Meydan Free Zone vs RAKEZ
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 RAKEZ starts AED 6,500 lower, but the licence fee is only the first line of the budget.
| Meydan Free Zone | RAKEZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Licence from | AED 12,500 | AED 6,000 |
| Visa allocation | up to 6 | 0; up to 4 in packages |
| Activities | 2,500+ | 3,000+ |
| Office | not required | not required |
| Setup time | 3–5 business days | 1 business day |
| Emirate | Dubai | Ras Al Khaimah |
Meydan vs RAKEZ: what the price gap buys
RAKEZ’s instant licence costs AED 6,000; Meydan Free Zone starts at AED 12,500. Both prices are published and were checked on 23 September 2026, but they do not buy the same product. Meydan’s AED 12,500 includes a flexi‑desk and gives you a Dubai address in Nad Al Sheba with a fully remote setup. RAKEZ’s AED 6,000 is a one-activity licence with co‑working access and no visa, in Ras Al Khaimah, with industrial land available if you need it later.
Neither number is the final bill. Meydan charges AED 1,850 per visa allocation and bills NOC letters and activity changes separately; RAKEZ sells visas in bigger packages (Lite at AED 12,000 with one visa, All-Inclusive at AED 14,000 with up to four). Check both in our setup-cost calculator before you commit.
Who each zone fits
Meydan fits a founder who wants a Dubai address without leasing an office: e-commerce sellers, consultants, agencies and service or holding companies that work online but want “Dubai” on the invoice. It does not fit anyone who needs to store, assemble or manufacture goods, because there is no industrial land.
RAKEZ fits cost-sensitive founders and any business with physical operations: warehousing, light manufacturing, trading with stock. Having absorbed RAK FTZ, it licenses everything from a flexi‑desk consultancy to a factory. It does not fit a founder whose pitch depends on a Dubai address.
The differences that decide it
Four differences settle most cases. On activities, RAKEZ lists 3,000+ against Meydan’s 2,500+, and its industrial licences cover work Meydan cannot. On visas, Meydan allows up to six allocations per licence at AED 1,850 each, while RAKEZ’s published packages go up to four; beyond that, RAKEZ ties visas to the facility you lease. On space, neither requires a private office, but RAKEZ lets you add a warehouse or plot later without changing zone. On banking, a Dubai address tends to make the first bank conversation a little easier; RAK companies are bankable but sometimes get an extra question.
| Meydan Free Zone | RAKEZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Entry price includes | Licence, flexi‑desk, up to 3 activity groups | Licence with 1 activity, co‑working access, no visa |
| How visas are priced | AED 1,850 per allocation | In packages: AED 12,000 (1 visa), AED 14,000 (up to 4) |
| Industrial land and warehouses | No | Yes |
Meydan or RAKEZ: which to choose
Full details on each option: the Meydan Free Zone card and the RAKEZ card.
When each one wins
Meydan Free Zone: Fully remote incorporation with a Dubai address at a mid-range price. The AED 12,500 licence includes a flexi‑desk and up to three activity groups, and one licence can carry up to six visa allocations at AED 1,850 each. Suits e-commerce and services; NOC letters and activity changes are billed separately.
Meydan Free Zone full card →RAKEZ: Ras Al Khaimah’s main free zone: after absorbing RAK FTZ it licenses everything from flexi‑desk consultancies to factories, across 3,000+ activities. The AED 6,000 instant licence carries no visa; packages with one visa start at AED 12,000, and the All-Inclusive package takes up to three more visas at AED 4,000 each.
RAKEZ 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.