Quick answer: SAIF Zone is usually the stronger first shortlist for airport-linked trading, time-sensitive cargo, light assembly and companies that want a published pre-built warehouse offer near Sharjah International Airport. Hamriyah Free Zone is usually the stronger first shortlist for port-led logistics, maritime activity, larger industrial land, manufacturing and operations that need a deep-water harbour. The price references are not equivalent: compare the same licence, facility, visa and renewal basket before choosing.
Quick verdict: SAIF Zone vs Hamriyah. Shortlist SAIF Zone first when the operation is airport-linked, time-sensitive, warehouse-led or light assembly near Sharjah International Airport. Shortlist Hamriyah first when the decision depends on port access, industrial land, larger facilities, maritime activity or heavy manufacturing. Do not choose by the first AED amount alone because the published SAIF warehouse offer and Hamriyah basic licence component are different configuration types.
Source and confidence note: This comparison uses official SAIF facility pages, official Hamriyah setup and facility pages and dated public consultant evidence where authority tariff detail is incomplete. It is a planning comparison only. This is not legal, regulatory or tax advice, and current licence, facility, visa, banking and renewal quotes should be confirmed in writing before payment.
Last reviewed: July 2026. UAE Freezone Compare is an independent private comparison platform. It is not SAIF Zone, Hamriyah Free Zone Authority, a government authority, a bank or an immigration authority. A licence does not guarantee a visa, bank account, customs approval or external approval.
SAIF Zone vs Hamriyah at a glance
| Decision factor | SAIF Zone | Hamriyah Free Zone | Practical reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| Primary logistics signal | Adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and its cargo centre | Access to a 14-metre-deep main port and 7-metre-deep inner harbour | Shortlist by transport mode and cargo flow, not by emirate name alone. |
| Current public cost evidence | AED 48,000 official 125 sqm Warehouse Business Support offer; availability and inclusions require confirmation | AED 11,000 public consultant consensus for a basic licence component; facility and complete setup are separate | These rows are different products and cannot be used as a cheapest-zone comparison. |
| Pre-built warehouse sizes | 125, 250, 400 and 600 sqm on the official setup page | 200, 400 and 600 sqm on the official setup page | Confirm power, loading, fire-system, fit-out and use approval for the exact unit. |
| Industrial land | Plots from 2,500 sqm for custom warehouse or factory construction | Plots from 2,500 sqm within a 30 million sqm industrial estate; official page describes a 25-year renewable lease | Land-led projects need a complete lease, infrastructure and approvals model, not a licence-only quote. |
| Office and visa allocation | Office formats publish quotas of 3, 5 or 8, depending on the named facility | Official business-centre packages publish allocations from 1 to 12, depending on area and package | An allocation is not an issued visa and does not prove immigration charges are included. |
| Best-fit signal | Air cargo, trading, light manufacturing, assembly, packaging and airport-oriented logistics | Port logistics, maritime, industrial manufacturing, storage, oil and gas supply chains and large facilities | Exact eligibility depends on activity wording, product, facility and external approvals. |
Cost evidence: do not compare a warehouse offer with a licence component
The old version of this page compared unsupported low-cost licence and land-rate claims as though they described the same setup. The current evidence supports a narrower conclusion. SAIF Zone publishes warehouse support offers by unit size. Hamriyah’s official setup page publishes package, facility, activity and visa-allocation structure but not a comparable current tariff; three independent consultant sources reviewed for this update cite AED 11,000 as a basic licence starting component.
| Zone and evidence row | Year 1 planning amount | Renewal | Three-year planning total | Source type | Confidence and conflict status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SAIF Zone 125 sqm Warehouse Business Support offer | AED 48,000 | Quote-based – confirm the current facility, licence and offer terms | Quote-based – renewal evidence is not published on the offer page | Official SAIF Zone offer page | Indicative public price; current package and renewal confirmation required |
| Hamriyah basic licence component | AED 11,000; facility and other setup items priced separately | Quote-based – request the matching authority package renewal | Quote-based – no supported comparable renewal assumption | Three independent public consultant sources; official package structure checked separately | High-confidence public consensus for the basic component; not an official all-in tariff |
| Complete facility-led setup in either zone | Quote-based – depends on licence, facility, power, approvals, visas and deposits | Quote-based – separate licence, lease, immigration and service renewals may apply | Quote-based – calculate only after written renewal schedules are supplied | Current authority quotation required | Requires verification; different package and facility configurations |
What the official SAIF warehouse offer publishes
| Published unit | Published offer amount | Official facility description | Still confirm before payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 125 sqm warehouse | AED 48,000 | Multi-purpose warehouse model for manufacturing, trading, assembly and logistics | Licence scope, current availability, power, deposits, utilities, visas and renewal |
| 250 sqm warehouse | AED 88,000 | Official offer page lists the size and a flexible payment plan of up to five instalments | Payment schedule, taxes, fit-out, insurance and approval costs |
| 400 sqm warehouse | AED 128,000 | Official business-setup material describes built-in office, pantry, lavatories and industrial exhaust | Exact unit specification, usable storage, racking, fire classification and product approval |
| 600 sqm warehouse | AED 164,000 | Official offer amount for the largest listed pre-built warehouse size | Availability, lease duration, renewal, power, loading, customs and labour requirements |
These amounts are useful facility-planning evidence, not proof of every mandatory company-formation cost. The signed offer should identify whether the licence, registration, lease, security deposit, utilities, visas, immigration services, approvals and taxes are included or separate.
Facility and logistics comparison
| Operating requirement | SAIF Zone evidence | Hamriyah evidence | Decision question |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air-freight access | Adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and cargo facilities | Airport access is not the central facility proposition | Is air freight frequent or time-sensitive enough to make proximity operationally valuable? |
| Sea and port access | Official material describes road, air and nearby seaport connectivity | Official setup page lists a 14-metre-deep main port and 7-metre-deep inner harbour | Will containers, bulk goods, project cargo or maritime operations use the port directly? |
| Pre-built units | 125, 250, 400 and 600 sqm | 200, 400 and 600 sqm | Which size, clear height, loading format and power capacity fit the actual process? |
| Warehouse specification | Official material describes power capacity, built-in office and industrial exhaust | Official page describes 20kW to 150kW, 7m or 9m height, loading bay, utilities, fire alarm and sprinkler system | Are the published features present in the available unit and sufficient for the activity? |
| Industrial land | Plots from 2,500 sqm for custom facilities | Plots from 2,500 sqm, construction on up to 60% of the plot and a 25-year renewable lease described | What are the approved use, construction ratio, utilities, build deadline and exit obligations? |
| Labour accommodation | Official setup page lists on-site staff accommodation as an available facility | Official setup page describes dedicated labour accommodation and recreation facilities | What capacity, transport, compliance and renewal conditions apply to the selected facility? |
Licence and activity fit
SAIF Zone’s official setup page describes trade, service and industrial licences. Its industrial scope includes manufacturing, processing, assembly, packaging and export, with Health and Environment clearance identified for industrial licensing. Hamriyah’s official page describes trading, e-commerce, service and industrial licensing, with industrial activity covering manufacturing, processing, assembly, packaging and export.
| Use case | First shortlist | Reason | What must be confirmed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air cargo, express delivery or airport-linked distribution | SAIF Zone | Airport adjacency and warehouse/cargo positioning | Customs process, air-cargo handler requirements, unit availability and product approvals |
| Port-led import, export or maritime supply | Hamriyah | Deep-water main port, inner harbour and maritime/industrial ecosystem | Berth and port services, customs, storage class, handling and transport to customers |
| Light assembly, packaging or airport-oriented manufacturing | SAIF Zone | Pre-built facilities and light/medium industrial positioning | Health/environment, civil defence, power, waste, process and product approvals |
| Heavy manufacturing or large land-led plant | Hamriyah | Large industrial estate, port access and land/facility model | Land use, construction, environmental studies, utilities, hazardous material and labour needs |
| Office-based consultancy or e-commerce without stock | Compare both | Both publish office/service routes, but the industrial infrastructure may not justify the choice | Current office package, activity wording, visa need, renewal and banking evidence |
Use the activity checker and the logistics, import-export and manufacturing guides to prepare an activity shortlist. Authority approval and external approvals still control final eligibility.
Visa allocation is not the same as visa cost
SAIF Zone publishes facility-linked office quotas: the named SAIF Office, Executive Office and Suite formats list allocations of 3, 5 and 8. Hamriyah publishes package-linked allocations from 1 to 12 depending on office area, activities and shareholder count. Those numbers describe possible allocation, not the number of visas already issued or included in a headline price.
| Visa layer | Why it matters | Ask both authorities or providers |
|---|---|---|
| Allocation | Depends on the selected office, warehouse or package | What is the maximum quota for the exact unit and activity? |
| Company immigration setup | Establishment card or immigration file may be separate from licence/facility cost | What is charged in Year 1 and at renewal? |
| Applicant process | Entry permit or status change, medical, Emirates ID and insurance can be separate | What changes for an applicant inside versus outside the UAE? |
| Employee volume | Larger facilities can support larger teams, but quota and immigration approval are not automatic | What facility or operational evidence is needed for the requested headcount? |
| Renewal and cancellation | Company, facility, immigration and individual visa obligations may renew separately | Provide each renewal, cancellation and overstay-related charge in writing. |
Bank-account difficulty and commercial evidence
Neither free zone guarantees a corporate bank account. Industrial and trading companies should expect banks to examine beneficial ownership, activity wording, customers and suppliers, source of funds, expected countries, transaction values, product flow, website, contracts, facility evidence and the commercial reason for the chosen location.
| Bank review area | Stronger evidence | Common friction |
|---|---|---|
| Operating model | Clear description of goods, process, counterparties and revenue | Broad trading wording with no specific product or customer logic |
| Facility | Signed lease and a unit that matches the declared activity | Industrial or storage activity with no adequate premises evidence |
| Trade flow | Supplier/customer contracts, invoices, shipping route and customs plan | High-risk routes, unexplained intermediaries or inconsistent volumes |
| Ownership and funding | Transparent ownership, residency, source of wealth and source of funds | Complex unexplained ownership or unsupported initial funding |
| Online presence | Professional website, domain email and product/service information | No website or commercial material for a supposedly active operation |
Use the banking difficulty checker and bank-account opening checklist. Bank choice and timing remain profile-specific.
Hidden costs to request in writing
- Licence and registration
- Lease, facility and security deposit
- Power connection and consumption
- Water, waste and telecommunications
- Fit-out, racking and machinery installation
- Fire and civil-defence requirements
- Health and environmental approval
- Product or sector approval
- Customs registration and port/airport services
- Establishment card and immigration file
- Visa allocation and visa issuance
- Status change, medical and Emirates ID
- Health insurance
- Labour accommodation and transport
- Licence, lease and immigration renewal
- Amendment, cancellation and liquidation
Documents and quote inputs
Prepare shareholder and manager passport/residency documents, legal form, exact activity wording, product list, process description, proposed unit size, required power, machinery, storage class, expected employee and visa count, shipment mode, customs route, customer/supplier countries and any regulated-product information. A corporate shareholder or branch may need attested constitutional documents and a board resolution.
Alternatives and related comparisons
Review the detailed SAIF Zone profile and Hamriyah Free Zone profile. Depending on the operating model, also compare RAKEZ vs Hamriyah, JAFZA vs Hamriyah, KEZAD vs Hamriyah, RAKEZ vs SAIF Zone and JAFZA vs SAIF Zone. Use the cost calculator for a planning shortlist and the Cost Index for confidence-labelled package evidence.
Sources, confidence and correction policy
Official SAIF Zone sources: Warehouse Business Support offer and licence, office, warehouse and land structure.
Official Hamriyah source: current licence, business-centre, warehouse, land, visa-allocation and document structure.
Hamriyah price evidence: Emirabiz, Business Setup HQ and Bizstart independently publish AED 11,000 as a basic licence starting component. This supports public consensus, not an official complete setup or renewal total. Facility, visas, deposits, utilities, approvals and provider charges require a current written quote.
Review method: Official facility and package evidence is separated from consultant price consensus and from quote-based unknowns. We do not average conflicting configurations or infer renewal. See the methodology, data methodology and corrections policy. Send a source-backed correction to info@uaefreezonecompare.com.
SAIF Zone vs Hamriyah FAQs
Which free zone is better for air cargo?
SAIF Zone is normally the stronger first shortlist because it is adjacent to Sharjah International Airport and publishes airport-oriented warehouse and cargo infrastructure. Confirm the exact customs, handling and unit requirements for the goods.
Which free zone is better for sea cargo or maritime activity?
Hamriyah is normally the stronger first shortlist because its official setup material describes access to a 14-metre-deep main port and 7-metre-deep inner harbour. Port use, handling, storage and sector approvals still require confirmation.
Is Hamriyah cheaper than SAIF Zone?
The available AED amounts do not prove that. AED 11,000 is a public-consensus Hamriyah basic licence component, while AED 48,000 is an official SAIF 125 sqm warehouse offer. Compare equivalent licences and facilities using itemised Year 1 and renewal quotes.
Does the SAIF AED 48,000 offer include every setup cost?
Do not assume it does. The official page publishes the warehouse offer amount and facility positioning. Ask whether licence, registration, deposit, utilities, visas, insurance, approvals, taxes and renewal are included.
How many visas can each zone support?
Both publish facility- or package-linked allocations. SAIF office formats list 3, 5 or 8, while Hamriyah business-centre packages range from 1 to 12. Allocation does not equal issued visas or prove immigration charges are included.
Does either zone guarantee a business bank account?
No. Banks independently assess ownership, residency, activity, facility, customers, suppliers, source of funds, transaction logic and commercial evidence.
Do both zones automatically receive 0% corporate tax?
No. UAE corporate-tax treatment depends on the entity’s facts, income, transactions and compliance with the applicable rules. Free-zone incorporation by itself does not guarantee a 0% tax outcome. Obtain qualified tax advice for the actual business model.
Request matched SAIF Zone and Hamriyah quotes
Request proposals using the same activity, shareholder count, visa count, unit size, power requirement, cargo mode and approval needs. Ask each provider to separate licence, registration, facility, deposit, utilities, immigration, visas, approvals, taxes, Year 2 renewal and optional advisory charges. UAE Freezone Compare’s comparison support is free to the user; a vetted setup partner may pay a referral fee if you proceed, and referral availability does not control the editorial comparison.
Prices, facilities and processes can change. Confirm current availability, activity approval, package inclusions, visa allocation, office or warehouse requirements and renewal before payment. UAE Freezone Compare is independent and is not affiliated with SAIF Zone or Hamriyah Free Zone Authority; third-party names and marks belong to their respective owners.