Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
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Why trust NerdWallet
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NerdWallet's small-business loans content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business lending. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You're our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on
the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective
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exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or
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which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other
factors include your credit profile, product availability and
proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot
pay us to guarantee favorable reviews.
Here is a list of our partners.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
50+ categories of the best business loan selections.
NerdWallet's small-business loans content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business lending. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You're our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. While we don’t cover every company or financial product on
the market, we work hard to share a wide range of offers and objective
editorial perspectives.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us for advertisements
that appear on our site. This compensation helps us provide tools and
services - like free credit score access and monitoring. With the
exception of mortgage, home equity and other home-lending products or
services, partner compensation is one of several factors that may affect
which products we highlight and where they appear on our site. Other
factors include your credit profile, product availability and
proprietary website methodologies.
However, these factors do not influence our editors’ opinions or ratings, which are based on independent research and analysis. Our partners cannot
pay us to guarantee favorable reviews.
Here is a list of our partners.
Truist Bank - Unsecured Term loan
The bottom line:
Truist combines the competitive rates and terms of a traditional bank loan with the convenience of an online lender.
Loan details
Min. Loan Amount
$0
Min. Term Length
3 years
Min. APR
11.88%
Max Loan Amount
$100,000
Max Term Length
5 years
Max APR
16.67%
Qualifications
Min. credit score
700
Min. Time in Business
24 months
Pros & Cons
Pros
Variety of loan types available.
May be able to qualify for a loan with less than two years in business.
Can pay off your loan early without incurring any penalties.
Cons
Low maximum loan amounts compared with other banks.
Business loans are only available in states where Truist operates a branch.
You have to visit a bank branch at some point during the application process.
Truist offers a variety of small-business loans, including term loans, lines of credit, equipment financing and commercial real estate loans.
Truist only lends to businesses located in the states where it has bank branches. It has branches in 17 states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia, as well as Washington, D.C.
While you’ll need to visit a branch location to finalize your business loan, you can apply online for most loan types (something not all banks allow).
Loan amounts vary by type, but most max out at $250,000 or less. If you need more than that and your business generates over $2 million in annual revenue, you can visit a branch in person to apply for a commercial loan. Additionally, all SBA loan applications must be submitted in person.
Truist is best for borrowers who:
Don’t need to borrow a huge sum of money. While it’s possible to borrow more by submitting your initial application in person and by meeting stricter requirements, most loans are capped at $250,000 or less.
Need to purchase equipment or vehicles. You may be able to finance your next piece of business equipment or business vehicle with no money down, while covering additional costs like delivery fees and taxes.
Are current Truist customers. Small-business owners with a Truist Dynamic Business Checking account may qualify for interest rate discounts.
Here’s a snapshot of some of the features across its loans and lines of credit. NerdWallet gathered this information from Truist’s website and by speaking with a Truist representative.
Truist business loan and line of credit features
Simple Business Loan
Line of credit (LOC)
Loan amount
Up to $100,000 for unsecured loan.
Up to $250,000 for secured loan.*
Up to $100,000 for unsecured LOC.
Up to $250,000 for secured LOC.*
Terms
36, 48 or 60 months.
12 to 36 months (revolving) for unsecured LOC.
12 to 60 months (revolving) for secured LOC.
Interest rates
11.88% to 16.67% (fixed) for unsecured loan.
6.99% to 11.43% (fixed) for secured loan.
13.69% to 19.58% (variable) for unsecured LOC.
9.05% to 14.29% (variable) for secured LOC.
Fees
For unsecured loans over $50,000, there’s an origination fee of 0.50% or $100 (depending on which is greater) in some states.
Origination fee is not disclosed for secured loans.
$100 origination fee.
$100 to $150 inactivity fee.
Prepayment penalty
None.
None.
Time in business required
2 years. However, you may be able to qualify for a smaller loan (up to $25,000) with a shorter business history, depending on your business’s revenue.
2 years. However, you may qualify for a smaller loan with a shorter business history.
Repayment schedule
Monthly.
Monthly.
*If your business generates at least $2 million in annual revenue, you may be able to qualify for a commercial loan of more than $250,000.
Truist business auto, equipment and real estate loan features
Business auto loan
Equipment loan
Commercial real estate loan
Loan amount
Up to $250,000.
Up to $250,000.*
Up to $250,000.*
Terms
Up to 75 months.
Up to 7 years.
Up to 15 years.
Interest rates
Not disclosed.
Not disclosed.
Not disclosed.
Fees
Origination fee.
Origination fee.
Origination fee.
Other fees may apply.
Prepayment penalty
None.
None.
None.
Time in business required
2 years. However, you might qualify for a smaller loan with a shorter business history.
2 years. However, you might qualify for a smaller loan with a shorter business history.
2 years.
Repayment schedule
Monthly.
Monthly.
Monthly.
*If your business generates at least $2 million in annual revenue, you may be able to qualify for a commercial loan of more than $250,000.
Where Truist stands out
Robust loan offering
Truist offers a wide range of business financing options, from SBA loans and commercial real estate loans to lines of credit and term loans. This makes it easy to both find funding that fits your current needs and continue working with the same lender as your business grows and evolves. All Truist business loans also come with monthly repayment terms and no prepayment penalties, adding another layer of flexibility for business owners.
Customer support
Truist makes it easy to connect with a representative. You can schedule an in-person or virtual appointment through its simple-to-use scheduling service, or call its dedicated small-business line. When NerdWallet tested its phone line, a representative answered in under a minute, and there was no complex phone menu to navigate.
Full financing for equipment and business auto loans
If you need to buy or upgrade commercial equipment or vehicles, Truist may offer full funding without a down payment. You might also qualify for up to an additional 10% of the loan amount to cover soft costs like delivery fees, taxes and add-ons.
Where Truist falls short
Low funding amounts
Some small-business owners may find Truist’s loan limits restrictive. For example, its standard commercial real estate loan tops out at $250,000, which may limit your options if you need a big space. That said, higher loan amounts may be available to qualifying businesses that generate at least $2 million in annual revenue.
Limited SBA loan activity
Although Truist is an SBA preferred lender, it has approved only 36 SBA 7(a) loans so far in fiscal year 2025 (which started on Oct. 1, 2024)
. In comparison, some of the most active SBA preferred lenders have approved over 2,000 SBA 7(a) loans in the same timeframe. Small-business owners must also apply in person for an SBA loan from Truist. The bank’s website provides limited details on its SBA loan offerings.
iBusiness Funding’s unsecured term loan offers up to $500,000 in funding, making it a good alternative for business owners in need of larger loan amounts than what Truist’s Simple Business Loan can offer. The application and funding process is entirely online, and borrowers may have up to 60 months to repay their loan. However, borrowers should expect to pay higher interest rates compared to those offered by a Truist Simple Business Loan.
Like Truist, OnDeck’s unsecured line of credit provides up to $200,000 in financing. However, business owners may be able to qualify for the full amount with as little as 12 months in business, making OnDeck’s line of credit slightly more accessible for newer businesses. Borrowers may receive funds as soon as the same day with OnDeck, but OnDeck’s interest rates are higher than Truist’s line of credit.
National Funding’s equipment loan requires just 6 months in business and can fund as fast as the next business day, making it a good alternative for startups in need of new or used equipment. However, loans are capped at $150,000 and borrowers have a maximum of 60 months to pay it back. In contrast, Truist’s equipment loan offers a higher borrowing limit with repayment terms extending up to 84 months.