IFZA vs Meydan Free Zone — Detailed Comparison 2026
IFZA (International Free Zone Authority) and Meydan Free Zone are two of the most popular affordable Dubai-based free zones, both popular with digital businesses, consultants, and startups. This detailed comparison helps you choose between IFZA and Meydan for your UAE company in 2026.
In this guide:
Overview
- IFZA: established 2018; Techno Hub, Dubai; 20,000+ companies; one of UAE’s fastest-growing free zones; broad activity coverage
- Meydan: established 2014; Nad Al Sheba (near Dubai Racecourse); Dubai address; growing business community; competitive pricing
Cost Comparison 2026
- IFZA (2 activities, flexi-desk, 2 visas): AED 17,000–22,000/year
- IFZA (1 activity, 1 visa): AED 11,900–14,000/year
- Meydan (2 activities, flexi-desk, 2 visas): AED 14,000–20,000/year
- Meydan (1 activity, 1 visa): AED 9,000–12,000/year
Meydan is typically 10-20% cheaper than IFZA for comparable packages.
Activity Coverage
- IFZA: extremely broad; 1,500+ permitted activities; trading, consulting, IT, media, manufacturing, e-commerce — one of the broadest activity lists in UAE
- Meydan: broad but somewhat smaller activity list; very good for services, consulting, trading, media; some specialist activities not available
Banking Relationships
- IFZA: well-established; major UAE banks familiar with IFZA; generally smooth account opening with major UAE banks
- Meydan: good but less established than IFZA; some banks less familiar; WIO and digital banks work well for Meydan
Location and Office
- IFZA: Techno Hub, Dubai; near Dubai International Airport; co-working available
- Meydan: Nad Al Sheba, Dubai; near Meydan Racecourse; convenient for Business Bay and Downtown access
Visa Allocation
- IFZA: up to 3 visas on basic packages; more on premium packages
- Meydan: 2-3 visas on standard packages
Which Should You Choose?
- Choose IFZA if: you need the broadest activity list; you plan to grow significantly and need banking credibility; you want the market leader in UAE SME free zones
- Choose Meydan if: budget is a priority; your activities are covered by Meydan’s list; you want a slightly cheaper entry-level Dubai free zone company