IFZA vs CommerCity
International Free Zone Authority (IFZA) (Dubai) or Dubai CommerCity (Dubai)? Here is how the two compare on cost, visas, speed and fit, and which one we would pick for different founders.
Choose IFZA for…
- A lower starting price (about AED 4,738 less in year one)
- Cheaper yearly renewal
- Faster setup (around 3 vs 7 working days)
- More activities on one licence (up to 7)
- Shared office options
- Popular with consultants
- Popular with traders
IFZA (International Free Zone Authority) is a Dubai free zone based at the IFZA Business Park in Dubai Digital Park, Silicon Oasis. It suits consultants, small traders and online businesses that want a Dubai licence at a mid-market price. A no-visa package typically starts from around AED 12,900 a year, with one- and two-visa tiers costing a few thousand more. Once your documents are ready, the licence itself is often issued within a week.
Choose CommerCity for…
- Warehouse options
- Popular with e-commerce brands
- Popular with marketplaces
Dubai CommerCity is a free zone in Umm Ramool, right beside Dubai International Airport, built only for digital commerce. It suits online brands, marketplaces and fulfilment operators that want offices, warehouses and bonded logistics in one gated campus. A small licence with a desk and one or two visas usually lands somewhere between AED 20,000 and AED 30,000 in the first year, and a complete file is often licensed within one to two weeks.
IFZA vs CommerCity side by side
| IFZA | CommerCity | |
|---|---|---|
| Emirate | Dubai | Dubai |
| Packages from | AED 13,287 | AED 18,025 |
| Renewal from | AED 13,287 | AED 16,995 |
| Visa quota | Up to 6 | Up to 6 |
| Typical setup | ~3 working days | ~7 working days |
| Activities per licence | Up to 7 | Up to 5 |
| Office options | Flexi-desk, Shared office, Private office | Flexi-desk, Private office, Warehouse |
| Activity areas | Trading, Consultancy, E-commerce, Tech & IT, Media, Holding / SPV | E-commerce, Logistics, Tech & IT, Trading |
| Crypto / Web3 | No | No |
| Banking ease | ||
| Established | 2017 | 2017 |
Prices are “from” estimates and subject to free zone fees. Confirm the final quote with our advisor before you pay.
IFZA in brief
IFZA started in 2017 and grew quickly because it made Dubai licensing feel like buying a product off a shelf. Instead of asking you to rent an office first and then calculate visa rights, it sells packages labelled by the number of residence visas they carry. You pick a tier, choose your activities and apply online, mostly through registered agents.
Strengths
- Dubai licence without Dubai premium-zone prices
- Clear package pricing tied to the number of visas
- Trading and service activities can usually sit on one licence
- No need to rent a real office until the team grows
Watch out for
- Not the cheapest UAE option once visa costs are added
- Fees are mostly sold through agents, so quotes can differ
- Silicon Oasis is outside central Dubai and has no metro
CommerCity in brief
Most UAE free zones accept e-commerce as one activity among thousands. Dubai CommerCity flips that idea: the whole campus was planned around selling online, from the office towers at the front to the loading docks at the back. If your business is an online shop, a marketplace, or a company that stores and ships goods for online sellers, the zone was literally drawn for you.
Strengths
- Purpose-built for online selling, with offices, warehouses and fulfilment partners in one compound.
- Very close to DXB air cargo, useful for cross-border parcels.
- Run by DIEZ, so the online system is the same as Dubai Silicon Oasis and Dubai Airport Freezone.
- Room to grow from one desk to a warehouse without changing zone or licence.
Watch out for
- No clear public price list, so you need a personal quote.
- Starter costs are higher than budget zones for founders who only need a licence.
- Warehouse space can be in high demand, so waiting lists are possible.
IFZA vs CommerCity: common questions
Which is cheaper, IFZA or CommerCity?
On our current packages, IFZA starts lower at around AED 13,287, against AED 18,025 for CommerCity. Compare renewal too: IFZA renews from about AED 13,287 and CommerCity from about AED 16,995. Prices are estimates; confirm before you pay.
Which gives more visas, IFZA or CommerCity?
IFZA allows up to 6 visas, depending on the office you lease. Both zones allow a similar maximum, so the office type decides your real quota.
Which is faster to set up, IFZA or CommerCity?
IFZA is typically quicker at around 3 working days for the licence once documents are complete. Visas take one to three more weeks in either zone.
Is a IFZA licence valid for business in the rest of the UAE?
A free zone licence lets you operate inside the free zone and trade internationally. To sell directly to customers on the UAE mainland you usually need a distributor, a mainland branch or the right activity approvals, whichever zone you choose.
Can I move my company from IFZA to CommerCity later?
Moving between free zones is possible but it is not a simple transfer. You normally register the new company or a branch in the other zone and then close or keep the old one, which means extra fees and visa paperwork. It is cheaper to pick the right zone at the start.
IFZA or CommerCity? Ask an advisor
Tell us about your business. An advisor will recommend the best free zone and send you a full cost breakdown — usually within one working hour.
- Honest advice across all free zones
- Full cost breakdown — no hidden fees
- Licence, visa, bank account and tax in one place