Masdar vs ADGM
Masdar City Free Zone (Abu Dhabi) or Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) (Abu Dhabi)? Here is how the two compare on cost, visas, speed and fit, and which one we would pick for different founders.
Choose Masdar for…
- A lower starting price (about AED 15,965 less in year one)
- Cheaper yearly renewal
- Faster setup (around 10 vs 21 working days)
- Flexi-desk options
- Popular with clean-tech and sustainability startups
- Popular with tech companies wanting abu dhabi
Masdar City Free Zone is an Abu Dhabi government free zone inside the Masdar City sustainable district, near Zayed International Airport. It targets technology, AI, clean energy, mobility, life sciences and agritech companies, but also licenses ordinary consultancies and traders. The official startup package starts at about AED 7,000 without visas, and a one-visa package with a desk is around AED 17,500. Licences can be issued within about a week once documents are complete.
Choose ADGM for…
- Room for more visas (up to 10 vs 6)
- A smoother banking track record
- Crypto and Web3 activities
- Popular with holding companies and spvs
- Popular with financial services and fintech
ADGM (Abu Dhabi Global Market) is a financial free zone on Al Maryah and Al Reem islands that applies English common law directly and has its own courts and regulator. It suits holding structures, SPVs, family wealth vehicles, fintechs and regulated financial firms. Since January 2025 a non-financial licence costs around USD 5,500 to 5,800 to register, and a tech startup licence about USD 1,500. Simple companies are often incorporated in one to three weeks; regulated firms take months.
Masdar vs ADGM side by side
| Masdar | ADGM | |
|---|---|---|
| Emirate | Abu Dhabi | Abu Dhabi |
| Packages from | AED 12,875 | AED 28,840 |
| Renewal from | AED 12,360 | AED 25,750 |
| Visa quota | Up to 6 | Up to 10 |
| Typical setup | ~10 working days | ~21 working days |
| Activities per licence | Up to 5 | Up to 5 |
| Office options | Flexi-desk, Shared office, Private office | Shared office, Private office |
| Activity areas | Tech & IT, Consultancy, Trading, Freelance, Education | Finance, Holding / SPV, Tech & IT, Crypto & Web3, Consultancy |
| Crypto / Web3 | No | Yes |
| Banking ease | ||
| Established | 2008 | 2015 |
Prices are “from” estimates and subject to free zone fees. Confirm the final quote with our advisor before you pay.
Masdar in brief
Masdar City began in 2008 as an experiment: could a desert district be designed around low energy use, shaded streets and clean transport? The free zone grew inside that experiment, and today the city hosts the headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency, a Khalifa University campus, corporate research centres and a large co-working community.
Strengths
- Published, relatively low entry pricing for an Abu Dhabi address, starting around AED 7,000
- Clear desk tiers so you know exactly how many visas each option gives
- Real sector focus with clusters, research partners and pilot opportunities for tech and clean-energy firms
- Very convenient for the airport, Yas Island and Khalifa City
Watch out for
- Flexi desk tiers cap visas at four, so growing teams soon need a pricier private office
- Not suited to logistics, warehousing or heavy trading
- Campus is outside the central business districts, which some client-facing firms dislike
ADGM in brief
Abu Dhabi Global Market opened for business in 2015 as the capital's answer to a simple question: where should international money and contracts sit if they want a familiar legal system inside the UAE? The answer was a separate jurisdiction where English common law applies directly, with its own courts, its own company registry and its own financial regulator.
Strengths
- English common law applied directly, with its own courts, which institutional investors and foreign lawyers trust
- Non-financial fees roughly halved from January 2025, bringing ADGM within reach of ordinary consultancies and holding companies
- SPV, foundation and family office regimes that most mainland and budget free zones simply do not offer
- FSRA is a respected regulator with a sandbox route for fintechs and virtual asset firms
Watch out for
- Office space on Al Maryah is among the most expensive in Abu Dhabi, and operating companies must have premises
- Ongoing compliance is heavier: registers, accounts, possible audit and stricter beneficial ownership checks
- FSRA authorisation for financial activity is slow and needs real capital, staff and compliance systems
Masdar vs ADGM: common questions
Which is cheaper, Masdar or ADGM?
On our current packages, Masdar starts lower at around AED 12,875, against AED 28,840 for ADGM. Compare renewal too: Masdar renews from about AED 12,360 and ADGM from about AED 25,750. Prices are estimates; confirm before you pay.
Which gives more visas, Masdar or ADGM?
ADGM allows up to 10 visas, depending on the office you lease. Masdar allows up to 6.
Which is faster to set up, Masdar or ADGM?
Masdar is typically quicker at around 10 working days for the licence once documents are complete. Visas take one to three more weeks in either zone.
Is a Masdar 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 Masdar to ADGM 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.
Masdar or ADGM? 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