Consulting0vSRTIP 5,500QUOTEStarter package · licence-only14m ago
IT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400LICENCELicence issued · day 447m ago
Trading1vRAKEZ 10,500REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed1h 12m ago
Consulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGCBI pack routed · KYC2h agoE-commerce0vSHAMS 5,750LICENCEMedia package · 4h express2h 44m ago
General Trading3vRAKEZ 18,500QUOTE3 visas bundled · Portal 3603h ago
Consulting1vIFZA 16,700REROUTEDRAKBANK declined → HSBC pending3h 18m agoFreelance1vAFZ 10,800BANKINGADCB pack ready · KYC4h ago
Marketing0vSPC 5,750LICENCE24-hour express issue5h ago
Fintech0vADGM 44,000QUOTERegLab application opened6h agoConsulting0vSRTIP 5,500BANKINGWio checklist ready8h ago
Freelance1vUAQ 11,000LICENCEUAQ START · day 29h ago
Trading2vANCFZ 15,200QUOTEUpgraded from zero-visa package11h agoCrypto / Web30vDMCC 31,000LICENCEVARA sandbox licence · day 813h agoIT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400EIDEID issued · founder + partner14h ago
Marketing0vSHAMS 5,750QUOTEInstallment · 12 × 57316h ago
Consulting1vSRTIP 9,690LICENCEStarter · day 518h agoGeneral Trading4vDMCC 51,684REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed20h ago
Consulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGEmirates NBD pack readyyesterdayE-commerce1vANCFZ 10,800LICENCE15-min registration · same-dayyesterdayLogistics3vJAFZA 25,000QUOTEFZE Type 1 + warehouse leaseyesterday
Consulting0vIFZA 12,200BANKINGMashreq pack routed2d agoIndustrial4vKIZAD 145,000LICENCEIndustrial + 2,000 sqm plot2d agoInnovation0vInnovation City 6,600LICENCEIdea package · on-chain issuejust nowConsulting0vSRTIP 5,500QUOTEStarter package · licence-only14m agoIT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400LICENCELicence issued · day 447m agoTrading1vRAKEZ 10,500REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed1h 12m agoConsulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGCBI pack routed · KYC2h agoE-commerce0vSHAMS 5,750LICENCEMedia package · 4h express2h 44m agoGeneral Trading3vRAKEZ 18,500QUOTE3 visas bundled · Portal 3603h agoConsulting1vIFZA 16,700REROUTEDRAKBANK declined → HSBC pending3h 18m agoFreelance1vAFZ 10,800BANKINGADCB pack ready · KYC4h agoMarketing0vSPC 5,750LICENCE24-hour express issue5h agoFintech0vADGM 44,000QUOTERegLab application opened6h agoConsulting0vSRTIP 5,500BANKINGWio checklist ready8h agoFreelance1vUAQ 11,000LICENCEUAQ START · day 29h agoTrading2vANCFZ 15,200QUOTEUpgraded from zero-visa package11h agoCrypto / Web30vDMCC 31,000LICENCEVARA sandbox licence · day 813h agoIT / SaaS2vIFZA 23,400EIDEID issued · founder + partner14h agoMarketing0vSHAMS 5,750QUOTEInstallment · 12 × 57316h agoConsulting1vSRTIP 9,690LICENCEStarter · day 518h agoGeneral Trading4vDMCC 51,684REROUTEDWio declined → Mashreq routed20h agoConsulting0vDIFC 5,500BANKINGEmirates NBD pack readyyesterdayE-commerce1vANCFZ 10,800LICENCE15-min registration · same-dayyesterdayLogistics3vJAFZA 25,000QUOTEFZE Type 1 + warehouse leaseyesterdayConsulting0vIFZA 12,200BANKINGMashreq pack routed2d agoIndustrial4vKIZAD 145,000LICENCEIndustrial + 2,000 sqm plot2d agoInnovation0vInnovation City 6,600LICENCEIdea package · on-chain issueCompare · No signup
RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah) is the cost leader: AED 6,000 starting, multi-activity, strong banking. IFZA (Dubai) costs roughly 2× that but gives you a Dubai address and IFZA's 1,500-activity catalogue. The real question: do your customers, partners or investors care that the address says Dubai?
Verdict: Pick RAKEZ if cost matters and Ras Al Khaimah works for your story. Pick IFZA if you need a Dubai address for credibility (clients, banking, real estate, investor optics).
Live channel-partner figures from Formenzo's pricing engine. Authority + Formenzo service scope only — visas, EID and medicals are extra and shown on each zone page.
| Metric | RAKEZ | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| Starting priceAuthority licence + bundled flexi-desk; visas + EID extra. | 6,000 | 12,200 |
| Emirate | Ras Al Khaimah | Dubai |
| Visas (default → max) | 3 → 9 | 3 → 6 |
| Licence in | 1 days | 5 days |
| Visa complete in | 12 days | 14 days |
| Banking scorePre-screened bank fit. Final approval is bank-side. | 7/10 | 7/10 |
| Prestige score | 6/10 | 6/10 |
| Activities allowed | 4,000 | 1,500 |
| Bank panel | RAKBANK · Mashreq NeoBiz · WIO | WIO Bank · Mashreq NeoBiz · Emirates NBD |
Pick RAKEZ when
Pick IFZA when
Yes. Ras Al Khaimah is the third-largest UAE emirate by GDP, has its own ruling family and government, and hosts 30,000+ companies via RAKEZ. Many Fortune-500 names operate from RAK for the lower cost-of-doing-business while keeping a Dubai office. RAKEZ is a well-regulated, federally-recognised free zone — not a tax haven shell.
Yes. UAE corporate banking is country-wide, not emirate-bound. You can hold a RAKEZ company and bank with WIO (Abu Dhabi), Emirates NBD (Dubai), Mashreq NeoBiz (Dubai), or RAKBANK (RAK + Dubai branches). The corporate bank account opens at any UAE branch you visit.
RAKEZ default 4 visas, scalable to 10+ (depending on package and office space). IFZA default 3 visas, scalable to 6 with package upgrades. If you're hiring 5+ people, RAKEZ scales further; for solo founder + 2–3 hires, both work.
Practically: most founders never visit their actual zone office once incorporated. The address shows on the licence and on contracts. UAE biometrics and bank visits happen wherever convenient. So the question is brand/customer-perception, not commute.
RAKEZ allows multi-activity licences with broad activity-mixing (digital + trading + consulting on one licence). IFZA allows up to 7 activities per licence (first 3 included). Both are flexible; if you're combining 4+ activities, both work.
Compare
If you've decided on Dubai, the next decision is cost-leader IFZA vs prestige DMCC.
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Two of Dubai's most popular cost-efficient zones, side-by-side.
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Sharjah at AED 5,750 — even cheaper than RAKEZ, if media/publishing fits.
See side-by-sideStop comparing, start filing
Seven questions — passport, activity, visas, budget, banking expectation. We return the 2–3 best-fit zones with full all-in pricing. No callback unless you ask.