The Freelancer’s Dilemma: Creativity vs. Survival in Dubai

The Allure of Freedom (Until It Isn’t)

Freelancing starts with a dream. No office politics, no rigid hours, no micromanaging. You control your time, choose your projects and set your rates.

At least, that is the theory.

In reality, freelancing as a creative or strategy director in Dubai often means working harder than full-timers, chasing unpaid invoices and dealing with clients who expect you to be available at all hours yet hesitate to pay you on time.

So why do we do it? And why do so many of us end up wanting to go back to full-time jobs?

The Client-Agency Tug-of-War

The first challenge is navigating the unspoken hierarchy between agencies and freelancers.

• Agencies call you when they are desperate, when they need a pitch deck overnight or a client request has landed last minute.
• Once the job is done, you are often treated as an afterthought. Payment gets delayed, and suddenly, the urgency they had does not apply to your invoice.
• Clients, on the other hand, expect freelancers to be cheaper than agencies but still deliver agency-level work.

That said, this does not apply to all agencies. There are a few go-to agencies I work with that respect me, pay on time and treat freelancers as true partners. Those relationships are rare but valuable. The problem is, they are the exception, not the norm.

Freelancers sit between these two forces, expected to be available like an employee but treated as disposable labour. The lack of formal contracts and standardised payment terms makes this even worse.

The Culture of Late Payments

Payment delays are the silent killer of freelance careers in the city.

• Many companies still operate on a pay when we feel like it basis.
• Some agencies treat freelancers as interest-free credit lines, stretching payments to 90 or 120 days.
• Chasing payments takes time, time that should be spent working or pitching new clients.
• Legal options exist, but they are expensive, slow and rarely worth the hassle for smaller amounts. (you have no idea, how many times I wanted to reach out to Ahmed Odeh)

So, what happens? Freelancers burn out. They take lower-paying jobs just for faster cash flow. They consider going back to full-time roles just to escape the mental exhaustion of chasing invoices.

The Invisible Costs of Freelancing

People assume freelancers charge more because they pocket everything. In reality, that rate has to cover:

• Health insurance, which is not cheap in Dubai - especially if you hold a UAE Golden Visa.
• Retirement savings, as there are no corporate pension plans.
• Work equipment, software and subscriptions - those MacBooks & iPhones...
• Office space or co-working memberships.
• Slow months when work dries up.

A 10,000 dirham invoice does not mean ten thousand in profit. Yet, clients often compare freelance rates to full-time salaries without factoring in these costs.

The Why Don’t You Just Get a Job Question

At some point, every freelancer faces this question. Usually after a particularly frustrating month of late payments and unrealistic client demands.

And the truth is, many do go back. Not because they stopped loving freelancing, but because they could not keep up with the unpaid admin work, chasing invoices, negotiating contracts, setting boundaries with clients who do not respect time zones or weekends.

Full-time jobs offer stability, benefits and a predictable income. And sometimes, that predictability is worth more than the freedom freelancing supposedly provides.

So, What’s the Solution?

Freelancers can take steps to protect themselves, but real change has to come from clients and agencies.

• Contracts should be standard. No brief, no work. And no, we will sort the paperwork later is not an option.
• Payment terms must be clear. 50% upfront should be the norm, not the exception.
• Late payments should have consequences. Just as freelancers are penalised for missing deadlines, clients should face fees for delayed payments.
• Respect for time must be mutual. If you would not expect an agency employee to respond at midnight, do not expect it from a freelancer.

Until these shifts happen, freelancing in Dubai will remain a high-risk, high-stress game, one that many of us are ready to walk away from.