7 Best Commercial Bridge Loans

A bridge loan from Rapid Finance can be used for a variety of purposes, making it our top pick for working capital. With flexible terms ranging from three months to five years, Rapid Finance gives you some time to secure long-term financing before you pay off your debt. 

Loan amounts go up to $1,000,000, providing a significant amount of funds to cover business expenses. The lender offers a quick online application with funding available as soon as the same day you’re approved. There is also a streamlined application process for additional funding in the future.

However, Rapid Finance is not transparent regarding rates, fees and eligibility criteria, so you’ll need to contact the lender directly to learn more.

Rapid Finance doesn’t disclose the specific criteria borrowers will need to meet to get a bridge loan. However, the lender notes that low credit does not necessarily mean your application will be denied. 

It’s also worth noting that Rapid Finance requires three months of business bank statements from applicants, so it’s likely your business must be in operation for at least three months. 

Kiavi offers bridge loans for residential real estate including single-family residences, manufactured homes, condos and planned-use developments (PUDs) with low down payment requirements. You can finance up to 100% of the property’s purchase price and rehab cost, making this our top choice for fix-and-flip projects. 

Repayment terms are capped at 24 months and you can refinance within six months, which could potentially give you more time to repay your loan or help you maintain liquidity for renovations. Kiavi’s bridge loans come with dedicated support that allows loans to close in as little as seven days, and financing is available for new real estate investors, though previous experience could help you get a lower rate. 

That being said, Kiavi’s bridge loans aren’t offered in every state, and they’re primarily for single-family residences, dwellings with two to four units, condos and PUDs — not commercial properties.

Kiavi doesn’t disclose the minimum credit score or annual revenue needed to qualify for a commercial bridge loan. However, it does state that loans are open to new investors, and businesses can check if they prequalify with a soft credit pull.

Note that loans are not available in Mississippi, New Mexico, Rhode Island, Utah or Vermont.

Many bridge lenders do not disclose the specific time in business you’ll need to qualify, but National Funding offers bridge loans for businesses after six months in operation, making it a viable option for startup financing. 

If you need a small business loan to cover operating expenses, pay a tax bill or take advantage of a limited-time business opportunity while you wait for traditional financing, National Funding could be a good fit. Funding is relatively fast with some borrowers receiving their funds within 24 hours of loan approval. 

However, National Funding has the shortest maximum repayment terms on this list, so you’ll need to make sure you’re prepared to pay off the full cost of your loan within a year and a half. Also, National Funding charges factor rates, which can make it difficult to compare costs between bridge lenders.

In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet National Funding’s criteria of:

• Minimum credit score: 600
• Minimum time in business: 6 months
• Minimum annual revenue: $250,000

iBorrow is our top pick for quick real estate loans for commercial properties. The lender states that it can close bridge loans in as little as two weeks, compared to 30 to 90 days with other commercial real estate loans. iBorrow allows businesses to finance up to 75% of a property’s value — up to $100,000,000 (or more). Businesses can use the funding to meet a variety of needs, including value-add projects for any commercial property type.

However, you can’t apply online and if you want to repay the loan early, you’ll be charged a prepayment penalty.

iBorrow doesn’t disclose eligibility criteria, such as a minimum credit score or time in business requirements, but the lender states that it will fund properties even if there is no cash flow.

If you’re wary of the high price tag on a piece of commercial property, Ready Capital’s high loan amounts and lengthy repayment terms might bring you some peace of mind. With Ready Capital’s commercial bridge loan, you can borrow up to $75,000,000 and repay your debt over the course of five years — several years longer than the terms offered by other real estate lenders on this list. 

However, while Ready Capital offers up to 75% financing on industrial, self-storage and essential retail properties, it’s important to note that office buildings, non-essential retail stores and hospitality businesses may only qualify for up to 65% financing, which can significantly increase the size of the required down payment.

Ready Capital doesn’t disclose the minimum credit score, time in business or annual revenue you’ll need to qualify for a bridge loan, so you’ll need to apply online or contact the lender directly to learn more. 

If you run an established business with high revenue, you may be eligible for a commercial bridge loan from SBG Funding. The lender offers bridge financing up to $1,000,000, and you can use the funds to cover a wide range of business expenses, including inventory, equipment and everyday bills. 

If you’re able to secure more affordable, long-term financing, you can pay off your bridge loan at any time without facing any prepayment penalties. In fact, you may be eligible for an early payoff discount that could help you save on the total cost of your loan.

However, despite its low credit score requirement, SBG Funding requires businesses to generate a significant amount of revenue  — $350,000 per year — to qualify, so this option isn’t ideal for businesses that are less established.

In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet SBG Funding’s criteria of:

• Minimum credit score: 550
• Minimum time in business: 6 months
• Minimum annual revenue: $350,000

If your personal credit score is making it difficult to qualify for financing, you could get a bridge loan from Fundible to cover your short-term business needs. While Fundible’s other loan products may require higher credit scores, borrowers can qualify for a bridge loan with personal scores as low as 580. 

Fundible’s bridge loan program offers up to $1,000,000 with no stipulations on how you spend the cash. These loans are usually funded in one to two business days, though bridge loans of $250,000 or less may be funded in as little as a few hours. If you find another source of bad-credit financing and you pay your loan in full before the end of the term, you may be eligible for an early payoff discount. 

However, keep in mind that while Fundible’s starting rates can seem shockingly low at first glance, the advertised rate is charged monthly, so the actual cost of borrowing will be higher.

In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Fundible’s criteria of:

• Minimum credit score: 580
• Minimum time in business: 6 months
• Minimum annual revenue: $96,000