Which UAE freezone should you pick?
10 freezones covering the common tech / consulting / fintech scenarios: DIFC, ADGM, DMCC, Dubai Internet City, IFZA, Meydan, SPC, RAK DAO, Hub71, Dubai South. Enter your situation and see the top 3 with a score breakdown, then explore each in detail.
- Freezone rules and activities. Source: Each freezone's own website, cited on its page, checked 25 October 2026 (read from search results; source pages not yet opened). All sources
Your top 3 matches
DMCC
(Dubai Multi Commodities Centre)Dubai free zone with over 26,000 companies, covering commodities, digital assets and a wide range of other activities.
DIC
(Dubai Internet City (TECOM))TECOM Group's technology business district, established in 1999. Meta's regional headquarters is here.
IFZA
(International Free Zone Authority)Dubai free zone for commercial and professional activities, based at Dubai Silicon Oasis. No mandatory office for up to 4 visas.
All 10 freezones
Ranked by fit for your inputsMeydan
DubaiDubai free zone at Meydan Grandstand, Nad Al Sheba, with online company formation and over 2,500 activities.
SPC
SharjahSharjah free zone set up in 2017 for publishing, now licensing over 2,000 activities.
RAK DAO
Ras Al KhaimahRas Al Khaimah free zone launched in 2023 for digital and virtual asset companies, now also AI, Web3 and other tech startups.
DIFC
DubaiDubai's financial free zone, with its own English-language common law courts and an Innovation Licence for tech startups.
ADGM
Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi's international financial centre. Applies English common law directly and has its own courts.
Hub71
Abu DhabiAbu Dhabi tech ecosystem for startups, backed by the Government of Abu Dhabi and Mubadala. Incentives include housing, office space and health insurance.
Dubai South
DubaiFree zone within a 145 square kilometre development around Al Maktoum International Airport, with logistics and aerospace districts.
The 30-second decision path
Before the list: freezones cluster into four families, and most founders only need to compare within one.
Regulated financial services, funds or fintech?
You need a financial centre with its own courts and regulator: DIFC (Dubai) or ADGM (Abu Dhabi). Nothing else substitutes; pick by city and regulator fit.
Solo consultant or small tech studio?
IFZA, Meydan and SPC: broad activity scope, fast setup and flexi-desk presence. Get written quotes and compare visa quotas and renewal fees, not brochures.
Trading, commodities or a team that needs real offices?
The established heavyweights: DMCC or Dubai South for logistics reach, DIC for tech teams that want an ecosystem address.
Abu Dhabi-based startup or raising from UAE funds?
ADGM for the entity, and if you are venture-backed look at Hub71 for the ecosystem, incentives and the entrepreneur Golden Visa route.