Meydan vs Ajman FZ: which free zone fits you?
A neutral comparison — no single free zone pays us more than another.
In short
Meydan (licences from about AED 12,500) and Ajman FZ (from about AED 5,555) are both UAE free zones — Ajman FZ has the lower entry price. Meydan best suits: E-commerce sellers, freelancers, consultants, agencies, small service businesses and holding companies that want a credible Dubai address, a low starting cost and a quick online setup, while keeping their visa needs modest (up to three on a flexi-desk). Ajman FZ best suits: Online sellers and e-commerce founders who want the one AFZ package with a published price, freelancers using the 40-category Sole Professional licence, and cost-sensitive traders and light-industrial businesses already looking at the northern emirates who are willing to request a written quote rather than compare a published rate card. No single zone pays us more, so the recommendation depends only on your activity, visa count and budget.
Meydan and Ajman FZ side by side
Approximate budgeting figures — your final quote is confirmed in writing. Government fees are passed through at cost, never marked up.
| Criteria | Meydan | Ajman FZ |
|---|---|---|
| Licence from | AED 12,500 | AED 5,555 |
| Emirate | Dubai | Ajman |
| Location | Meydan / Nad Al Sheba, Business Bay catchment, Dubai | Ajman Port / Al Jurf, Ajman |
| Visas | Visa allocation is tied to your workspace. | Package-defined. |
| Activities | Meydan offers a list of 2,500+ permitted activities. | AFZ's mid-tier packages advertise up to five mix-and-match activities across commercial, service and e-commerce categories, rising to up to ten activities on the Hexa-and-above tiers. |
Lower entry price: Ajman FZ.
Which one should you pick?
Choose Meydan if
E-commerce sellers, freelancers, consultants, agencies, small service businesses and holding companies that want a credible Dubai address, a low starting cost and a quick online setup, while keeping their visa needs modest (up to three on a flexi-desk).
Think twice if
Businesses that need a large team of more than three visas without renting a physical office, or that sell goods and services directly to the UAE mainland market. Those cases usually fit a private office, a different zone, or a Dubai mainland (DET) licence better.
Choose Ajman FZ if
Online sellers and e-commerce founders who want the one AFZ package with a published price, freelancers using the 40-category Sole Professional licence, and cost-sensitive traders and light-industrial businesses already looking at the northern emirates who are willing to request a written quote rather than compare a published rate card.
Think twice if
Anyone who needs to compare a published, itemised price before engaging — outside the E-Commerce Licence, AFZ's cost calculator emails an estimate rather than displaying one, so you cannot self-serve a budget. Also a poor fit if you need a Dubai address, a regulated financial licence, or certainty today about mainland selling rights, which AFZ does not spell out publicly.
Cost breakdowns
Meydan
from AED 12,500
Trade licence (zero-visa, up to 3 activities, incl. flexi-desk)
Approximate starting package; rises with extra activities or visas.
from AED 12,500 / year
Establishment card (immigration/e-channel registration)
Required before any company visa can be issued.
approx AED 1,800 - 2,500
Residence visa (investor or employment), per person
All-in for entry permit, status change and stamping; varies by type.
approx AED 4,500 - 6,200
Medical test + Emirates ID, per person
Often included in the all-in visa figure above; confirm per quote.
approx AED 700 - 1,200
Name reservation + initial approval
Generally bundled into the licence package at Meydan.
usually included
Flexi-desk / shared workspace (registered address)
Private office is extra and unlocks a higher visa quota.
included in base
Private office (optional, for more visas/space)
Price depends on size; roughly one visa per 9 sqm.
from approx AED 15,000+ / year
Corporate tax registration (Federal Tax Authority)
Registration is mandatory; 0% on qualifying income, 9% above AED 375,000 of non-qualifying profit.
no government fee
Ajman FZ
from AED 5,555
E-Commerce Licence package
The only AFZ package with a publicly published price. Covers the registered company name, e-commerce licence, official documentation, eligibility to open a UAE bank account, unlimited coworking access and 100% foreign ownership.
from AED 5,555
All other packages (Kickstarter, Freedom, Starter–Deca, Al Jurf)
AFZ's package portal lists features but no prices, and its cost calculator emails an estimate rather than displaying one. Ask for the figure in writing.
Quote-based
E-channel registration renewal
Published in AFZ's own FAQ, which states it should be renewed five days before expiry.
AED 1,100 / year
Company licence cancellation
Published in AFZ's own FAQ.
AED 2,135
Visas, medical, Emirates ID and insurance
Not covered by the published E-Commerce Licence price, which is a zero-visa package. Budget per person.
Added on top
Strengths and trade-offs
Meydan
- Low starting cost with a credible Dubai address and three activities included.
- Fully online incorporation — fast and remote-friendly.
- 100% foreign ownership and full profit repatriation.
- Wide activity list and the option to combine compatible activities.
- Qualifying Free Zone status enabling a potential 0% corporate tax rate on qualifying income.
- The flexi-desk caps you at around three visas; a larger team means renting an office, which raises the real cost.
- You cannot sell directly to the UAE mainland from a free zone licence without a local distributor or a separate mainland licence.
- The advertised starting price is a base figure — visas, establishment card and add-ons push the real first-year total higher.
- Holding a Qualifying Free Zone 0% rate requires meeting substance, audit and qualifying-income conditions, which adds compliance work.
Ajman FZ
- A genuine government free zone with a long operating history — established in 1988, under the Free Zones Authority of Ajman.
- The published E-Commerce Licence at AED 5,555 is competitive and bundles coworking access and bank-account eligibility.
- Visa tiers run all the way to ten on a single package structure, so scaling headcount does not mean changing zone.
- Fast administrative turnarounds where AFZ does publish them: three working days for an establishment card, two to three for a visa cancellation.
- No published rate card. Sixteen packages are listed with features and no prices, and the cost calculator emails an estimate instead of showing one — you cannot budget without contacting them.
- The one published price is scoped to e-commerce and appears in a 2025 article rather than an official fee schedule, so it is a weaker source than the PDF rate cards other zones publish.
- AFZ does not state publicly whether its licences permit direct mainland selling, so treat mainland access as unconfirmed until you have it in writing.
- An Ajman address carries less weight than a Dubai one with some banks and clients, and the zone is not a financial-services jurisdiction.
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Meydan or Ajman FZ?+
Meydan licences start from about AED 12,500 (license only, 0 visa, up to 3 activities, includes flexi-desk, approx per year). Ajman FZ starts from about AED 5,555 (from / published — the E-Commerce Licence package, the only price Ajman Free Zone publishes openly (stated in its own 2025 article, not in a fee schedule). Every other AFZ package is quoted individually; visas, government fees and facilities are added on top). Ajman FZ has the lower headline price, but your real total depends on visa count and office needs — always compare a written, itemised quote.
Who is Meydan best for?+
E-commerce sellers, freelancers, consultants, agencies, small service businesses and holding companies that want a credible Dubai address, a low starting cost and a quick online setup, while keeping their visa needs modest (up to three on a flexi-desk).
Who is Ajman FZ best for?+
Online sellers and e-commerce founders who want the one AFZ package with a published price, freelancers using the 40-category Sole Professional licence, and cost-sensitive traders and light-industrial businesses already looking at the northern emirates who are willing to request a written quote rather than compare a published rate card.
How do I decide between Meydan and Ajman FZ?+
Compare licence cost, visa allocation and activity fit. Meydan: Visa allocation is tied to your workspace. Ajman FZ: Package-defined. If you are still unsure, our free zone selector or a free 30-minute PRO Health Check will confirm the better fit for your case.
Still torn between Meydan and Ajman FZ?
Tell us your activity and how many visas you need, and we'll confirm the better-fit zone and its real cost — in writing, line by line.