Best Working Capital Loans
Best Working Capital Loans
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SBA 7(a) loan
Best for established businesses
Pros
- Large borrowing maximums.
- Interest rates are capped.
- Long repayment terms available.
Cons
- Personal guarantee is required.
- Collateral is typically required.
- Longer processing times than online lenders.
SBA 7(a) loan
Best for established businesses
Pros
- Large borrowing maximums.
- Interest rates are capped.
- Long repayment terms available.
Cons
- Personal guarantee is required.
- Collateral is typically required.
- Longer processing times than online lenders.
Pros
- Cash can be available within two business days.
- Competitive rates among online lenders.
- Terms up to seven years.
- iBusiness Funding also offers SBA loans up to $5 million.
Cons
- Charges an origination fee.
- Must be in business for a minimum of two years.
- Minimum credit score is higher than some other lenders.
iBusiness Funding - Online term loan
Best for long-term funding
Pros
- Cash can be available within two business days.
- Competitive rates among online lenders.
- Terms up to seven years.
- iBusiness Funding also offers SBA loans up to $5 million.
Cons
- Charges an origination fee.
- Must be in business for a minimum of two years.
- Minimum credit score is higher than some other lenders.
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.
Bluevine - Line of credit
Best for fast loans
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.
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
Best for bad credit
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.
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).
Fundbox - Line of credit
Best for newer businesses
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).
Pros
- Streamlined application process with minimal paperwork.
- Financing from $2,000 to $250,000 available.
- Accepts borrowers with a minimum FICO score of at least 660 at the time of application.
- Monthly repayment schedule (as opposed to daily or weekly).
- No prepayment penalties, account maintenance fees or draw fees.
Cons
- Must have online checking or PayPal account to verify cash flow.
- Personal guarantee required.
- Complex monthly fee structure makes it difficult to compare costs to other lenders.
American Express® Business Line of Credit*
Best for low revenue
Pros
- Streamlined application process with minimal paperwork.
- Financing from $2,000 to $250,000 available.
- Accepts borrowers with a minimum FICO score of at least 660 at the time of application.
- Monthly repayment schedule (as opposed to daily or weekly).
- No prepayment penalties, account maintenance fees or draw fees.
Cons
- Must have online checking or PayPal account to verify cash flow.
- Personal guarantee required.
- Complex monthly fee structure makes it difficult to compare costs to other lenders.
A closer look at the best working capital loans
SBA 7(a) loan
- Maximum loan terms up to 10-25 years (depending on loan usage).
- Collateral required on loans over $50,000.
- SBA guarantees 50%-90% of loan amount (depending on loan type and size).
iBusiness Funding (formerly Funding Circle)
- Loan amounts range from $25,000 to $500,000.
- No prepayment penalties.
- Charges an origination fee.
Bluevine
- Can request draws directly through your dashboard.
- Line of credit comes with a free Bluevine Business Checking account.
- No prepayment penalties.
Fora Financial
- Possible to increase your loan amount after you’ve paid down 60%.
- Offers prepayment discounts.
- Charges an origination fee.
Fundbox
- Choice of repayment terms (3or6months) for every draw.
- Can make draw requests through the mobile app.
- Line of credit amounts range from $100 to $150,000.
American Express® Business Line of Credit
- No origination fee.
- Requires collateral.
- Payment due dates and fees provided before you sign your loan agreement for transparency.
What is a working capital loan?
When to consider a working capital loan
- Inconsistent cash flow. For businesses that experience seasonal fluctuations in sales or have bill due dates that don’t always align with their monthly cash receipts, a working capital loan can be a good option.
- New business opportunity. Taking on a new client, accepting a large order or expanding a business operation can require more capital than a business has available. In these situations, additional cash can be accessed through a working capital loan.
- Unexpected expenses. Even with the best of planning, random expenses can disrupt a business’s budget. For businesses that don’t have surplus cash, a working capital loan can help pay for unexpected expenses or create an emergency fund for the future.
Types of working capital loans
Loan Types | Overview | At a glance |
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A business line of credit is best for companies that need to get through a short-lived slowdown. You’ll need strong revenue in time to pay back your lender before the loan term ends. Lines of credit provide a lot of flexibility, as you get access to funds up to a set limit and only pay interest on what you’ve borrowed. You can draw and repay funds as often as you’d like, as long as you make payments and don’t exceed your limit. |
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SBA loans are partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration and issued through participating banks, credit unions and online lenders. SBA 7(a) term loans and lines of credit provide up to $5 million for working capital, expansion or equipment purchases. SBA 7(a) term loans are best for companies that need a lump sum of working capital while undertaking a pivot or expansion. The long terms and low interest rates of SBA loans make them one of the most affordable types of financing, though they can be slow to fund. |
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The CAPLines program, a subset of SBA 7(a) loans, offers lines of credit to businesses that want to use a revolving line of credit as needed while their business ebbs and flows. The SBA Working Capital Pilot program also offers flexible credit lines with greater flexibility than the CAPLines and a unique fee structure. |
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Term loans provide a sum of cash upfront that is repaid over a set period of time with fixed, equal payments. Term loans can be useful as business debt consolidation loans, helping reduce your debt load so you can use working capital more efficiently. In general, though, they can be a good choice for businesses that want flexible financing and have sufficient cash flow to make fixed payments. |
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With invoice financing, you can use your unpaid customer invoices as collateral on a working capital loan. These loans are often used to cover cash flow gaps caused by the unpaid customer invoices themselves. Invoice financing is best for B2B companies that have a significant amount of cash tied up in invoices. |
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Pros and cons of working capital loans
Suitable for cash flow gaps and seasonal slows.
Flexible funds that can be used for a variety of purposes
Accessible to a wide variety of businesses.
Can fund quickly.
Some lenders may require daily or weekly payments.
May be expensive.
Lenders may charge interest as a factor rate — which can make it difficult to understand the cost of your financing.
Where to get a working capital loan
- Banks and credit unions are good options for established businesses with collateral and strong credit, and tend to offer the lowest interest rates.
- Online lenders may make more sense if you have a poor credit history, though they will typically charge higher APRs than business loans from banks. Invoice financing loans also typically come from online or fintech lenders.
- Community development financial institutions (CDFIs), which can include credit unions and nonbank lenders, may also offer working capital loans. CDFIs are usually missioned to lend to underserved or marginalized communities, so they may be able to offer lower rates with more relaxed criteria than traditional lenders.
How to get a working capital loan
- Understand your financing needs. Working capital loans are typically for short-term business needs. Start by assessing if your business really needs capital now, or if you can qualify for a longer-term, more affordable loan. You’ll also want to determine how much capital your business needs.
- Research lenders. Do some research to find lenders that suit your specific business needs, and make sure you understand their business loan requirements.
- Gather business documents. You’ll need to provide financial statements like profit and loss statements, bank statements or tax returns, as well as business and legal documents, like your operating agreement and business plan.
- Apply with lenders. Online lenders can review applications in as little as a few hours, while banks tend to take longer. SBA loans can have the longest application timelines. If you’re approved for financing from an online lender, you could have access to your working capital within a few days. Again, bank and SBA lenders will likely take longer.
Alternatives to working capital loans
- Invoice factoring lets you turn unpaid invoices into fast working capital. The factoring company buys your invoices for an upfront payment minus a fee, and collects payment directly from your customer. Invoice factoring is best for B2B companies that are struggling to qualify for other types of financing. Since this isn’t technically a business loan — you’re selling an asset, not borrowing money — factoring companies don’t give as much weight to your credit score or business history as banks and online lenders do.
- Merchant cash advances are a type of financing that you repay with a percentage of your future debit and credit card sales. Because MCA lenders can make these withdrawals automatically, they usually give less weight to other qualification factors like your credit score. However, merchant cash advances usually have very high fees, making them a funding option of last resort. While invoice factoring is an option if you bill other businesses, MCAs may be available if you work directly with consumers.
- Business credit cards offer a revolving line of credit that you can spend up to a certain limit, and only pay interest on what you’ve spent, similar to business lines of credit. Business credit cards typically require good personal credit, but not a lot of time in business. They can be a good option to cover short-term gaps in cash flow as long as you are diligent about paying down the balance each cycle.
- Family and friends business loans can be an option when you need cash for working capital. This type of loan won’t build your business credit history, but it can be fast because there’s no application process, credit check or documents submission. However, while family and friends loans are typically informal, it’s recommended that you put the loan terms in writing to avoid any misunderstandings in the future that could affect your personal relationships.