Comparison
DET vs IFZA
Dubai mainland — Department of Economy & Tourism against International Free Zone Authority. The specifications side by side, what each actually costs, how banks receive them, and a straight answer about which suits which business.
Side by side
| Criterion | DET | IFZA |
|---|---|---|
| Emirate | Dubai | Dubai |
| Type | Mainland | Free zone |
| Location | Emirate-wide | Dubai Silicon Oasis |
| Licence issuance | 1–2 weeks after tenancy | 3–5 days |
| Residence visas | Unlimited in principle, calculated on leased area | Packages from 0 up to around 6, priced in tiers |
| Ownership | 100% foreign on most activities since 2021 | 100% foreign |
| Premises | Physical premises with a registered Ejari tenancy required | Flexi-desk standard; offices available |
| Commonly licensed | Retail & shops, Food & beverage, Trading & distribution, Consulting & professional services | Consulting & professional services, Trading & distribution, Holding & SPVs, Software & IT |
Timelines and quotas are indicative and revised by the authorities without notice.
Straight answer
Which one?
The mainland-versus-free-zone decision in its most common form. DET lets you sell to anyone in the UAE, bid for government work and open premises the public enters — and requires a tenancy with registered Ejari before the licence issues, which is where the cost is. IFZA is cheaper, faster and fences you out of the domestic market. Customers in the UAE: DET, and stop comparing. Customers abroad: IFZA.
What each actually costs
DET
Cannot be assessed on licence fee alone. Mainland costs are dominated by tenancy and Ejari, which is why first-year totals commonly exceed AED 30,000–50,000.
IFZA
Clearly tiered and among the more competitive Dubai options. A service licence with one visa sits at the lower end of the AED 12,500–25,000 first-year band; adding visas moves it fastest.
How banks receive them
DET
Excellent. A mainland Dubai licence with real premises is among the strongest files a bank sees.
IFZA
Generally fine. Well known enough that banks process the file without extra questions, though not with DMCC's ease.
Who is based in each
DET
Retail, F&B, contracting, professional services, healthcare, real estate brokerage — every business selling directly to UAE customers.
The whole UAE market, government tenders included, and no distributor taking a margin between you and your customer. Since the 2021 amendment to the Commercial Companies Law most activities allow full foreign ownership, which removed the one reason most founders avoided it.
IFZA
Consultancies, holding companies, general services and small trading businesses — tens of thousands of them, mostly under five people.
The volume answer for small consultancies, and a defensible one. Packages are clearly priced, issuance is genuinely quick, and the activity list is broad enough that most service businesses find themselves on it without contortion.
Activities
Only DET: Education & training, Events & exhibitions, Food & beverage, Healthcare & medical, Real estate
Only IFZA: E-commerce, Freelance & solo, Holding & SPVs, Software & IT
Questions
DET: Cannot be assessed on licence fee alone. Mainland costs are dominated by tenancy and Ejari, which is why first-year totals commonly exceed AED 30,000–50,000. IFZA: Clearly tiered and among the more competitive Dubai options. A service licence with one visa sits at the lower end of the AED 12,500–25,000 first-year band; adding visas moves it fastest.
DET — excellent. A mainland Dubai licence with real premises is among the strongest files a bank sees. IFZA — generally fine. Well known enough that banks process the file without extra questions, though not with DMCC's ease.
DET hosts retail, F&B, contracting, professional services, healthcare, real estate brokerage — every business selling directly to UAE customers. IFZA hosts consultancies, holding companies, general services and small trading businesses — tens of thousands of them, mostly under five people.