22.45% iBusiness has a 7.49% interest rate, 22.45% APR
$25,000 to $500,000
24 months
6 to 60 months
640
If you need to finance large purchases outside of equipment, like inventory or upfront capital to expand your business, iBusiness Funding might be your best option, with lengthy terms giving you up to 60 months to repay your debt.
While longer loan terms can increase the amount of interest you’re required to pay over time, it’s worth noting that iBusiness Funding offers lower interest rates than many alternative lenders, making this a relatively affordable option, especially for borrowers with good credit.
However, you’ll need at least two years in business to qualify, meaning this is more suited to an established business looking for an expansion loan, not a startup. And unlike some of the other options on this list, it typically takes two to four business days to receive your funds.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet iBusiness Funding’s criteria of:
9.75% Starting at 9.75% variable, 11.75% fixed. Some borrowers may qualify for lower rates. Based on the current prime rate of 6.75% + a rate maximum set by the SBA.
Up to $5,000,000
Not specified
Up to 300 months
650
If you’re looking to borrow a significant amount of funds at a relatively affordable price, you might want to consider an SBA loan. Backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), SBA loans are generally more affordable than other types of small business financing due to their government backing.
But while this affordability typically comes at the expense of speed with other lenders, Live Oak Bank is an SBA Preferred Lender, which may shorten the wait by several weeks. As one of the top SBA Preferred Lenders in the country, Live Oak Bank offers multiple loan options, including SBA 7(a), SBA 504 and SBA Express loans.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Live Oak Bank’s criteria of:
4.66%
Up to $250,000
3 months
3 to 12 months 12- to 52-week terms, or up to 104 weeks in certain limited situations
600
With the lowest time in business and annual revenue requirements on this list, Fundbox is our pick for the best startup business loans. Your business only needs to be in operation for three months to qualify for a business line of credit up to $250,000. Once approved, you can borrow funds as needed to pay for a wide range of business expenses, only paying interest on what you actually withdraw.
However, Fundbox may require a personal guarantee to secure your funds, which puts your personal assets at risk should you fall behind on your loan payments. With short repayment terms, this means small business owners will need to make sure they’re prepared to make the required weekly payments before making withdrawals.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Fundbox’s criteria of:
3.00% Total loan fees for installment loans range from: 3% to 9% for 6-month terms; 6% to 18% for 12-month terms; 9% to 27% for 18-month terms; 12% to 18% for 24-month terms. Each draw counts as a separate installment loan. Single-repayment loans will have different rates and terms.
$2,000 to $250,000
12 months
6 to 24 months
660
If you have good to excellent credit, a business line of credit from American Express might be one of your best financing options. Interest rates start at 3.00%, which is by far the lowest rate on this list, but only the most qualified of borrowers will be able to take advantage of it.
Lines of credit go up to $250,000, though credit lines over $150,000 are typically only available for customers with a pre-existing relationship with American Express.
Once again, borrowers will need to sign a personal guarantee to receive their funds, but repayment terms are longer than similar competitors and weekly payments are not required, which may make repaying the loan more manageable.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet American Express’s criteria of:
4.99%
$500 to $2,000,000
None
12 to 84 months
550
With equipment leasing, financing and refinancing options, Taycor Financial is our top choice for businesses looking to finance essential equipment. Unlike some lenders, Taycor Financial offers enough financing to cover the full cost of equipment and machinery with no down payment required.
Loan amounts range from as little as $500 to as much as $2,000,000, and borrowers only need a personal credit score of 550 to qualify. Because the equipment acts as collateral to secure the loan, all business types are encouraged to apply, including startups and low-revenue companies. However, stricter eligibility criteria may apply for businesses looking to refinance their equipment.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Taycor Financial’s criteria of:
13.00% Fora Financial's minimum rate is a 1.13 factor rate. This means you'd repay 13.00%, plus any additional fees, on top of the amount borrowed.
Up to $1,500,000
6 months
Up to 24 months
570
If you’re looking for financing to cover short-term gaps in cash flow, look no further than Fora Financial, which offers business loans up to $1,500,000. This is a significant amount of cash, which should provide more than enough funds to stock up on inventory, survive a slow season or take advantage of a limited-time growth opportunity.
However, with shorter repayment terms than most of the lenders on this list, this option is best suited for business owners who expect their cash flow to increase in the coming months. Otherwise, high loan amounts could leave borrowers with overwhelming debt payments.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Fora Financial’s criteria of:
11.00% Credibly's minimum rate is a 1.11 factor rate. This means you'd repay 11.00%, plus any additional fees, on top of the amount borrowed.
$25,000 to $600,000
6 months
6 to 24 months
500
While some loan programs are tailored toward borrowers with good to excellent credit, that doesn’t mean bad credit borrowers are out of options. If you’re looking for a bad credit business loan, consider Credibly, an online lender that works with borrowers who have personal credit scores as low as 500.
In addition to setting the lowest minimum credit score on this list, Credibly only requires businesses to operate for six months to qualify for a working capital loan up to $600,000, making this a viable option for newer businesses. However, you’ll need to generate quite a bit of revenue ($15,000 or more per month) to qualify.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Credibly’s criteria of:
35.26% Minimum APR offered to at least 5% of customers (not the lowest rate offered)
$5,000 to $400,000
12 months
Up to 24 months
625
If you need fast funds, OnDeck is one of your best options. The lender’s online application only takes a few minutes to complete, and, if approved, borrowers can receive their funds as soon as the same business day. On-time payments can also help you build your business credit, which may make it easier to qualify for other types of financing down the road.
Like other alternative lenders, OnDeck requires daily or weekly loan payments, which borrowers will need to be prepared to pay to keep their loan in good standing. And the lender charges a relatively high APR, which means that getting your funding quickly could cost you more in the long run.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet OnDeck’s criteria of:
3.30% Minimum rate of 3.30% monthly interest + 2% draw fee for lines of credit in most states
Up to $100,000
6 months
12 to 24 months
Not specified
If you’re looking for revolving funds you can borrow from again and again, consider Headway Capital’s line of credit. Like with other credit lines, you’ll only pay interest on what you borrow, making this option ideal for covering day-to-day operational costs. If you’re able to repay your loan sooner than expected, you can do so without facing any prepayment penalties.
And while some line of credit lenders — like American Express — treat each draw like a separate loan, Headway Capital’s line of credit re-amortizes your balance over your new repayment term when you make additional draws. This can make it simpler to understand and manage your payment schedule if you need to get additional funding before fully paying off a draw.
However, only businesses in certain states can qualify. And depending on what state you live in, there may be a 2% draw fee, which adds to the cost of borrowing.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Headway Capital’s criteria of:
9.99%
$5,000 to $250,000
12 months
Up to 36 months
Not specified
Our top pick for businesses run by women and minority entrepreneurs is Accion Opportunity Fund (AOF), a nonprofit organization focused on helping underserved business owners get the resources and inclusive funding they need to succeed. While all businesses are welcome to apply, 90% of AOF’s funding goes to women, people of color and borrowers with low-to-moderate income.
In addition to working capital loans, which can be used to cover a wide range of expenses, AOF also offers business coaching and mentorship in both English and Spanish.
However, borrowers should be aware that a blanket lien is required for loans over $50,000, giving AOF a claim on most (if not all) of your business assets should you default on your loan.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Accion Opportunity Fund’s criteria of:
0.75% Invoice factoring fees are charged per invoice, with altLINE’s factoring fees ranging from 0.75% to 3.5% per invoice.
$30,000 to $5,000,000
None
Not specified
None
If your business is sitting on unpaid invoices, working with an invoice factoring company like altLINE might allow you to overcome cash flow issues without taking on debt. With invoice factoring, businesses can sell outstanding invoices to companies like altLINE and receive a cash advance.
altLINE offers invoice factoring up to $5,000,000, though the exact amount you can receive will depend on the value of your invoices. While nearly all factoring companies charge a fee for their services, altLINE’s is relatively affordable. However, you may need to pay origination and wire fees, depending on your situation.
Unlike traditional lenders, invoice factoring companies base eligibility on your invoice history. This means your business will not need to meet minimum credit score, time in business or annual revenue requirements to qualify. Instead, eligibility will depend on your outstanding invoices and the creditworthiness of your customers.
Not specified
Starting at $1,000
6 months
12 months (with annual review)
Not specified
Bank of America offers a variety of products and services aimed at businesses in different stages of growth. But if your business is just starting out — or if you’ve always relied on your personal credit to obtain business funds — it might be a good idea to choose a form of financing that will help you establish credit for your business.
With the Bank of America cash-secured line of credit, you can set money aside for expenses while building your business credit. Much like with a secured credit card, this credit line is equal to the security deposit made to open the account. After a year of making regular payments, you can get your deposit back and potentially upgrade to an unsecured line of credit.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet Bank of America’s criteria of:
1.11
$5,000 to $500,000
6 months
4 to 24 months
670
While some business lenders penalize borrowers for repaying their loans early, hoping to regain some of the money they would have made in interest over the lifetime of the loan, National Funding offers early payoff discounts, which can help business owners save even more on the cost of their loan.
That means if you’re expecting a large influx of cash that may make it possible to pay off your loan early, you can save money with National Funding. Exact information on what prepayment discounts you’re eligible for will be available after applying, before you accept the loan and its terms.
National Funding’s business loans go as high as $500,000. With a quick application process, you could receive your funds in as soon as 24 hours after approval. However, loan payments are required daily or weekly, which could put a strain on your business budget. Also, the factor rate can make it hard to compare against other business loan offers.
In order to qualify, you’ll need to meet National Funding’s criteria of:
Small business loans help new and established companies access capital for various business needs. With business financing, you can purchase inventory, invest in new equipment, expand or cover emergency expenses.
Traditional banks, credit unions, online lenders and government agencies all offer small business loans.
The best business loan for your company depends on how much you need, your business’s qualifications and how quickly you need the funds.
When you apply for a business loan, lenders want to know that your business and credit history are stable. Here are some common business loan requirements you may need to meet to get approved for small business funding:
In general, your business will be in a stronger position to borrow if you can prove you have a track record of solid revenue over the past one to two years.
Lenders use your credit score to determine your riskiness as a borrower. In most cases, you’ll need a good to excellent credit score in the mid-600s or higher to get a business loan, although certain lenders allow scores as low as 500. Some lenders may also consider your business credit score when reviewing your loan application.
A business cash-flow projection shows when money is collected, when cash goes out and what’s left. Lenders typically like to see that you understand where your business’s money is going each month. If you use accounting software, you may be able to export this report from your dashboard.
Collateral is an asset that lenders can legally seize if you can’t make payments. Common forms of collateral include real estate, equipment, money owed to your company (accounts receivable) and even cash. Some business owners use their personal assets — including their homes — as collateral on a business loan, which can be risky.
Your business’s fixed-charge coverage ratio measures how well your company can pay its fixed expenses, including any debts and interest you have. Lenders use this metric to help determine whether or not to approve a business loan application.
Your working capital refers to the available money you have to fund your company’s day-to-day operations. You can calculate your working capital by subtracting the business’s debt liabilities due within a year from current assets that you can convert to cash.
“Not really. Small business lenders typically use the current federal funds and prime rate when setting interest rates. The prime rate dropped to 6.75% in December, which means loan rates are actually trending down slightly.
“It’s impossible to predict if rates will go up, but generally the federal funds rate and prime rate will rise when employment or inflation is too high and go down when they’re too low.”
“Yes, many lenders offer small business loans and lines of credit that can be used to cover working capital and inventory costs, including increased costs caused by tariffs.
“But while these can be a great short-term measure, loan repayments generally start quickly, which means you’ll need enough revenue to cover the monthly cost of the loan. If tariffs are increasing your overhead costs, you may need to raise prices or re-evaluate your strategy to compensate in the longer term.”
In order to pick the best business loan, compare:
Before closing your loanEnsure you thoroughly understand what the lender is asking of you and what the terms mean for your business’s financial future. After you sign, you’ve agreed to everything in the contract — including what happens when you make late payments or can’t repay the debt.
A merchant cash advance (MCA) gives you a lump sum of cash upfront against your future sales. You repay the merchant cash advance through a percentage of daily or weekly credit card sales.
While this type of funding can deliver cash fast, it tends to be a more costly way to borrow money for your company.
Invoice factoring allows businesses to sell unpaid invoices to a factoring company in exchange for a cash advance.
This can be a good option for cash-strapped businesses or those with poor or limited credit, but you can typically get only 70% to 90% of your invoice face value.
Invoice factoring can also get expensive — if you’re using factoring on all of your invoices, you’ll typically be giving a cut of everything you make to a lender.
Business credit cards can help track business expenses and unlock cash back or travel rewards while monitoring employee spending.
To avoid paying a high annual percentage rate, pay off your credit card statement balance in full by the due date.
Federal government agencies, state governments, private corporations and foundations offer grants for small businesses.
You can narrow your search based on business type, location and demographics, such as minority business grants and business grants for women.
Because grants provide free money that typically doesn’t need to be repaid, competition can be stiff.
Business crowdfunding is when you ask family, friends and the general public for donations to kickstart your business.
This method can help you test out a business idea and generally appeals to startups or businesses struggling to get funding.
Just be aware that some crowdfunding platforms deduct a fee before distributing your total donations.
Peer-to-peer lending, or P2P lending, is a type of financing where individual and commercial investors provide the loan funds rather than a financial institution.
A P2P online platform acts as the coordinator between you and the investors, helping process and finalize your loan details.
While P2P loans typically have more lenient qualifying requirements, they can take longer to fund than other types of financing. Additionally, P2P lending might not be available in your state.
Personal loans for business may be easier to get if you struggle to meet the strict eligibility criteria for a business loan.
However, this type of financing relies on your personal credit and income, putting your personal credit and assets at risk.
And personal loans won’t help you build business credit
Bootstrap financing is when you use your own financial resources to fund your business.
Startup businesses may use bootstrapping to get off the ground, but you risk not recouping your investment if your business fails to thrive.
Every lender has their own set of qualifying criteria, but in general, they look at the following when making their decision:
The amount you can borrow and the total loan cost will vary depending on a few factors, including loan amount, interest rate or APR, fees and repayment term.
After determining how much money you need, the best way to find out how much you can borrow is by gathering quotes from multiple lenders and comparing them. You can also use a business loan calculator to get a sense of how much your financing could cost.
Your approval and funding times will vary by lender, but here’s a general guideline to give you a better idea of what to expect:
