What is the cheapest trade license in Dubai?

The cost depends on your eligibility and scope:

For home-based individuals (residents): The E-Trader License is the most affordable, starting around AED 1,070 annually plus Chamber fees. However, this is limited to specific activities and does not allow you to sponsor employees.
For full business operations: Low-cost Free Zone packages are the standard for startups. For example, Dubai South offers packages starting from AED 12,500, and IFZA offers zero-visa packages starting from AED 12,900. DTEC (for tech startups) offers packages around AED 12,000.