How we verify free zone data
FreezoneGuide is only useful if the information is right and you can see how old it is. Every fact on a zone page links to the source it came from and shows the date that source was opened.
Official sources only
We publish a fact only when one of these states it:
- The free zone's own channels: its website, online portal, fee schedules, regulations and other documents it publishes.
- UAE government sources: federal and emirate authorities, for example the Federal Tax Authority, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Economy and Tourism, the UAE Government portal and emirate legislation portals.
- A written reply from the zone, kept on file.
We do not publish figures from business-setup consultancies, news articles, directories, forums or reviews, and we do not estimate. Where a zone does not publish something, the page says Not published rather than filling the gap.
Calculated values
A few values are calculated from the zone's own figures, for example the lowest package price on a zone page. We show which package it is and leave out packages with stated conditions, such as offers limited to certain applicants or prices that exclude a required membership.
Prices compared for three reference set-ups
A zone's cheapest package is often a zero-visa virtual licence, while another zone's cheapest is a two-visa desk package, so "lowest package" alone compares unlike things. Comparison pages and the directory therefore also price three reference set-ups. For each, we pick the published package with the smallest visa quota that still covers the set-up and an office type that fits, then the lowest price, and we show the package name and its stated exclusions next to the figure. A zone with no fitting published package shows Not published for that set-up.
| Scenario | What it assumes | Visas | Office types that fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo, no visa | One founder, no residence visa, no office beyond a desk or virtual address, one activity | 0 | none, virtual, flexi desk |
| Founder + 1 visa | One founder with one residence visa, flexi-desk or virtual office | 1 | none, virtual, flexi desk |
| Team, 3 visas | Three residence visas, flexi-desk or small office | 3 | none, virtual, flexi desk, serviced office, private office |
Uneven detail, shown as such
Zones publish different amounts of detail. We do not fill a gap with an estimate, an average or a figure from a third party. Instead every comparison cell shows the value the zone publishes, the official source and the date it was checked behind an information icon, and a cell with nothing published says Not published, with the date the record was last checked. That is a finding in its own right: the zone will quote the figure on request, and quotes can vary. Rules that apply to every zone, such as the corporate tax free-zone regime and customs treatment, are shown once above a comparison rather than as identical per-zone columns, and where a rule exists only in words the zones' own statements are shown side by side.
What we can compare
How many of the zones we track publish each comparison factor. The counts come from the data itself and change as zones publish more or we find more.
| Comparison factor | Zones that publish it | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Licence types | 37 of 43 | 86% |
| Official activity list | 29 of 43 | 67% |
| Package price: solo, no visa | 17 of 43 | 40% |
| Package price: founder + 1 visa | 13 of 43 | 30% |
| Package price: team, 3 visas | 6 of 43 | 14% |
| Any package price | 17 of 43 | 40% |
| Licence fee | 30 of 43 | 70% |
| Renewal and amendment fees | 36 of 43 | 84% |
| Visa quota in a package | 23 of 43 | 53% |
| Visa rules | 38 of 43 | 88% |
| Minimum office | 22 of 43 | 51% |
| Facility types | 37 of 43 | 86% |
| Incorporation time | 24 of 43 | 56% |
| Direct application | 37 of 43 | 86% |
| Company types | 37 of 43 | 86% |
| Minimum share capital | 28 of 43 | 65% |
| Audit requirement | 30 of 43 | 70% |
| UBO filing | 37 of 43 | 86% |
| Bank-account help (zone's statement) | 24 of 43 | 56% |
| VAT Designated Zone status | 41 of 43 | 95% |
| Mainland operations | 31 of 43 | 72% |
| Zone's own tax statement | 25 of 43 | 58% |
| Year established | 33 of 43 | 77% |
| Parent body | 35 of 43 | 81% |
| MoET registrar listing | 42 of 43 | 98% |
Our own assessment, clearly labelled
Activity fit (whether a type of business is likely to be licensable in a zone) is our own assessment based on the licence types each zone publishes. It is labelled "our view" wherever it appears. Always confirm your exact activity on the zone's official activity list.
Rules that apply to every zone
Federal rules, such as the corporate tax free-zone regime, the list of VAT Designated Zones, customs treatment and mainland access, are explained in the guides on corporate tax, VAT Designated Zones and free zone vs mainland, each with its official sources.
How often we re-check
- Costs and packages: every 90 days
- Visas and facilities: every 180 days
- Everything else: every 365 days
Zones often change fees early in the year, so expect more updates from January to March.
Rankings are calculated from the data
Sort orders, the ✓ marks in comparisons and questionnaire matches are calculated from the published data only, the same way for every zone.
Not advice
The site summarises what zones and government bodies publish. It is general information, not legal, tax, immigration or financial advice, and rankings are not recommendations. Fees and rules change, and the zone's current schedule and the official text of any law prevail; confirm with the zone or the relevant authority before you act. See the terms of use.
Contact
Email contact@freezoneguide.com. If a figure has changed, include a link to the zone's official page that shows it; we correct confirmed errors and update the check date.