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Best UAE free zone for tech startups — under AED 15,000, with a visa

If you're a founder who wants a UAE company with one residence visa without burning your runway, five free zones come in under AED 15,000 all-in for 2026 — and one of them is a dedicated technology park. Here are the real, all-in numbers, compared honestly. No sales calls.

from AED 10,800all-in, 1 visa
5 zonesunder AED 15,000
100%foreign ownership
0%personal income tax

The short answer

For a tech startup that needs a UAE company with one residence visa for under AED 15,000 (2026), the strongest picks are SRTIP (AED 12,500) — Sharjah's dedicated research, technology & innovation park — and Ajman Free Zone (AED 10,800), the cheapest all-in. RAKEZ (AED 14,000) gives the most room to scale a team, while SPC (AED 13,165) and Fujairah Creative City (AED 12,500) round out the sub-AED‑15,000 options. IFZA in Dubai Silicon Oasis offers the strongest tech ecosystem and a Dubai address, but lands at AED 17,615 with one visa (AED 12,900 licence-only). Every price is all-in — licence, government fees and the visa block — with no hidden charges.

Free zoneEmirateAll-in, 1 visaLicence onlyBest for
Ajman Free ZoneCheapestAjmanAED 10,800AED 4,888Lowest cost entry
SRTIPBest for techSharjahAED 12,500AED 5,500Tech, R&D, innovation
Fujairah Creative CityFujairahAED 12,500AED 4,900Media & creative tech
SPC Free ZoneSharjahAED 13,165AED 5,750Fast, dual-license
RAKEZRas Al KhaimahAED 14,000AED 6,000Scaling a team
IFZA (over budget)Dubai (DSO)AED 17,615AED 12,900Dubai tech ecosystem

All-in = trade licence + government fees + the residence-visa block. Prices are live Formenzo figures for 2026 and exclude optional add-ons. Verify your exact number — including extra visas and activity — with the free calculator.

Pick by what your startup needs

There's no single "best" zone — it depends on whether you optimise for cost, a tech ecosystem, or room to grow.

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Building deep tech / R&D

SRTIP (AED 12,500). Sharjah's research, technology & innovation park is purpose-built for tech, R&D and advanced industry — the natural home for a product or engineering startup on a budget.

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Lowest possible cost

Ajman (AED 10,800). The cheapest all-in company with a visa in the UAE, and just AED 4,888 licence-only if you don't need a visa yet.

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Hiring a team soon

RAKEZ (AED 14,000). Adds extra visas affordably (~AED 4,000 each) with coworking and flexi-desk — a clean path from solo founder to a small team.

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A Dubai tech address

IFZA, Dubai Silicon Oasis (AED 17,615 / 1 visa). Just over the AED 15k line, but the strongest Dubai tech ecosystem — accelerators, co-working and talent. Licence-only is AED 12,900.

Why founders compare on Formenzo

Real all-in prices

One honest number per zone — licence, government fees and the visa block included. No "from AED X" teasers that triple on the call.

No sales calls, ever

See every zone's price side by side and decide on your own terms. No forms-to-unlock, no follow-up pressure.

Licensed in the UAE

Formenzo is a UAE-licensed business-setup platform. Start your tech company online, end to end.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the cheapest UAE free zone for a tech startup with a visa?

Ajman Free Zone is the cheapest at AED 10,800 all-in for a company with one residence visa (2026). SRTIP — Sharjah's research, technology and innovation park — is AED 12,500 and purpose-built for tech and R&D. Both are well under AED 15,000.

Which UAE free zone is best for a software or tech company?

For deep-tech, R&D and innovation, SRTIP in Sharjah is a dedicated technology park (AED 12,500 all-in, 1 visa). For a Dubai tech-ecosystem address, IFZA in Dubai Silicon Oasis offers co-working, accelerators and a strong talent pool, though it is AED 17,615 with one visa. Both allow IT, software and technology activities.

Can I set up a tech startup in the UAE for under AED 15,000 including a visa?

Yes. Five UAE free zones come in under AED 15,000 all-in with one residence visa in 2026: Ajman (AED 10,800), SRTIP (AED 12,500), Fujairah Creative City (AED 12,500), SPC (AED 13,165) and RAKEZ (AED 14,000).

Do these prices include the residence visa?

Yes — every figure on this page is all-in: trade licence, government fees and the residence-visa block, with no hidden charges. Licence-only (zero-visa) setups start from AED 4,888.

Which free zone is best if I plan to grow my team?

RAKEZ is strong for scaling — its packages add additional visas affordably (around AED 4,000 each) alongside coworking and flexi-desk. Most UAE free zones add visas at a similar per-visa rate; use Formenzo's free calculator to price your exact visa count.