Home·Business Setup
Pillar 01 — Start
Company formation, licensing, visas, and the operational infrastructure to get from idea to incorporated — every engagement handled by the best experts in the industry, delivered through eHive.
The partnership, plainly
eHive’s Business Setup pillar is delivered by the best experts in the industry — established UAE setup specialists who bring the operating infrastructure: licensing relationships, processing capacity, and on-the-ground execution.
eHive is your single point of contact — scoping, coordination, and the wider ecosystem around your company. One engagement, one team, and nothing for you to piece together on your own.
Where do we start?
Free zone or mainland — the one decision everything else hangs on, laid out side by side.
Compare the paths →Banking, tax, compliance, visas, and the operational services that keep a company running.
Browse the catalog →Get an indicative cost in under a minute, or talk it through with a setup expert first.
Estimate my cost →
The core decision
The single most important choice a new entrepreneur makes in the UAE. Each path gets its own dedicated track — here’s the honest comparison first.
Fast, structured, and built for international founders.
Zone shortlist & indicative pricing pending the final rate card.
The whole of the UAE as your market, from day one.
Licence types & structuring detail pending partner confirmation.
Compare live
Qualitative and indicative — your exact case is scoped, in writing, during the consultation. The table below has the detail.
| Free Zone | Mainland | |
|---|---|---|
| Foreign ownership | 100%, always | Up to 100% for most activities; some activities carry specific requirements |
| Market access | Inside the zone and internationally; UAE-wide trade via local arrangements | Direct trade across the entire UAE market |
| Setup speed | Typically faster, streamlined within the zone | Varies by activity and approvals |
| Office | Flexi-desk options keep early costs low | Physical office typically required (Ejari) |
| Corporate tax | 9% above AED 375,000 profit; qualifying free zone income may access 0%, subject to conditions | 9% above AED 375,000 profit |
The #1 question
Three answers in, an indicative range out. No email required, no back-and-forth — a real number before you ever have to ask for one.
Indicative estimate
AED —
The itemized version of this estimate — license, visas, office, activity extras — as a breakdown you can forward to a partner or a bank.
Indicative estimate only — final pricing follows the final rate card, scoped per case, with no hidden fees.
The walkthrough
Free zone or mainland — the decision that shapes cost, market access and visas. We model both paths for your activity before you commit to either.
You bring: Your activity, roughly described — we handle the mapping.
Beyond formation
What a company needs after it exists — grouped the way a founder’s needs actually evolve.
Catalog structure shown for review — the final service list, inclusions, and pricing are confirmed with our specialist partners before launch. Each service gets its own short page: what it is, who needs it, what’s included, and a direct CTA.
Why eHive
Established specialist infrastructure — not a startup back office figuring it out as it goes.
Formation, licensing, and visas handled as one process, under one roof.
One person who knows your case — not a call center reading a script.
Working relationships that speed up licensing and registration where it matters.
Your license comes with an ecosystem attached — Consulting for what to do next, and the Circle for who to build it with. That’s the whole reason this pillar sits inside eHive.
“Can I do this activity in a free zone?” — ask directly, or book a time that suits you.
Questions, answered
It depends on where your customers are. If you mainly serve international clients or want the fastest, leanest start, a free zone usually wins. If you need to trade directly across the UAE market from day one, mainland is built for that. The comparison table above covers the trade-offs — and a fifteen-minute call settles it for your specific case.
Timelines vary by jurisdiction, activity, and approvals — typically days to a few weeks from documents-in-hand to license issued. Visa processing adds its own window after that. Your dedicated expert gives you a realistic timeline for your specific case before anything begins.
Every quote itemizes the license, registration, visas, and service fees separately, so you can see exactly what each line costs. Government and third-party fees are passed through transparently. No bundles designed to hide margins — itemized by default.
The UAE charges 9% corporate tax on profits above AED 375,000 — that applies in both free zones and the mainland. Qualifying free zone income may access a 0% rate, subject to conditions. Our accounting and corporate tax services keep you registered, filed, and compliant from year one.
Much of the process can be handled remotely — scoping, documentation, and license application. Some visa steps, like medical screening and Emirates ID biometrics, require you to be in the country. We sequence everything so your time on the ground is used efficiently.
Tell us what you’re building — we’ll scope it, quote it, and get you from idea to incorporated.