The short answer
Ask for an itemised first-year and renewal proposal. A licence price, a visa allocation and a residence visa are different things. Compare the exact activities, applicant needs and premises before treating two advertised packages as equivalent.
Use the same comparison checklist
| Line to compare | Question to ask |
|---|---|
| Licence and activity | Which activity, legal form and approval route does this cover? |
| Premises | Is a desk, lease or other facility included, and for what period? |
| Visa allocation | Does the package permit applications, or pay for processing too? |
| Residence application | Are establishment card, processing, medical, ID and insurance itemised? |
| Professional fees | What does the consultant do, and what is charged separately? |
| Bank support | Does this mean application assistance rather than an approved account? |
| Renewal | Which first-year discounts expire? Which items renew on a different schedule? |
| VAT and other taxes | Which fee lines include VAT, and is ongoing accounting/tax work separate? |
Read Meraki's formation fee correctly
Meraki free-zone formation support starts from AED 2,500 in professional fees. That is not an all-in company setup price. Standard bank-application support is included within the agreed formation scope; authority charges, premises, visas and other external costs are additional. Accounting and tax services are separate.
The estimator separates external costs from Meraki fees and labels approximate budgets. Its source notes explain the price basis. Your selected activity and applicant circumstances still need a written proposal; a calculator is not an approval or invoice.
A practical comparison method
- Describe one real business activity and the same number of applicants to each provider.
- Ask both providers to complete the checklist, including items that cost zero or are included.
- Separate one-off costs, annual costs and charges due later.
- Ask what changes if an applicant is already inside the UAE.
- Compare the complete stated scope, not simply the smallest headline.
- Keep the written breakdown and obtain approval before extra work starts.
What to send in an introductory enquiry
Share your planned activity, preferred emirate, expected staffing and whether you need residence visas. Do not send identity documents or bank credentials in the initial website form. Meraki can then narrow down routes and agree what to assess.
