If you’re looking to launch a remote business or to set up your first company as a start-up, then you may well be considering getting a flexi desk license in a Dubai based free zone like Meydan Free Zone. A flexi-desk package is a great option for remote companies and start-ups, giving you a low-cost way to use top quality office space and get a registered address in the UAE – both of which are essential to starting a business and getting a license.
So, what exactly is a flexi desk in Dubai, UAE and how can you get one with a free zone license?
Difference between a Flexi- Desk & Traditional office
Flexi Desk with your Free Zone license in Dubai – What is it?
In Meydan Free Zone (Dubai) a flexi desk is a way of renting a chair and a desk in the co-working area of a free zone, it essentially means that you get access to space and facilities in a co-working area.
With a flexi desk license, you will be doing hot-desking. This means you won’t be given a fixed desk space each day. Instead, desks are available on a first come, first served basis. You will turn up each day and need to find a desk and office chair that is free, and then you set up your laptop and start working there.
You normally need to bring your own computer and cannot leave it on the desk overnight. You will also have access to other services in the building including things like:
- Internet connection
- Ability to use meeting rooms (you may pay extra to hire them)
- A registered office address
- A P.O. Box
- A phone number
Fixed/Dedicated Desk with your Free Zone license in Dubai – What is it?
A fixed or dedicated desk in Meydan Free Zone (Dubai) refers to a more traditional office rental agreement. With a fixed or dedicated desk license in Meydan Free Zone, you will know that each morning you have a specific desk and chair set aside for you in the office. Fixed/dedicated desks may be in the shared co-working space (so there might be people working on a flexi-desk license in the same room). Or you could be in a separated space where only fixed/dedicated desk companies are working.
With a dedicated desk you get all the same facilities as with a flexi desk, but you know that a specific area is set aside for your company. That means you can customise it as you wish. Using a dedicated desk in Meydan Free Zone also means that you can leave your computer and other belongings there overnight, without having to pack them away and take them home. You will of course have to pay more than someone operating with a flexi desk license.
The key difference between fixed/dedicated desks and flexi desk licenses is that dedicated desks tend to be the preferred option for more established businesses that may have a couple of employees and are gradually growing. A flexi desk, by contrast, is more suited to startups or for entrepreneurs who are right at the beginning of their business journey.
Fixed/dedicated desks may also come with more long-term contracts than flexi-desks; there may be the expectation that you’ll hire the desk space for at least 12 months (although each contract is different). Flexi desks may, as the name suggests, offer more flexible contracts.
Benefits of a flexi desk with your Free Zone in Dubai
Having a flexi desk license provides a wide range of benefits to entrepreneurs and solopreneurs in Dubai. These include:
- Ideal solution for start-ups: Flexi desks offer you a physical workspace that includes basic amenities such as a desk, a chair, a P.O. Box, a phone number and internet connections.
- The message it sends to your customers: If you choose a flexi desk at a free zone like Meydan Free Zone, your customers will see this address on invoices and other correspondence you have with them. Having a business address at a well-known free zone shows that your company is a serious, established entity. That gives customers confidence that you are more than just a side hustle or ‘fly by night’ operation.
- Use professional facilities: Having access to a flexi desk license at a Dubai based free zone like Meydan Free Zone means that you can usually use other facilities such as meeting rooms, video conferencing, printers/scanners, cafeterias, and other spaces to hold meetings with clients, interviews with job candidates, and to impress potential customers.
- Most cost-effective option: Flexi desks are the most cost-effective option for start-ups and solopreneurs who need a dedicated office space in the UAE.
- Networking opportunities: With a flexi desk license at Meydan Free Zone, you’ll be surprised how often you can have interactions with other businesses and entrepreneurs in the workspace – either by chance or during dedicated events. This gives you more opportunities to network and potentially find new customers or business partners.
- Social events: Being a solopreneur can sometimes get lonely, but if you have a free zone license with a flexi desk you can avail of opportunities to interact with other people working who are based in the co-working space.
- General free zone benefits: Basing yourself in a free zone like Meydan Free Zone also provides a lot of other benefits, including 0% income tax, 0% VAT and 100% foreign ownership. That means you can retain more of your profits and grow your business faster.
Flexi desk costs in Meydan Free Zone (Dubai)
The cost of a flexi desk in Meydan Free Zone based in Dubai is AED 375, with our business license at AED 12,500 per year.
With our Easy Payment Plans with both local and international banks, you can also spread the cost upto 12 months of paying for your Meydan Free Zone license. That makes starting up as a solopreneur a lot easier.
How to get a Meydan Free Zone license
Getting a Meydan Free Zone license for a flexi desk is very quick and easy. We have broken the process down into three simple steps:
- Submit your application with completed Know Your Customer (KYC) information via our easy-to-use online portal
- Receive security and government approvals
- Get your license issued with IBAN – typically this takes just four days
Our friendly and experienced consultants can help you with every aspect of business setup in Dubai and can answer all your questions to make the process as easy as possible. Join the hundreds of start-ups and solopreneurs already working at Meydan Free Zone – and begin your business journey!
*Meydan Free Zone flexi desks does not offer freelance license or freelance visa options.
