Shams vs UAQ Free Zone: Side-by-Side Comparison
Both fight for the title of 'cheapest UAE license.' UAQ is often slightly cheaper on paper, but Shams has a stronger brand, more activity types, and marginally easier banking. For most people, the AED 500-1,000 difference isn't worth the UAQ banking friction.
- Freelancers
- E-commerce
- Budget startups
- Budget businesses
- Holding companies
- Companies not needing physical UAE presence
- Extremely affordable
- Fast setup
- No office needed for some licenses
- Extremely cheap
- Fast setup
- Simple process
- Sharjah address (not Dubai)
- Banking can be challenging
- Conservative environment
- Very remote
- Minimal business community
- Banking difficult
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Find Your Free ZoneKey differences at a glance
| Shams | UAQ FTZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Emirate | sharjah | umm al-quwain |
| License from | AED 5,750/yr | AED 5,500/yr |
| Annual renewal | AED 5,750 | AED 5,500 |
| Setup time | 1-2 business days | 2-3 business days |
| Min share capital | None | None |
| Established | 2017 | 1988 |
| License types | trading, service, e-commerce, freelancer | trading, service, industrial, e-commerce |
| Office options | flexi desk, virtual office, shared office | flexi desk, virtual office, shared office |
Cost breakdown
Shams
- License (starting from)
- AED 5,750/yr
- Annual renewal
- AED 5,750
- Visa packages
- 1 visa
- ~AED 3,200
- 3 visas
- ~AED 8,500
UAQ FTZ
- License (starting from)
- AED 5,500/yr
- Annual renewal
- AED 5,500
- Visa packages
- 1 visa
- ~AED 2,800
- 3 visas
- ~AED 7,000
Which one should you pick?
Pick Shams if
You want a recognized brand, media/creative activities, and smoother banking.
See full Shams profilePick UAQ FTZ if
You're optimizing purely for the lowest license cost and can handle banking challenges.
See full UAQ FTZ profileFrequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Shams or UAQ FTZ?
UAQ FTZ is cheaper. Its license starts at AED 5,500/year vs AED 5,750/year for Shams — a difference of AED 250 per year at the entry tier. Actual costs depend on visa count, office type, and activity.
How long does setup take at Shams vs UAQ FTZ?
Shams advertises 1-2 business days and UAQ FTZ advertises 2-3 business days. Real-world timelines depend on how quickly you submit documents, pay fees, and complete KYC.
Where are Shams and UAQ FTZ located?
Shams is in Sharjah (Sharjah (close to Dubai border)). UAQ FTZ is in Umm Al Quwain (Umm Al Quwain emirate).
What license types does each offer?
Shams issues trading, service, e-commerce, freelancer licenses. UAQ FTZ issues trading, service, industrial, e-commerce licenses. Pick the zone that covers the license type matching your business activity.