Plug2UAESharjah
Sharjah Media City: real costs, licences and review
A low-cost, credible route to a UAE licence, and a natural fit for freelancers.
Price verified. Taken from SHAMS's own published material on 3 October 2026. Free zone pricing can change without notice; we confirm in writing before any commitment.
Our view
SHAMS launched in 2017 and reset the bottom of the market. A media or service licence costs a fraction of a Dubai equivalent, issues in days, requires no office and no visit, and permits a wide activity list despite the "media city" name — consulting, marketing, IT and e-commerce all sit comfortably within it.
For a freelancer or solo operator invoicing clients outside the UAE, who needs a legal entity and an invoice rather than a Dubai address, SHAMS is frequently the right answer.
What to know before choosing: it is a Sharjah licence, so UAE banks apply more scrutiny and some may decline an account; the visa quota is capped; and clients who care about a Dubai address will notice. If you need a Dubai address on your invoice, a Dubai zone such as Meydan is the better choice. If you do not, SHAMS keeps your costs low.
Key facts
| Emirate | Sharjah |
|---|---|
| Licence from | AED 5,760 |
| Typical cost (1 visa) | AED 8,500 |
| Issuance time | 1–4 working days |
| Visa quota | 6 |
| Flexi-desk | Yes |
| Remote setup | Yes |
| Licence types | Media, Professional / service, Commercial, Freelance permit, E-commerce |
| Established | 2017 |
Official source: shamsfz.ae
Strengths and points to weigh
Strengths
- Among the lowest costs in the UAE
- Licence in 1-4 days, fully remote
- Surprisingly broad activity list
- No office requirement
Points to weigh
- Banking takes more preparation than from Dubai
- Visa quota capped
- Sharjah address carries less weight
- Visa processing is slower than from Dubai
Who this suits
- Freelancers and solo consultants
- Content creators and media
- Early-stage e-commerce
- Anyone optimising purely for cost
Your quotation within one working day
Four details are all we need. We come back with a firm quotation, the recommended free zone and the reasons for it.