UAE Freelance Permits Compared: SHAMS vs RAKEZ vs Fujairah vs GoFreelance
Four names come up in every freelance permit search. They all make you legal; they differ on price, activity lists, visa bundles and how painful year two is. Here is the honest comparison as of mid-2026 — use it with the cost calculator to budget your own case.
Head-to-head
| SHAMS (Sharjah) | RAKEZ (RAK) | Fujairah CC | GoFreelance (Dubai) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Permit-only from* | ~AED 5,750 | ~AED 6,000 | ~AED 6,500 | ~AED 7,500 |
| With 1 visa, realistic* | AED 10,000–13,000 | AED 10,000–14,000 | AED 11,000–14,000 | AED 13,000–20,000 |
| Activity focus | Media & creative, broad in practice | Very broad (media, education, tech, consulting) | Media & creative | Media, tech, education only |
| Licence address | Sharjah | Ras Al Khaimah | Fujairah | Dubai (TECOM) |
| Best for | Lowest entry cost | Widest activities, frequent promos | Creative niches | Dubai brand + client perception |
*Approximate mid-2026 figures from public rate cards and quotes; promotions change monthly. Confirm current pricing directly — and always compare the with-visa total.
How to actually choose
- Choose on renewal price, not setup price. Promotions front-load the discount; ask every zone for the year-two renewal in writing. A permit AED 1,000 cheaper today that renews AED 2,500 higher is a bad trade.
- Choose on activity match. Your permit activity should describe your real income. Banks check this — a "social media services" permit billing for "engineering consultancy" will stall compliance (see the banking guide).
- Choose Dubai only if perception pays you. If your clients are international, they will never read your licence address. If you pitch Dubai corporates and government-adjacent work, GoFreelance earns its premium.
- Factor the errands. Some processes still want you at the issuing zone. RAK and Fujairah are ~1 hour and ~1.5 hours from Dubai respectively; fine twice a year, annoying monthly.
Paths most people regret
- Buying through a reseller without checking the zone's direct price — markups of AED 2,000–4,000 are common on identical packages.
- Permit-only budgeting — then discovering the visa bundle mid-process and blowing the budget.
- Ignoring insurance — mandatory, and cheapest arranged with the visa rather than retrofitted.
- Choosing by brochure — the zones' sales decks are identical; renewal invoices are not.
Frequently asked questions
Which UAE free zone has the cheapest freelance permit?
As of mid-2026, SHAMS (Sharjah), RAKEZ (Ras Al Khaimah) and Fujairah Creative City compete at the low end, with permit-only packages starting around AED 5,750–8,000 per year. Promotions rotate monthly, so the cheapest on any given day varies — get current quotes from all three.
Does a cheap northern-emirates permit work if I live in Dubai?
Yes. Your residence visa from a SHAMS or RAKEZ permit lets you live anywhere in the UAE, including Dubai. The trade-offs are occasional in-person visits to the issuing emirate for some processes, and a non-Dubai licence address on your invoices.
Can I upgrade a freelance permit to a company later?
Not directly — a permit registers you as an individual. Moving to a company means forming a new entity (often in the same free zone, which simplifies visa transfer). Plan for this if you expect to hire or scale within 2 years.
Do all freelance permits include a visa?
No — many low headline prices are permit-only. The residence visa (entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping) is a separate bundle, typically AED 3,500–6,000. Always compare the with-visa total, not the headline.
Pricing is approximate as of July 2026 and moves with promotions. This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and no free zone listed has paid for placement. Verify current packages directly with each zone.