ staff of 17+ nationalities, 20+ languages
- Free zone 'zero visa' package from AED 5,555; licence + 1-yr investor visa AED 12,000 (promo)
Creative Zone
Best for: Sellers planning UAE first and Saudi second who want one agent for both
- Says it has helped 75,000+ startups and SMEs over 15 years
- Setup packages for UAE, KSA and Qatar 'from AED 5,750'
Commitbiz
Best for: Sellers wanting licence plus ongoing VAT/corporate tax compliance from one firm
- 20,000+ clients, 19+ years, 200+ team members, 4.8 Google rating from 900+ reviews
- Renewals from AED 5,760 (free zone) and AED 18,000 (mainland)
- Explicitly states it is a private consultancy, not a government entity
Analytix (Saudi Arabia)
Best for: Foreign companies wanting a multi-city Saudi consultancy that also runs accounting and tax after setup
- the firm says it has helped 2,500 companies from 14 countries over 17+ years
- standard LLC in about 3-7 weeks (MISA licence 3-7 business days)
- publishes indicative cost ranges and a setup cost calculator
How do you choose a UAE company formation consultant?
Start with how you'll sell, then match the licence to it. The cheapest package is only a bargain if its activities cover your business.
- 1
Decide how you'll sell
Your own store, marketplaces, social selling or wholesale. Note whether you'll hold stock in the UAE.
- 2
Count your visas and space
How many residence visas, and do you need a flexi-desk, an office or a warehouse?
- 3
Get one zone quote and two agent quotes
Send all three the same activities, visa count and office needs.
- 4
Check the activity wording
Make sure the licence names ecommerce or trading for your product category, and ask about the online-activity NOC.
- 5
Compare three years, not one
Add licence and visa renewals, the establishment card, Emirates ID, accounting and tax filings.
- 6
Ask about the bank
Which banks accept your business type, what they ask for and how long it usually takes.
Need help with VAT and corporate tax after setup? Compare VAT and tax advisors in the UAE.
What should you ask a UAE setup consultant?
A zone and an agent should both answer these in writing. Gaps in the answers show you what the headline price leaves out:
Notes for sellers who also target Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabia needs its own entity. Your UAE licence doesn't carry over, so local Saudi payments need a Saudi company, a marketplace or an importer of record.
- Many brands start in the UAE anyway. Stock in Dubai can serve Saudi orders while you test demand.
- Pick an agent with a Saudi team if you'll expand soon. Creative Zone and Commitbiz both advertise Saudi setups. See company formation consultants in Saudi Arabia.
Notes for Chinese sellers
- Language support is easy to find. Virtuzone says its team speaks 40+ languages, and many Dubai agents work in Chinese.
- Prepare your documents early. Your 营业执照 and passport copies are usually enough for an individual free zone setup, but banks may ask for more.
- The full route is in one place. Our guide to company setup in the UAE for Chinese businesses covers zones, visas and banking.
Notes after setup
- Corporate tax. It's 9% on profit above AED 375,000, and every licensed company must register. Our UAE corporate tax guide explains the free zone rules.
- E-invoicing. Businesses under AED 50 million in revenue are in the second wave. They must appoint an accredited service provider by 31 March 2027. They go live on 1 July 2027.
- Product conformity. Regulated goods need an ECAS certificate, at AED 1,720 per certificate from MoIAT.
Get company formation quotes for the UAE
Share your plans once. We'll match you with free zones and agents that fit your activities, visas and budget.
Frequently asked questions
It depends on what you need. Free zones such as RAKEZ, Meydan and Shams suit a solo seller who wants a cheap licence fast. Agents such as Virtuzone, Shuraa, Creative Zone and Commitbiz suit founders who want visas, banking and accounting handled. Get two or three written quotes for the same activities and visa count.
Sources & further reading
- E-commerce licence — RAKEZ
- E-commerce licence in Dubai, UAE: everything you need to know — Meydan Free Zone
- Meydan Free Zone licences and visas — Meydan Free Zone
- E-commerce licence costs in Dubai — SPC Free Zone
- Complete guide on DMCC licences — DMCC
- Full foreign ownership of commercial companies — UAE Government (u.ae)
- Running a business in a free zone — UAE Government (u.ae)
- Request to issue a trade licence: eTrader licence — Invest in Dubai (DET)
- Corporate tax — UAE Ministry of Finance
This guide is for general information only and is not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules and fees change — always confirm with the official source or a licensed advisor.
Maya is MiddleEastEcom's lead guide and editor. She researches GCC marketplaces, payments and regulations and turns them into practical playbooks for sellers.
Meet Maya