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Here are 5 American Express® Business Line of Credit competitors
| Lender | NerdWallet Rating▼ | Max loan amount▼ | Min. credit score▼ | Next steps |
|---|---|---|---|---|
OnDeck - Line of credit with Fundera by NerdWallet | 5.0/5 Best for Fast funding | $100,000 | 625 | with Fundera by NerdWallet |
Bluevine - Line of credit with Fundera by NerdWallet | 5.0/5 Best for Fast funding | $250,000 | 625 | with Fundera by NerdWallet |
Fundbox - Line of credit | 5.0/5 Best for Startup businesses | $150,000 | 600 | Read Review |
Fora Financial - Online term loan with Fundera by NerdWallet | 4.8/5 Best for Borrowers with bad credit | $1,500,000 | 570 | with Fundera by NerdWallet |
Accion Opportunity Fund - Small Business Working Capital Loan | 4.8/5 Best for Longer repayment terms | $250,000 | 600 | Read Review |
Here are 5 American Express® Business Line of Credit competitors
Best for Fast funding
Best for Startup businesses
Best for Borrowers with bad credit
Best for Longer repayment terms
I'M INTERESTED IN:
Our picks for
Fast funding
OnDeck - Line of credit
Max loan amount
$100,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
35.90-84.90%
Pros
- Fast access to working capital.
- Accepts borrowers with a minimum credit score of 625.
- Streamlined application process with minimal documentation required.
- Can be used to build business credit.
Cons
- Not available in North Dakota.
- May require frequent weekly payments.
- Interest rates can be high compared with traditional lenders.
- Requires personal guarantee.
May fund quickly
OnDeck - Line of credit
Max loan amount
$100,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
35.90-84.90%
OnDeck offers a fast line of credit for small-business owners with less-than-stellar credit who need to manage cash flow or buy inventory.
Pros
- Fast access to working capital.
- Accepts borrowers with a minimum credit score of 625.
- Streamlined application process with minimal documentation required.
- Can be used to build business credit.
Cons
- Not available in North Dakota.
- May require frequent weekly payments.
- Interest rates can be high compared with traditional lenders.
- Requires personal guarantee.
Qualifications:
- Minimum credit score: 625.
- Minimum time in business: One year.
- Minimum annual revenue: $100,000.
- No bankruptcies in the past two years.
May fund quickly
Bluevine - Line of credit
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
20.00-50.00%
Pros
- Cash can be available within 12 to 24 hours.
- Can be used to build business credit.
- Low minimum credit score requirement.
Cons
- Requires weekly payments.
- Requires personal guarantee.
- Not available in North Dakota, South Dakota or Nevada.
- Rates can be high compared to traditional lenders.
May fund quickly
Bluevine - Line of credit
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
20.00-50.00%
Bluevine's 26-week line of credit provides fast working capital for short-term borrowing needs.
Pros
- Cash can be available within 12 to 24 hours.
- Can be used to build business credit.
- Low minimum credit score requirement.
Cons
- Requires weekly payments.
- Requires personal guarantee.
- Not available in North Dakota, South Dakota or Nevada.
- Rates can be high compared to traditional lenders.
Qualifications:
- Minimum credit score: 625.
- Minimum time in business: 12 months.
- Minimum annual revenue: $120,000.
- No bankruptcies in the past year.
May fund quickly
Our pick for
Startup businesses
Fundbox - Line of credit
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
36.00-99.00%
Pros
- Financing available within one business day after approval.
- Simple application with minimal documentation required.
- Startup-friendly -- accepts borrowers with a minimum of three months in business.
- Low minimum credit score, time in business and annual revenue requirements.
- No prepayment penalties, account maintenance fees or inactivity fees.
Cons
- Rates are high compared with traditional banks.
- May require personal guarantee.
- Weekly repayments required over a short term (maximum of 24 weeks).
May fund quickly
Fundbox - Line of credit
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
36.00-99.00%
Fundbox offers a business line of credit to fill a cash flow gap, and qualifying is easier than with other lenders.
Pros
- Financing available within one business day after approval.
- Simple application with minimal documentation required.
- Startup-friendly -- accepts borrowers with a minimum of three months in business.
- Low minimum credit score, time in business and annual revenue requirements.
- No prepayment penalties, account maintenance fees or inactivity fees.
Cons
- Rates are high compared with traditional banks.
- May require personal guarantee.
- Weekly repayments required over a short term (maximum of 24 weeks).
Qualifications:
- Minimum credit score: 600.
- Minimum time in business: 3 months.
- Minimum annual revenue: $30,000.
May fund quickly
Our pick for
Borrowers with bad credit
Fora Financial - Online term loan
Max loan amount
$1,500,000
Min. credit score
570
Pros
- Cash can be available quickly.
- Get a discount for prepaying.
- No collateral required.
- Low minimum credit score requirement.
Cons
- Charges a factor rate that makes it more difficult to compare costs with other lenders.
- Can’t build business credit.
- Longest loan term is 18 months.
Fora Financial - Online term loan
Max loan amount
$1,500,000
Min. credit score
570
Fora Financial can be a good fit for borrowers who may fall short of qualifying for traditional bank financing or young but established small businesses looking for speedy financing.
Pros
- Cash can be available quickly.
- Get a discount for prepaying.
- No collateral required.
- Low minimum credit score requirement.
Cons
- Charges a factor rate that makes it more difficult to compare costs with other lenders.
- Can’t build business credit.
- Longest loan term is 18 months.
Qualifications:
- In business for at least six months.
- At least $20,000 per month in revenue.
- No open bankruptcies or dismissed bankruptcies within the past year.
Our pick for
Longer repayment terms
Accion Opportunity Fund - Small Business Working Capital Loan
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
8.49-24.99%
Pros
- Loan amounts from $5,000 to $250,000.
- Customized loan terms.
- No prepayment penalty.
Cons
- Slower processing speed compared to online lenders.
- Not available in all U.S. states.
Accion Opportunity Fund - Small Business Working Capital Loan
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
8.49-24.99%
Accion is a good option for businesses that haven't been able to secure traditional financing. The lender targets its funding efforts toward minority, women and low-to-moderate-income entrepreneurs.
Pros
- Loan amounts from $5,000 to $250,000.
- Customized loan terms.
- No prepayment penalty.
Cons
- Slower processing speed compared to online lenders.
- Not available in all U.S. states.
Qualifications:
- Minimum credit score: 600.
- Minimum time in business: 12 months.
- Minimum annual revenue: $50,000.
What does American Express Business Blueprint™ offer?
American Express Business Blueprint™ (previously called Kabbage) offers business lines of credit from $2,000 to $250,000 and repayment terms of six, 12, 18 or 24 months. Instead of traditional interest, American Express charges monthly fees depending on your loan’s term.
Total monthly fees incurred over the loan term range are:
- 3% to 9% for six-month loans.
- 6% to 18% for 12-month loans.
- 9% to 27% for 18-month loans.
- 12% to 18% for 24-month loans.
This proprietary fee structure often makes it difficult to compare the cost of an American Express® Business Line of Credit to other products.
To qualify for this line of credit, you’ll need:
- A minimum FICO score of at least660at the time of application.
- To have started your business at least a year ago.
- Average monthly revenue of at least $3,000.
Note that the required FICO score may be higher based on your relationship with American Express, credit history, and other factors. You must also be able to link a bank account that shows business revenue to qualify. It’s also important to remember that all businesses are unique and are subject to approval and review.
Alternatives to the American Express® Business Line of Credit
1. OnDeck
If you’re looking for multiple loan options or a lower minimum credit score requirement, OnDeck might be a good choice to consider.
OnDeck offers both term loans and lines of credit. To qualify for either product, you’ll need:
- Credit score:625or higher.
- Time in business:12months or more.
- Monthly revenue: Approximately $8,333.33 or more.
OnDeck’s line of credit is available in amounts up to $
100000
with weekly or monthly payments and terms of 12
, 18 or 24
months. The short-term loan, on the other hand, is available up to $250,000 with daily or weekly payments and terms up to 24 months.Although the American Express® Business Line of Credit offers higher maximum funding amounts, OnDeck is more transparent about its borrowing costs. The lender charges interest as a factor rate, which can range from 1.037 to 1.45 for term loans and 1.10 to 1.30 for lines of credit.
These term loan factor rates translate to APRs ranging from
27.2
% to 99.9
%, while rates for lines of credit translate to APRs ranging from 35.9
% to 84.9
% (based on loans originated in the half-year ending March 31, 2024; minimums provided are rates that at least 5% of customers received).Unlike American Express, however, OnDeck charges a $20 monthly maintenance fee on its line of credit. OnDeck can fund applications as quickly as the same day.
» MORE: Best same-day business loans
2. Bluevine
Like American Express, Bluevine offers business lines of credit up to $250,000. Bluevine may be the right competitor for you if you need quick access to funds and a lower minimum credit score requirement.
With Bluevine, you can complete your application and receive a decision in as little as five minutes. Funds can be available within hours if you choose the bank wire option (which requires a $15 fee) — and in one to three business days if you choose an ACH transfer.
The Bluevine line of credit has weekly or monthly payments and terms of six or 12 months. The lender charges a simple business loan rate, starting as low as 6.2% (calculated from total repayments over 26 weeks). Rates calculate to an approximate APR of
20
% to 50
%.To qualify for a line of credit from Bluevine, you’ll need:
- Credit score:625or higher.
- Time in business:12months or more.
- Monthly revenue: $40,000 or more.
So, although Bluevine might be a better option for those with a lower credit score, its other qualifications are much higher than American Express.
3. Fundbox
Fundbox can be a good option for startups and borrowers with bad credit that might not meet the American Express® Business Line of Credit’s qualification requirements. To qualify for a Fundbox line of credit, you need:
- Credit score:600or higher.
- Time in business:3months or more.
- Monthly revenue: Approximately $8,333.33 or more.
Fundbox can also be a worthwhile choice for fast financing and smaller funding amounts. Fundbox’s line of credit is available in amounts up to $150,000 with weekly payments over a 12- or 24-week term.
After applying for a line of credit, you can receive approval in as little as three minutes and funds as soon as the next day.
Fundbox charges interest rates that vary based on your qualifications and repayment term. Rates start at 4.66% for 12-week terms and 8.99% for 24-week terms. This line of credit has an approximate APR range of
36
% to 99
%.4. Fora Financial
Although Fora Financial doesn’t offer lines of credit, the lender’s short-term loan can be a good option for working capital needs. Compared with the American Express® Business Line of Credit, Fora offers larger funding amounts and has more flexible qualification requirements.
Fora Financial’s term loan is available in amounts up to $1.5 million with flexible payment options and terms up to
18
months. Like OnDeck, Fora charges interest as a factor rate; rates range from 1.1 to 1.9.Fora does not provide an estimated APR range for its loans, so you’ll want to calculate your factor rate into an APR to get a better sense of borrowing costs.
To qualify for a loan from Fora Financial, you’ll need:
- Credit score:570or higher.
- Time in business:6months or more.
- Monthly revenue: $20,000 or more.
With these eligibility criteria, Fora is more accessible to startups and businesses with bad credit than the American Express® Business Line of Credit.
5. Accion Opportunity Fund
If you’re looking for longer repayment terms than American Express offers, Accion Opportunity Fund may be the right competitor for you.
Accion provides business term loans up to $250,000 with monthly payments and terms up to 60 months. These loans can be used for a variety of purposes and Accion offers educational resources, business coaching and access to support networks.
Accion business loans may also be a more affordable option than the American Express® Business Line of Credit, as APRs range from
8.49
% to 24.99
%.To qualify for an Accion loan, you’ll need:
- Credit score:600or higher.
- Time in business:12months or more.
- Monthly revenue: Approximately $4,166 or more.
Compared with other lenders, Accion has more lenient requirements — making it a good option for businesses with bad credit, as well as startups.
Accion can also be a worthwhile choice for traditionally underserved borrowers. According to the lender, over 90% of its borrowers are women, people of color and/or low-to-moderate income individuals.
*
American Express® Business Line of Credit*
offers two loan types, installment loans and single repayment loans for eligible borrowers. All loan term types, loan term lengths, and pricing are subject to eligibility requirements, application, and final approval. This content contains general information about the American Express® Business Line of Credit*
installment loan type only. Last updated on March 15, 2024
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 and 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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