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Best Easy Business Loans of April 2025

Written by

Randa Kriss

Edited by

Sally Lauckner

Last updated on February 25, 2025

Fact checked and reviewed
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Easy business loans have looser qualification requirements and are faster to fund than traditional bank loans, but expect to pay higher interest rates.

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If you’re having a hard time qualifying for a traditional small-business loan, check out our list of the best easy business loans to qualify for.

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

Best Easy Business Loans From Our Partners

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Best Easy Business Loans From Our Partners

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Bluevine - Line of credit

5.0 

Best for quick approval

Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
14.00-48.00%

Bluevine - Line of credit

Best for quick approval

5.0 
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
14.00-48.00%

Fora Financial - Online term loan

4.7 

Best for borrowers with bad credit

Max loan amount
$1,500,000
Min. credit score
570

Fora Financial - Online term loan

Best for borrowers with bad credit

4.7 
Max loan amount
$1,500,000
Min. credit score
570

Expansion Capital Group - Merchant cash advance

Best for merchant cash advance

Max loan amount
$300,000
Min. credit score
500

Expansion Capital Group - Merchant cash advance

Best for merchant cash advance

Max loan amount
$300,000
Min. credit score
500

Headway Capital - Line of credit

4.7 

Best for working capital

Max loan amount
$100,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
35.00-80.00%

Headway Capital - Line of credit

Best for working capital

4.7 
Max loan amount
$100,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
35.00-80.00%

OnDeck - Online term loan

4.8 

Best for short-term loans

Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
27.20-99.90%

OnDeck - Online term loan

Best for short-term loans

4.8 
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
27.20-99.90%

Accion Opportunity Fund Small Business Working Capital Loan

4.9 

Best for women and minority groups

Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
8.49-24.99%

Accion Opportunity Fund Small Business Working Capital Loan

Best for women and minority groups

4.9 
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
8.49-24.99%

Fundbox - Line of credit

4.9 

Best for new businesses

Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
36.00-99.00%

Fundbox - Line of credit

Best for new businesses

4.9 
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
36.00-99.00%

How Much Do You Need?

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Concerned about tariffs?

Many small-business owners are under increased economic stress and uncertainty following the latest tariff announcements. NerdWallet is here to help you find answers for whatever you're looking for. Here are some resources to help you get started:

What is an easy business loan?

An “easy business loan” simply refers to any loan that provides convenient and fast access to money — in other words, they’re easier to obtain than loans offered by traditional lenders, like banks and credit unions. Easy business loans typically share the following features:

Issued by online lendersMost are issued by online, or alternative, lenders since they offer the greatest flexibility.
Flexible requirementsMore likely to have lenient personal credit, time in business and collateral requirements.
Fast to fundSimple and streamlined application processes, which leads to quicker funding times.
Higher interest ratesFast funding times and flexible qualification requirements usually translate to higher interest rates.
Care mostly about speed? Check out our list of fast business loans.

How to compare easy-to-get business loans

The best loan for your business ultimately depends on your unique financing needs and how well you meet lenders’ eligibility requirements.
However, if you think an easy business loan might be a good option, here are some tips to help you choose the right one.
  1. Determine what type of funding is best for you. Easy business loans come in several types, including business lines of credit, term loans, equipment financing and invoice factoring. Consider how much money you need to borrow and how you’re going to use it to determine which type of loan might be the right fit.
  2. Figure out how much debt you can afford. Easy business loans will likely have higher interest rates and fees than other types of financing. Review your business finances to estimate how much additional debt you can manage before taking on a new loan.
  3. Check your qualifications. Review common underwriting criteria — time in business, credit score, annual revenue — so you have a sense of where your business stands before applying.
  4. Compare multiple loan offers. Make sure you’re getting the best deal for your business by comparing factors like interest rates, repayment terms, fees and prepayment penalties. You can compare the total cost of your loan offers by using NerdWallet’s business loan calculator.
  5. Read your business loan agreement thoroughly. It’s important to ensure that you understand all the terms associated with your loan including interest rates, fees, repayment terms, potential early payment penalties and any personal guarantee requirements that may apply. Ask your lender for clarification if you have any questions.
🔎 Ready to compare options? Try our free business loan calculator.

🤓 Nerdy Tip

Stay away from lenders that promise guaranteed approval or "business loans with no credit check.” Although there are many reputable online lenders on the market, predatory lenders tend to target small businesses that are having trouble qualifying for financing. If you think a loan offer seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Consider an easy business loan if…

  • You can’t qualify for other types of financing. If you can’t qualify for a bank or SBA loan, an easy business loan from an online lender might be a good option. Although these loans typically have higher interest rates than more traditional funding options, they can provide access to the money you need to cover a variety of expenses.
  • You need cash fast. Bank and SBA loans can take several weeks or longer to fund. If you need money fast — to cover emergency expenses or to take advantage of a new business opportunity, for example — it may be worth paying a little more in interest for the speed and convenience of an easy business loan.

🤓 Nerdy Tip

Even if you can’t qualify for a traditional loan, taking out an easy online business loan and making timely payments on it may help you qualify for more competitive types of financing in the future.

How to qualify for an easy business loan

Although each lender is different, easy business loans typically have more lenient qualification requirements when it comes to standard underwriting guidelines.
Here’s what you might need to qualify:
Credit score
570 or higher.
Time in business
Three to 12 months.
Annual revenue
$30,000 or more.
Collateral
None, though you'll likely have to sign a personal guarantee or have a blanket lien placed on your business assets.
Application process
May be able to apply in minutes.
Paperwork
Business financial statements, business and personal tax returns, and business and personal bank statements may be required.

Alternatives to easy business loans

Although easy business loans offer fast and flexible access to business capital, they may not be right for every business owner or situation. Here are some alternatives to consider:
  • Business credit cards. Similar to a business line of credit, a business credit card is a revolving source of funds and can be approved quickly. Though they typically come with higher APRs and fees than loans, they can also reward you for your spending. 
  • Friends and family loans. If you have friends or family members who are willing and able to invest in your business on short notice, this can be a more affordable option than any easy business loan. Make sure you put your agreement in some form of writing to avoid personal disputes.
  • Bootstrapping. Using self-financing methods, like personal savings or Rollovers as Business Startups (ROBS), where you make a tax-free withdrawal from retirement savings, can also be an easy method of financing, in the sense that it doesn't have any external qualification requirements. The risk is that you could lose your own money that you’ve put in if your business goes under.
  • Peer-to-peer business loans. If you can’t qualify for more traditional forms of funding, peer-to-peer lending may be an option. Similar to crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending is when multiple people or institutions each chip in a little bit of money for you to use in your business. Like a normal loan, you pay this borrowed cash back over time, with interest.
  • Small-business grants. Although it’ll likely take longer to receive funding than one of the easy business loans on our list, grants provide free money for qualifying business owners. They often have looser requirements than many small-business loans, especially if you’re part of an underrepresented group in society, like veterans or individuals with disabilities.

Frequently asked questions

Last updated on February 25, 2025

Methodology

NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates small-business loan products from traditional banks and online lenders. We collect over 30 data points on each lender using company websites and public documents. We may also go through a lender’s initial application flow and reach out to company representatives. NerdWallet writers and editors conduct a full fact check and update annually, but also make updates throughout the year as necessary.
Our star ratings award points to lenders that offer small-business friendly features, including:
- Transparency of rates and terms. - Flexible payment options. - Fast funding times. - Accessible customer service. - Reporting of payments to business credit bureaus. - Responsible lending practices.
We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to small-business owners and how meaningfully they impact borrowers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodology for small-business loans and our editorial guidelines.

Wondering if you qualify?

It’s possible to get a business loan even if you have bad credit. Bad-credit business loans are available from alternative sources, like online or nonprofit lenders.

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