How do free zone and mainland company formations in the UAE differ?

Free zones offer 100% foreign ownership, simplified compliance, and often more flexible office solutions, but activities are usually limited to the zone, export, and online operations. A mainland company gives the right to work directly with the local market, government contracts, and B2C in the UAE, but has stricter requirements for office, ESR, hiring, and reporting. Xcella helps choose the format based on your business model, tax burden, and scaling plans.