JAFZA vs KEZAD
Licence fees, visas, office rules and setup time for both zones in one table, then the cases where each one is the better choice. On the lowest listed prices JAFZA starts AED 4,450 lower, but the licence fee is only the first line of the budget.
| JAFZA | KEZAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence from | AED 5,000 | AED 9,450 |
| Visa allocation | per office size | 1; up to 4 in packages |
| Activities | 1,500+ | industrial/logistics |
| Office | per facility | desk min. |
| Setup time | 3–14 business days | 1–2 business days |
| Emirate | Dubai | Abu Dhabi |
JAFZA vs KEZAD: what the licence price leaves out
Read literally, JAFZA looks cheaper: its trading licence starts at AED 5,000 against KEZAD’s AED 9,450. That reading misses the lease. AED 5,000 is JAFZA’s official licence fee alone (up to seven activities in one group); registration, the establishment card and a mandatory lease sit on top, and around Jebel Ali the lease is the expensive part. KEZAD sits in Abu Dhabi’s Khalifa Economic Zones, where land and warehousing are priced at a level Dubai does not match.
So the gap can reverse once you cost a real facility. JAFZA’s cheaper licence often sits inside a more expensive total, and KEZAD’s dearer licence inside a cheaper footprint. For an industrial or logistics tenant, the lease is the largest cost. Run both through the setup-cost calculator with a real plot or warehouse before you trust either number.
Who each zone fits
These are close relatives: both are port-based industrial and logistics zones that require a physical presence. The questions are which port, which emirate and how much ground you need.
JAFZA fits businesses whose goods move through Jebel Ali, that want a broad activity list (1,500+) and a Dubai address that banks and counterparties recognise. Its visa allocation has no fixed cap and scales with the facility you lease, which suits a growing trading or re-export operation. It does not fit a founder chasing the lowest all-in number, because the Dubai lease pulls the total up.
KEZAD fits manufacturing and heavy logistics at scale, where land cost decides the whole model and Khalifa Port sits inside your supply chain. It does not fit a light services company or anyone who needs a broad, flexible activity mix: its focus is industrial and logistics, narrower than JAFZA’s list.
The differences that decide it
| JAFZA | KEZAD | |
|---|---|---|
| Port | Jebel Ali | Khalifa Port |
| What the licence figure covers | Licence fee only; AED 8,500 for 2 activity groups, AED 15,000 for general trading | Industrial or logistics licence |
| How visas scale | With the facility, no fixed cap | From 1, with the plot or warehouse |
On banking both are well regarded, for different reasons. JAFZA has decades of trading history and instant recognition with UAE banks; KEZAD has Abu Dhabi government backing. Neither is a weak name at account opening: the substance you hold (a real lease, local operations) matters more than the zone. See the full profiles for JAFZA and KEZAD.
JAFZA or KEZAD: which to choose
Pick JAFZA if your trade runs through Jebel Ali, you want the broader activity list and visas that grow with your facility, and a Dubai address matters to your banks and buyers. Budget for the lease, which makes the entry cost much higher than AED 5,000.
Pick KEZAD if you manufacture or warehouse at scale, land cost decides the business case, and Khalifa Port fits your logistics. Accept a higher licence fee and a narrower, industrial activity focus in exchange for cheaper ground.
When each one wins
JAFZA: The port zone next to Jebel Ali, built for trading, logistics and manufacturing. AED 5,000 is the official trading licence fee alone (up to seven activities in one group); registration, the establishment card and a lease come on top, so a real first-year budget starts well above it. JAFZA Offshore is a separate, much cheaper vehicle for holding structures.
JAFZA full card →KEZAD: A cluster of economic zones built around Khalifa Port for manufacturing and logistics at national scale, with land priced well below Dubai. Small firms can start with a workstation package: AED 9,450 for one year with one visa, VAT included, up to AED 14,550 with four visas.
KEZAD full card →This is general information on UAE rules. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice for your situation. Rules and government fees change; we confirm the position for your facts in writing before you act.