Yes, there are. Today, several UAE banks and digital banking platforms offer SME accounts without asking you to maintain a fixed minimum balance. Instead, they usually charge a monthly subscription fee, which is often a better option for startups and newly established businesses.

Some popular choices include:

• Wio Business – No minimum balance requirement with a monthly subscription of AED 149. It also includes features like invoicing, expense management, and bookkeeping integrations.
• Mashreq NeoBiz – Offers startup-friendly business accounts where traditional minimum balance requirements are replaced with monthly plan fees, depending on the package.
• RAKBANK RAKstarter – Designed for SMEs with no minimum balance requirement, while charging a monthly maintenance fee of around AED 103.95.
• Hubpay Business – A digital business banking platform that also offers accounts without requiring businesses to maintain a minimum balance.

Recently, we worked with a digital marketing startup that had just completed its company formation. The founders didn't want to keep AED 25,000–50,000 blocked in a business account during their initial growth phase. After understanding their transaction pattern and monthly cash flow, we recommended a zero-minimum-balance banking solution. They were able to start operating immediately while using their working capital to grow the business instead of maintaining a mandatory bank balance.

The only thing I always remind clients is that zero minimum balance doesn't mean zero banking cost. Most of these accounts charge a fixed monthly fee, so it's worth comparing the overall value, digital features, and transaction limits before deciding.