Quick verdict: choose the configuration, not the headline
Choose SPC Standard if you need a licence-only starting point without processed visas and can confirm your activity and later requirements separately. Choose SHAMS Standard if its advertised flexi-desk arrangement fits your working needs and a written quote resolves the missing inclusions. Neither is an automatic winner: compare the same activity, shareholders, residence plan and premises requirements before paying.
Content review: 2026-10-18, reconciled against reviewed public package records. This is a source-based content review, not an applicant approval or a claim of independent human verification.
Side-by-side costs and evidence
| Comparison | SPC | SHAMS |
|---|---|---|
| Package | Standard License (licence only) | Standard |
| Advertised amount | AED 6,875 advertised amount only. Starting amount; inclusions require confirmation. Complete mandatory-cost quote required. | AED 6,875 advertised amount only. Advertised annual amount; not a complete total. Complete mandatory-cost quote required. |
| Complete Year 1 cost | Current itemised quote required; mandatory extras are not fully established. | Current itemised quote required; mandatory extras are not fully established. |
| Price scope | Public package reference, not a complete mandatory-cost quote. Confirm current activity eligibility, taxes, offer validity and applicant-specific charges. Confirm name-reservation charges, inside-country status change, registration, actual workspace rights and any fees outside the published licence or worked example. | Advertised named offer only, not a complete mandatory setup invoice. Confirm current eligibility, offer validity, activity, shareholders, premises and applicant-specific charges. VAT treatment, Emirates ID card issuance fee, insurance, levies, deposits and other mandatory extras are unresolved, not zero. Fixed-renewal marketing is subject to terms; matching itemised renewal charges are not established. No complete renewal or three-year total is calculated. Advertised visa allocation, visa processing and maximum quota are different; no bank account or visa approval is promised. Standard lists a flexi-desk but does not state a processed-visa count or exact allocation on this card; no zero-visa entitlement is inferred. |
| Renewal evidence | Current renewal quote required for this configuration; no matching complete renewal invoice established. | Current renewal quote required for this configuration; no matching complete renewal invoice established. |
| Complete three-year total | Cannot calculate complete three-year cost until renewal and mandatory extras are confirmed. | Cannot calculate complete three-year cost until renewal and mandatory extras are confirmed. |
| Advertised-price confidence | Indicative official starting price for the advertised amount only; complete setup, renewal and three-year totals require a quote. | Verified official price for the advertised amount only; complete setup, renewal and three-year totals require a quote. |
| Package source | Official named-offer evidence; checked 2026-10-18. Not a current complete invoice. Review official source | Official named-offer evidence; checked 2026-10-18. Not a current complete invoice. Review official source |
SPC’s reference is a starting licence amount, not a full setup total. Its licence-only renewal reference does not establish a complete renewal invoice. SHAMS advertises annual billing; that does not prove issued licence validity. Neither record establishes complete first-year, renewal or three-year mandatory costs. Do not multiply an advertised amount into a multi-year budget.
Visas, workspace and banking
SPC Standard records 12-month licence validity and zero processed visas in this configuration; maximum visa quota remains unknown. SHAMS Standard’s processed-visa count and allocation are both unknown, not zero. Allocation, immigration-file eligibility and a completed residence visa are different things. Request a matching residence configuration if you need to relocate.
SPC includes a lease agreement, but that document does not guarantee a dedicated workspace or unrestricted desk access. SHAMS advertises a flexi-desk; lease-document inclusion and actual access rights remain unproven. Ask about booking rules, address use, meeting facilities and whether the premises suit your operations.
Neither route establishes bank approval. Prepare ownership records, source-of-funds evidence, contracts, a business website and expected transaction details. Ask your intended bank what operating-address evidence it needs; a desk advertisement or lease document alone should not decide your shortlist.
Activity fit and costs to resolve
For publishing, media, consultancy or e-commerce, obtain the exact activity code and written confirmation that the named package accepts it. A zone-wide activity listing is not package eligibility. For physical goods, ask about storage, fulfilment and the permitted selling route; for specialist services, ask which external approvals apply.
Request an itemised quote separating licence, registration, name reservation, immigration file, establishment card, visa processing, medical checks, Emirates ID, status change, insurance and premises where applicable. Distinguish mandatory items from optional assistance. These are questions to resolve, not charges assumed payable in every case.
SHAMS VAT treatment is unknown: the advertised figure must not be described as VAT-inclusive. Insurance, deposits, levies and other mandatory extras also remain unresolved. Ask both providers to identify taxes, exclusions, amendment and cancellation terms, quote expiry and the same configuration’s renewal obligations.
Separate offers and relevant alternatives
SPC’s E-commerce / Publishing license (licence only) advertises AED 5,750 advertised amount only. advertised licence fee. Complete mandatory-cost quote required.. Scope: Public package reference, not a complete mandatory-cost quote. Confirm current activity eligibility, taxes, offer validity and applicant-specific charges. Confirm name-reservation charges, inside-country status change, registration, actual workspace rights and any fees outside the published licence or worked example.. Confidence: Verified official price for the advertised amount only; complete setup, renewal and three-year totals require a quote.. Source: Official named-offer evidence; checked 2026-10-18. Not a current complete invoice. Review official source. It is not SPC Standard.
SHAMS’ Media Package advertises AED 5,750 advertised amount only. Advertised amount; duration and complete total require confirmation. Complete mandatory-cost quote required.. Scope: Advertised named offer only, not a complete mandatory setup invoice. Confirm current eligibility, offer validity, activity, shareholders, premises and applicant-specific charges. VAT treatment, Emirates ID card issuance fee, insurance, levies, deposits and other mandatory extras are unresolved, not zero. Fixed-renewal marketing is subject to terms; matching itemised renewal charges are not established. No complete renewal or three-year total is calculated. Advertised visa allocation, visa processing and maximum quota are different; no bank account or visa approval is promised. The offer duration is not published in the captured card; do not annualise this amount.. Confidence: Verified official price for the advertised amount only; complete setup, renewal and three-year totals require a quote.. Source: Official named-offer evidence; checked 2026-10-18. Not a current complete invoice. Review official source. It is not Standard; do not annualise an offer whose duration is unestablished.
Broaden the shortlist with ANCFZ for another licence-led comparison, RAKEZ when premises matter, or Meydan when considering a Dubai address. Compare matched written quotes, not unlike promotional headlines.
Frequently asked questions
Which has the lower complete cost?
Neither reviewed record establishes a complete mandatory total. Decide after matching inclusions and exclusions in current quotes.
Does either Standard offer include my residence visa?
SPC’s configuration has zero processed visas. SHAMS Standard’s count and allocation are unknown; obtain written confirmation.
Is SHAMS renewal fixed?
Marketing wording does not establish matching itemised renewal charges. Complete renewal remains unknown.
Does a desk mean a lease is included?
No. SHAMS’ advertised desk does not prove lease inclusion; SPC’s lease does not guarantee workspace access.
Are all listed activities available in these packages?
No package-level eligibility follows from a directory listing. Confirm your exact activity and required approvals.
Can either guarantee a bank account?
No. Banking assistance is not approval; the bank assesses the applicant and business evidence.
Sources, methodology and next step
The package-specific sources and confidence labels above distinguish advertised amounts from complete costs. Unknown fields stay unknown; separate offers are not merged. Read our pricing methodology or submit a source-backed correction. UAE Freezone Compare is independent, not either authority.
Request a current SPC or SHAMS quote with your activity, shareholders, visa needs and workspace requirements. Ask for itemised setup and renewal terms before committing.
Request a current SPC or SHAMS quote
Tell us your exact activity, visa count, shareholder count and office need. UAE Freezone Compare can request a current market quote and itemised comparison without charging you a service fee. Authority, bank and visa approval are not guaranteed.