SRTIP and SPC compared by published scenario cost — Sharjah gives you near-Dubai access at about half the price.
The cheapest free zone in Sharjah is SRTIP (Sharjah Research, Technology and Innovation Park), from AED 5,500 for the published zero-visa scenario, followed by SPC Free Zone at AED 5,750. Both are well under Dubai's entry price of about AED 12,500 — and Sharjah sits right next to Dubai, so you get near-Dubai access at roughly half the cost.
| Sharjah free zone | From (0 visas) | 1 visa | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRTIP | AED 5,500 | AED 12,500 | Research, technology, R&D and industrial founders |
| SPC Free Zone | AED 5,750 | AED 13,165 | E-commerce, trading and media — broad activity list, fast setup |
Published scenario prices (2026). Both are valid UAE-wide; the difference is activity focus and package mix, not where you can do business.
SRTIP is Sharjah's science-and-technology park — the natural fit for research, tech, innovation or light industry, and the cheapest Sharjah option at AED 5,500. SPC Free Zone is one of Sharjah's fastest-growing zones with a very broad activity list, popular for e-commerce, trading and media, from AED 5,750 with quick, flexible setup. For most general or online businesses either works — pick on activity and package, since they're within AED 250 of each other.
Sharjah gives you a UAE-wide-valid licence at roughly half the Dubai cost, while being a 20–40 minute drive from Dubai. If you don't specifically need a Dubai address — and many service, online and trading businesses don't — Sharjah is one of the best value-for-access trade-offs in the UAE. Compare it against all 9 zones on the cost index.
For the lowest published Sharjah scenario cost, SRTIP from AED 5,500 (0 visas) is the entry point; add one visa and you're at AED 12,500. Each figure is a published scenario, reviewed and shown with its confirmed validity date in writing — no sales calls. See the SRTIP cost page or the SPC cost page for the full per-visa breakdown.
After review, receive the authority's final itemised requirements, price and validity date in writing before payment. No callback, no pressure.
The cheapest free zone in Sharjah is SRTIP from AED 5,500 for the published zero-visa scenario, just ahead of SPC Free Zone at AED 5,750. Both are roughly half the cost of a Dubai free zone.
SRTIP suits research, technology and industrial founders and is the cheapest Sharjah option at AED 5,500. SPC has a broader activity list and is popular for e-commerce, trading and media at AED 5,750. They're within AED 250, so choose on activity, not price.
Yes, significantly. A Sharjah licence starts from AED 5,500 versus about AED 12,500 in Dubai — roughly half the cost — while Sharjah is a short drive from Dubai.
Yes. A Sharjah free-zone licence is valid UAE-wide for international and online business; to trade directly in the local retail market you'd add a mainland licence or use a distributor, the same as any free zone.
Yes — you can invoice Dubai clients and operate from Sharjah. Many founders save money by licensing in Sharjah while serving Dubai, since the licence is valid across the UAE.
