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IFZA vs Meydan — Dubai Free Zone Comparison 2026
IFZA and Meydan side by side: visa cap, activity breadth, bank-readiness and pricing status. IFZA is verified; Meydan is under verification.
IFZA vs Meydan — at a glance
| Dimension | IFZA ✓ Verified | Meydan ⏳ Under Verification |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price (year 1) | AED 12,900 (0-visa) | Under verification |
| Top-tier price (year 1) | AED 28,400 (3-visa) | Under verification |
| Max visas per licence | 4 | Subject to package |
| Emirate | Dubai | Dubai |
| Activity breadth | General — wide whitelist | General — wide whitelist, premium brand |
| Bank-readiness signal | Strong — common with NeoBiz, WIO, ENBD | Moderate — varies by founder profile |
| Remote formation | Yes (PoA-friendly) | Yes (PoA-friendly) |
| Time to licence | 5–10 working days from KYC | 5–10 working days from KYC |
| Workbook ingested | Yes — line-by-line authority match | In progress |
| Best for | High-volume Dubai-postcode entry | Premium brand, Meydan lifestyle nexus |
Verified: IFZA pricing is line-matched against the IFZA authority workbook. Meydan is in workbook ingestion.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't Formenzo publish a Meydan price today?
Because the licence-fee workbook the authority would issue to us is still being verified. We do not publish AED for any zone until the workbook is in our hands and reconciled against our internal build sheet. That rule exists so the quote you receive is the price the authority actually charges, with no hidden advisor markup. Meydan AED will appear on Formenzo only when verification closes.
Are IFZA and Meydan both inside Dubai?
Yes. IFZA operates from Dubai Silicon Oasis and Meydan operates from Meydan City in Nad Al Sheba. Both produce a Dubai trade licence and both sit under Dubai courts. The address that appears on the licence and on bank documents is different, which is sometimes the deciding factor.
Which one has a better bank-readiness signal?
Both are Dubai trade licences that UAE banks routinely onboard. The bank-readiness signal is a pattern, not a promise, and depends on the founder's nationality, residency, source of funds, and the specific bank in question more than on the zone alone. IFZA's pattern is the more widely-observed of the two; for Meydan the picture is more case-specific. Final bank acceptance is not guaranteed for either route.
Can I switch from IFZA to Meydan later if I change my mind?
Free-zone licences are not portable between zones. A switch means closing the existing licence and registering a fresh entity in the new zone, with the cost and timeline of a new formation plus the exit cost of the old one. The decision is therefore better made up front than reversed later, which is why we walk every founder through the seven decision lenses before they commit.
Can I get a no-visa licence in either zone?
IFZA offers zero-visa packages, useful for founders who are not yet relocating but want a Dubai trade licence in place. Meydan packaging detail is part of what is under verification today, so a precise zero-visa statement for Meydan will appear only once the workbook is reconciled.
How long does each zone take from signed agreement to licence in hand?
For IFZA, roughly two weeks once KYC clears is realistic for the trade licence portion, with visa and Emirates ID stamping running on a parallel track that adds further calendar time. Meydan is in a similar order of magnitude according to material the authority publishes; the exact day-counts are part of what verification will confirm.
Related on Formenzo
IFZA route page · Meydan route page · Compare hub · Free zones in Dubai · How to choose a UAE free zone