FreeZoneFirst

Hamriyah vs SAIF Zone: Side-by-Side Comparison

Hamriyah sits on Sharjah's port with heavy industrial infrastructure — oil, gas, petrochemicals, manufacturing. SAIF Zone is adjacent to Sharjah Airport, built for lighter industrial, logistics, and air cargo operations.

HFZ from AED 9,000/yr
SAIF Zone from AED 9,000/yr
HFZSAIF Zone2/3 selected
HFZ
Sharjah
SAIF Zone
Sharjah
Emirate
Sharjah
Sharjah
Starting from
AED 9,000/yr
AED 9,000/yr
Renewal cost
AED 8,000/yr
AED 9,000/yr
Setup time
5-7 business days
3-5 business days
Min. share capital
None required
None required
Visa packages
3 visas: AED 9,000
6 visas: AED 15,000
1 visa: AED 3,500
3 visas: AED 9,000
License types
tradingserviceindustrial
tradingserviceindustrial
Office options
private officewarehouseindustrial unitopen yardland lease
flexi deskprivate officewarehouseindustrial unit
Specialization
oil & gasmaritimeheavy industrymanufacturing
logisticstradingmanufacturing
Location
Hamriyah, northern Sharjah coast
Adjacent to Sharjah International Airport
Established
1995
1995
Best for
  • Oil & gas
  • Maritime
  • Heavy manufacturing
  • Trading companies
  • Logistics
  • Manufacturing
Pros
  • Port access
  • Heavy industry support
  • Large land plots
  • Airport access
  • Established reputation
  • Good for logistics
Cons
  • Remote location
  • Industrial focus only
  • Limited service business options
  • Sharjah location
  • Older infrastructure
See full profile
See full profile

Still not sure which fits your business?

Take our 2-minute quiz and get personalized matches ranked by your budget, timeline, and activity.

Find Your Free Zone

Key differences at a glance

HFZSAIF Zone
Emiratesharjahsharjah
License fromAED 9,000/yrAED 9,000/yr
Annual renewalAED 8,000AED 9,000
Setup time5-7 business days3-5 business days
Min share capitalNoneNone
Established19951995
License typestrading, service, industrialtrading, service, industrial
Office optionsprivate office, warehouse, industrial unit, open yard, land leaseflexi desk, private office, warehouse, industrial unit

Cost breakdown

HFZ

License (starting from)
AED 9,000/yr
Annual renewal
AED 8,000
Visa packages
3 visas
~AED 9,000
6 visas
~AED 15,000
Full HFZ profile

SAIF Zone

License (starting from)
AED 9,000/yr
Annual renewal
AED 9,000
Visa packages
1 visa
~AED 3,500
3 visas
~AED 9,000
Full SAIF Zone profile
Get a detailed cost estimate with our calculator

Which one should you pick?

Pick HFZ if

You're in heavy industry, petrochemicals, or need port access.

See full HFZ profile

Pick SAIF Zone if

You run light industrial, logistics, or air freight operations.

See full SAIF Zone profile

Frequently asked questions

Which is cheaper, HFZ or SAIF Zone?

SAIF Zone is cheaper. Its license starts at AED 9,000/year vs AED 9,000/year for HFZ — a difference of AED 0 per year at the entry tier. Actual costs depend on visa count, office type, and activity.

How long does setup take at HFZ vs SAIF Zone?

HFZ advertises 5-7 business days and SAIF Zone advertises 3-5 business days. Real-world timelines depend on how quickly you submit documents, pay fees, and complete KYC.