Cost calculator
What a UAE company will actually cost you
Four questions. Every line itemised, including the establishment card, medical, Emirates ID and corporate tax registration that advertised prices leave out. You see the number before we ask for anything.
Why we show a range
Anyone quoting a single precise figure before knowing your nationality, activity and shareholder structure is guessing and hoping you will not notice when the invoice differs. Free zone fee schedules change, visa costs vary by duration, and some nationalities require additional processing.
The range here is honest about that uncertainty. When we send you a written quote, it is a firm price for your specific case, and it is the price you pay.
Questions about cost
Can you guarantee I will get a bank account?
No, and neither can anyone else. The bank's compliance department decides, independently of your company formation agent, based on your nationality, your source of funds, your business activity and your free zone. We can prepare the file properly, introduce you to banks that have historically accepted similar profiles, and tell you honestly before you start whether your profile is likely to struggle. What we will not do is take your money while implying a guarantee we cannot give. If a provider guarantees you a UAE bank account, that is a reason to walk away.
What is the difference between a free zone, mainland and offshore company?
A free zone company is registered with one of the UAE's economic zones, allows 100% foreign ownership, can sponsor residence visas, and can obtain a tax residency certificate — but cannot sell directly into the UAE local market without a distributor or branch. A mainland company is licensed by the emirate's economic department, can trade anywhere in the UAE including government contracts, and now also allows full foreign ownership for most activities. An offshore company — RAK ICC, JAFZA Offshore, Ajman Offshore — is a non-resident holding vehicle: no visas, no UAE trading, no tax residency certificate. If your goal involves residency or tax residence, offshore is the wrong product, and it is frequently mis-sold on exactly that point.
How much does it cost in total, honestly?
For a single-person service company with one residence visa and no physical office, a realistic all-in first year lands between roughly AED 20,000 and AED 35,000 depending on the free zone, with renewal in year two usually not far below the first year. Add a second visa, a customs code or a real office and it rises quickly. The figures advertised as 'from AED 5,750' are licence-only, exclude the establishment card, visa, medical, Emirates ID and corporate tax registration, and are not what anyone actually pays. Our calculator shows a range with every line itemised, including the ones most providers leave out until invoicing.
Do I have to fly to the UAE?
For the licence alone, often no — many free zones allow fully remote incorporation. For a residence visa, yes: the medical examination and Emirates ID biometrics must be done in person in the UAE. Most banks also now require an in-person meeting for account opening. In practice, if you want the visa and the bank account, budget for one trip of roughly five to ten days, and expect that it may not all complete in a single visit.
Let's talk about your actual case
A twenty-minute call. We will also tell you if the UAE is the wrong answer for you — it often is.