Practical, current guides on forming a UAE company, what it really costs, staying on the right side of corporate tax, and getting a Golden Visa. No jargon, real AED figures, and the same honest advice we'd give a paying client on the phone.
The two questions almost everyone asks first: how do I actually register a company here, and what's the true all-in bill?
A step-by-step walkthrough — jurisdiction, activity, name, license, visas, bank and tax registration — with realistic timelines for each stage.
Read the guide →A sourced data reference — real starting costs by zone and structure, corporate tax and VAT thresholds, ownership rules, visa costs and setup timelines. Free to cite.
See the 2026 data →Establishment cards, deposits, PRO fees and the AED 8,000–15,000 renewal nobody quotes you. An itemised example so you avoid bill-shock.
See the real numbers →Which structure actually fits your customers, office needs and visa plans — a plain-English comparison with a decision table.
Compare the three →The UAE isn't tax-free any more. Here's what small businesses actually owe, and when.
The 9% rate above AED 375,000, the free-zone 0% QFZP question, registration deadlines, the AED 10,000 penalty and Small Business Relief — sorted.
Understand your tax →Our transparent, itemised package pricing — setup, per-visa cost and the Year-2 renewal, all published on the page.
See our pricing →Answer a few questions and get a ballpark figure before you speak to anyone — no email wall to see the number.
Estimate my cost →An honest, itemised comparison of what setup really costs across every free zone, mainland and offshore route — with a full price table.
See the cost index →A company is often the start. For many founders and professionals, long-term residency is the real goal.
Who qualifies — investor, AED 2m property, entrepreneur, skilled professional and talent routes — the benefits, documents and how the process really runs.
Check the routes →Our service page: we check your eligibility, prepare the file and manage the nomination through ICP or GDRFA to approval.
Start your application →Not sure where to begin? Start with the big picture on mainland, free zone and offshore setups and how we run each.
Explore setup options →Practical, honest walkthroughs for the setups we handle every week.
The food license, Dubai Municipality approvals, real fit-out costs, timelines and the lease mistake that costs the most.
Read the guide →General trading license, mainland vs free zone, customs code, VAT and the onshore-selling rule traders get wrong.
Read the guide →Cost, visas, hiring, banking and client perception compared — with a clear "choose this if…" for each side.
Compare them →Remote setup from India, LRS funding, banking reality, costs, Golden Visa and the UAE-vs-India tax split, explained.
Read the guide →Professional vs commercial license, free zone vs mainland, the degree-attestation catch, banking and real costs for a solo or small consultancy.
Read the guide →DET license, Dubai Municipality health approvals, the ladies/gents rule, where beauty ends and a medical license begins, plus real costs.
Read the guide →The DET license plus the RERA layer — broker cards, the exam, ORN and Trakheesi permits — with per-agent costs and the pitfalls.
Read the guide →The genuinely low-cost zones compared — Ajman, SHAMS, SPC, RAKEZ, IFZA, Meydan, Dubai South — with real AED ranges and the trade-offs of going cheap.
Compare the costs →The right activity and license, free zone vs mainland for an agency, running UAE campaigns, banking and real costs.
Read the guide →Software, IT services and tech setups — the best free zones, 100% ownership, banking, hiring developers and protecting your IP.
Read the guide →Why Sharjah is cheaper than Dubai — SHAMS, SPC, Hamriyah and SAIF free zones, mainland via SEDD, costs and the honest trade-offs.
Read the guide →Dubai's cheap e-Trader permit or a full e-commerce company? The honest difference — visas, banking, cost and when to upgrade.
Read the guide →The honest playbook for dropshipping in Dubai — the licence you really need, free zone vs mainland, VAT and real costs.
Read the guide →How a RAK ICC offshore company works — 100% ownership, no visa, for holding, IP and international trade, with honest trade-offs.
Read the guide →A straight guide to registering your UAE trademark — the search, Ministry filing, classes, timelines and honest per-class costs.
Read the guide →A holding company owns shares, property and IP, not trades — free-zone, offshore and mainland routes, tax and honest costs.
Read the guide →The UAE corporate tax filing process, step by step — EmaraTax registration, your TRN, the nine-month deadline and avoiding penalties.
Understand filing →The real reasons UAE banks decline or stall a company account — weak substance, risky activity, unverifiable funds — and how to fix each.
See the reasons →Owed VAT back? How to claim a UAE business VAT refund via the EmaraTax VAT311 form, plus timelines and pitfalls.
Claim your refund →Licensed by ADDED, not Dubai's DET — 100% ownership, Tawtheeq office rules, when Abu Dhabi beats Dubai, and honest AED costs.
Read the guide →Dubai zones cost double the northern ones, yet the licence works UAE-wide. An honest cost, address and banking comparison.
Compare the zones →What a corporate services provider actually does — one partner for formation, renewals, PRO, visas, banking, tax and compliance.
See what’s covered →The immigration card that lets your company sponsor residence visas — what it is, the cost, the process and renewal.
Read the guide →A cleaning company is really a staffing business — the mainland licence, Municipality approval, visa quota and honest running costs.
Read the guide →The trade licence, your Dubai Customs importer code, and whether free-zone re-export or mainland selling fits your goods.
Read the guide →The DET licence, the RTA layer, fleet financing, insurance and the honest costs of running a rental fleet.
Read the guide →Opening a medical clinic runs on two tracks — the trade licence and the demanding DHA facility and doctor licensing. The honest map.
Read the guide →Your trade licence is only step one — every event needs its own permits. The honest mainland-vs-free-zone playbook.
Read the guide →Setting up from Pakistan — 100% ownership, moving funds legally, banking scrutiny, costs, visas and the Golden Visa, straight.
Read the guide →A candid guide for UK founders — 100% ownership, easy banking, the Golden Visa, and the honest UK tax reality.
Read the guide →Straight talk for Chinese founders — 100% ownership, re-export free zones, moving capital legally, bank-ready files.
Read the guide →Send us a message and a Dubai-based advisor will answer — no call-centre script, no obligation. We'll tell you honestly which setup fits, even when it's the cheaper one.
Prefer WhatsApp? Chat with an advisor →