UAE company formation
Business Setup Companies in Dubai Compared (2026): 10 Firms
Published starting prices from Dubai business setup firms run from about AED 4,900 to AED 11,000, but most entry prices cover a free zone licence and a flexi-desk only, with residence visas and other government fees extra. Before choosing a firm, check its trade licence on the Invest in Dubai licence search, what the quoted price includes, and whether it handles corporate tax registration, which every UAE company must complete. This guide compares 10 firms, VIVOS included, in alphabetical order.
Written by the VIVOS UAE team (VIVOS Corporate Services L.L.C., Dubai Commercial Licence No. 1638200). VIVOS is one of the 10 firms compared. Firms are listed A–Z, not ranked, and no firm paid to be included. Facts come from each firm’s own website and official UAE sources, checked on 16 October 2026.
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Mainland licences | Issued by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) |
| Free zone licences | Issued by each free zone authority |
| Foreign ownership | 100% for most mainland activities since 2021 |
| Corporate tax | 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000, 9% above (financial years from 1 June 2023) |
| Small Business Relief | Revenue up to AED 3 million; extended to tax periods ending by 31 December 2029 |
| Late corporate tax registration | AED 10,000 penalty |
| Check a Dubai licence | Invest in Dubai licence search (app.invest.dubai.ae) |
What the published prices actually include
Most “from” prices on business setup websites are for a one-year free zone licence with a flexi-desk and no residence visa. Virtuzone’s pricing page and Emirabiz’s free zone guide both say this about entry packages. A mainland company usually starts higher: Virtuzone quotes mainland setups with no visas from AED 14,999.
So compare like with like. Ask each firm for a written quote that lists the licence fee, the number of visas in the package, the establishment cards, any office or Ejari cost, and its own service fee.
Mainland or free zone
A mainland company is licensed by the economic department of its emirate, which in Dubai is the Department of Economy and Tourism. It can trade anywhere in the UAE, and since 2021 foreign investors can own 100% of a mainland company in most activities. Activities with a strategic impact, such as banking, insurance, telecoms and defence, keep separate rules.
A free zone company is licensed by its free zone authority. The UAE Government notes that direct sales to the mainland are generally not permitted without a mainland licence or approval. A free zone company that meets the Qualifying Free Zone Person conditions pays 0% corporate tax on qualifying income and 9% on other taxable income.
Quick comparison
All 10 firms below set up both mainland and free zone companies. Prices are the lowest each firm publishes, in AED, as at 16 October 2026.
| Firm (A–Z) | Lowest published price | What that price covers | Where they set up | Also offers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Global | Quote on request | Not published | Mainland, 40+ free zones, offshore | Visas, accounting, corporate tax |
| Commitbiz | AED 5,760 (free zone) | Certificate, stamp, bank introduction, lease, trade name; no visa listed | Mainland in 4 emirates, free zones in all 7, offshore | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| Creative Zone | AED 5,750 | Sharjah Shams media or e-commerce licence, up to 3 activities; visa not stated | Dubai and Abu Dhabi mainland, ADGM, 50+ free zones | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| Emirabiz | AED 5,500 (free zone) | Not itemised; its guide says “from” prices usually exclude visas | Dubai and Abu Dhabi mainland, about 29 free zones | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| Flyingcolour | Quote on request | Tailored estimate | Mainland in 4 emirates, free zones in all 7, DIFC | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| Kiltons | AED 5,000 (SRTIP) | Free zone package; visa inclusion not stated | Dubai mainland, IFZA, Meydan, SPC, Shams, RAKEZ, DMCC and others | Visas, bank support, accounting |
| Riz & Mona Consultancy | About AED 5,750 (RAKEZ) | Licence with flexi-desk or virtual office, no residence visa | Mainland, IFZA, RAKEZ, DMCC, JAFZA, DIFC and others | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| Shuraa | AED 11,000 (RAKEZ) | One investor visa included; office space and visa costs excluded | Mainland in 4 emirates, free zones, offshore | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| Virtuzone | AED 4,900 (Creative City Fujairah) | Not itemised; entry packages are usually zero-visa with a flexi-desk | Mainland and 22 free zones in 6 emirates | Visas, bank support, accounting, corporate tax |
| VIVOS | Quote on request | Written quote per case | Mainland and free zones; zone recommended per case | Visas, accounting, corporate tax, corporate secretarial |
The firms, in detail
Adam Global: founded in 2002 according to its website, with an office at Gold & Diamond Park. It combines company formation with accounting, tax, audit and advisory, and publishes no setup prices. Its website is adamglobal.ae; adamglobal.com belongs to a separate UK network.
Commitbiz: Commitbiz LLC, based at the Dubai World Trade Centre, has traded since at least 2007. It sets up across all seven emirates and also in Bahrain, Qatar and Oman, with free zone prices from AED 5,760.
Creative Zone: Creative Zone FZ LLC has operated since 2010 and joined Encor Group in January 2025. It pairs setup with coworking space and ongoing accounting and tax work.
Emirabiz: Emirabiz FZ L.L.C, licensed in Expo City Dubai, has operated since 2013. It publishes a free zone price table covering about 29 zones and puts bank account opening at the centre of its offer.
Flyingcolour: established in Dubai in 2004, with offices in Dubai Media City, DIFC and Singapore. It works with in-house tax and audit affiliates and gives tailored estimates rather than package prices.
Kiltons: Kiltons Business Setup Services LLC, in Al Qusais, began in 1999 as SAMCO. It focuses on lower-cost free zones in Sharjah and the northern emirates, plus PRO services.
Riz & Mona Consultancy: licensed by the Dubai Economic Department (licence 730848) and based in Business Bay since 2009. It publishes a price list across many free zones.
Shuraa: Shuraa Management and Consultancy LLC was founded in 2001 and is based on Sheikh Zayed Road. It sells bundled packages with PRO and visa services, and handles corporate tax through Shuraa Tax.
Virtuzone: founded in 2009, with offices at Souk Al Bahar and One JLT. It covers 22 free zones across six emirates and offers an online cost calculator.
VIVOS: VIVOS Corporate Services L.L.C. (Dubai Commercial Licence No. 1638200) is at Unit 415, Churchill Executive Tower, Business Bay. It is part of VIVOS Group, which has its own entities in Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong, so it suits founders who run a Singapore or Asian structure alongside a UAE company. Fees are quoted per case.
Corporate tax and compliance after setup
Every juridical person subject to UAE corporate tax must register with the Federal Tax Authority. Late registration carries an AED 10,000 penalty, which the FTA waives if the first tax return is filed within seven months of the end of the first tax period.
Small Business Relief lets a resident business with revenue of AED 3 million or less, in the current and all previous tax periods, be treated as having no taxable income. The Ministry of Finance extended the relief on 7 August 2026 to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029.
Companies must also keep registers of their real beneficiaries and shareholders, file them with the registrar and update them within 15 days of a change, under Cabinet Resolution No. 109 of 2023.
Residence visas for owners
A company owner can apply to Dubai’s GDRFA for a green residence permit as a partner investor. It runs for up to five years without an employer sponsor, and needs the memorandum of association and trade licence. Larger investors may qualify for the 10-year golden visa; confirm the current capital threshold with GDRFA before applying.
How to choose, whoever you pick
- Check the firm’s own licence. Dubai mainland licences can be searched by number or name on the Invest in Dubai licence search; free zone companies are on their own authority’s register.
- Get a written, itemised quote: licence, visa quota, establishment cards, office or Ejari, and the firm’s own fee.
- Ask who registers you for corporate tax and files your returns, and what that costs each year.
- Decide early whether you need to trade on the mainland, because that decides between a mainland and a free zone licence.
- If you already have a company in Singapore or elsewhere in Asia, ask whether the firm can handle both ends of the structure.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to set up a company in Dubai?
Published starting prices among the firms in this guide run from AED 4,900 (Virtuzone, Creative City Fujairah, inclusions not itemised) to AED 11,000 (Shuraa’s RAKEZ package with one investor visa). Entry prices usually cover a free zone licence and a flexi-desk; residence visas, mainland office space and some government fees cost extra.
Should I choose a mainland or a free zone company?
A mainland company, licensed in Dubai by the Department of Economy and Tourism, can trade anywhere in the UAE, and foreign investors can own 100% of it in most activities. A free zone company is licensed by its free zone authority and generally cannot sell directly to the mainland without a mainland licence or approval.
Does my Dubai company need to register for corporate tax?
Yes. Every juridical person subject to UAE corporate tax must register with the Federal Tax Authority. Late registration carries an AED 10,000 penalty.
What is Small Business Relief?
It lets a resident business with revenue of AED 3 million or less, in the current and all previous tax periods, be treated as having no taxable income. The Ministry of Finance has extended it to tax periods ending on or before 31 December 2029.
How do I check that a business setup firm is licensed?
Search its name or licence number on the Invest in Dubai licence search at app.invest.dubai.ae for Dubai mainland companies. Free zone companies are listed by their own free zone authority.
What residence visa can a company owner get?
A partner investor can apply to GDRFA for a green residence permit of up to five years without an employer sponsor, using the company’s memorandum of association and trade licence.
Sources
Facts in this comparison were checked against these sources on 16 October 2026. Prices, fees and rules change, so confirm the current position with the firm or the authority before acting.
- UAE Government (u.ae), Steps to start a business on the mainland
- UAE Government (u.ae), Starting a business in a free zone
- UAE Government (u.ae), Running a business in a free zone
- UAE Government (u.ae), Full foreign ownership of commercial companies
- Invest in Dubai, Search licence information
- UAE Government (u.ae), Corporate tax
- Federal Tax Authority, Small Business Relief
- UAE Ministry of Finance, Extension of Small Business Relief until 31 December 2029
- Federal Tax Authority, Corporate tax registration
- UAE Ministry of Finance, AED 10,000 penalty for late corporate tax registration
- UAE Legislation, Cabinet Resolution No. 109 of 2023 on real beneficiary procedures
- GDRFA Dubai, Green residence permit (partner investor)
- Adam Global, Company formation
- Commitbiz, Business setup pricing
- Creative Zone, Business setup in the UAE
- Emirabiz, UAE free zone company formation
- Flyingcolour, Business setup in Dubai
- Kiltons, Business setup packages
- Riz & Mona Consultancy, Cheapest business setup in the UAE
- Shuraa, Business setup packages
- Virtuzone, Free zones and pricing
