UAE setup for marketing & media agencies.
Creative, marketing, production and PR agencies sit between consulting and ecommerce. The address matters; the structure is light.
Meydan
USD 10,120. Sheikh Zayed Road. The pick for creative agencies that pitch on address.
IFZA
USD 10,120. Up to 9 visas. For boutique agencies scaling beyond 3 people.
Dubai Mainland
USD 16,000. For agencies serving UAE brands directly without a distributor.
When mainland matters for agencies
If your clients are UAE-based brands signing UAE-jurisdiction contracts, mainland is the cleaner answer. Free zone agencies can still serve UAE clients but the QFZP de minimis applies — and the headache of routing invoices through a UAE distributor often outweighs the tax savings. For pure international client books, free zone wins.
FAQ
Can I invoice a UAE brand from IFZA?
Yes — but watch QFZP de minimis. Single contract pushing you past 5% UAE revenue loses 0% tax for the year.
Production company — JAFZA or media zone?
For physical production with equipment imports, Dubai Media City or Dubai Production City are specialist alternatives. We can structure across them.