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"},"editorialNote":"Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on the page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Our opinions are our own.","post":{"canonical_url":"/business-loans/guides/working-capital-loans","databaseId":38450,"id":"Y3VzdG9tX2xvYW46Mzg0NTA=","date":"2020-10-21T10:21:06","modifiedGmt":"2024-04-04T23:42:47","title":"The Best Working Capital Loan Options and How to Get Them","uri":"the-6-best-working-capital-loans-for-small-business-in-2018","status":"publish","slug":"the-6-best-working-capital-loans-for-small-business-in-2018","link":"https://www.fundera.com/blog/custom_loan/the-6-best-working-capital-loans-for-small-business-in-2018","guid":"https://www.fundera.com/blog/?post_type=custom_loan&p=38450","seo":{"metaDesc":"Need a working capital loan to address urgent operational costs like payroll or rent? Access the industry’s top working capital lenders with this guide.","metaKeywords":"","metaRobotsNoindex":"","metaRobotsNofollow":"","title":"The Best Working Capital Loan Options and How to Get Them","opengraphImage":null,"twitterDescription":"","twitterTitle":"","twitterImage":null},"categories":{"nodes":[]},"fdsTableOfContents":{"tocheader":null,"enabled":null},"acfCustomLoanPage":{"categories":{"nodes":[{"slug":"/business-loans/","name":"Business Loans"}]},"pageSection":[{"pageSection":{"header":"What Is a Working Capital Loan?","components":[{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Working capital loans are characterized by short repayment terms and smaller loan amounts, designed to solve for day-to-day business needs.
\nThey’re best for short-term needs such as meeting payroll, buying inventory and supplies, paying outstanding invoices, and taking care of other operational expenses. Businesses with seasonal cycles can use working capital loans to ensure they have enough resources to stay operational throughout the year.
\nHere, we’ll dig into the details of how these small business loans work and where to find the best working capital loans for your business.
\nBefore we break down the best options for working capital loans, it’s important to understand working capital and how it’s calculated.
\nIn short, working capital is the difference between your current assets (what your business owns) and your current liabilities (what your business owes).
\nTherefore, to find working capital for your business, you can use this formula:
\nCurrent Assets – Current Liabilities = Working Capital
\nIf you don’t have enough working capital on hand, you might decide to get a working capital loan to help cover your short-term financing needs.
\n","header":"Working Capital Overview","button":{"link":null,"text":null}}]}},{"pageSection":{"header":"Types of Working Capital Loans","components":[{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"In a perfect world, you’d be able to increase working capital simply by generating more business revenue. Unfortunately, this just isn’t the way things work for every company.
\nBusiness working capital can be fickle for many small businesses—especially for those that are just starting out or operating seasonally. As a result, many small businesses have to think outside the box. One solution is to apply for working capital loans.
\nThese are some of the different types of working capital loans that are available:
\n","header":null,"button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Business capital in the form of a short-term business loan is the most common type of working capital loan. With short-term loans, you’re given a lump sum of money that’s paid back with interest over three to 18 months.
\n","header":"Short-Term Loans","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"A working capital line of credit gives you access to a pool of funds that you can tap into as needed. You only have to pay interest on the funds that you end up using.
\nA line of credit is a particularly good option for business owners who want to set up an emergency fund because the money is there if and when you urgently need working capital.
\n","header":"Working Capital Lines of Credit","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Working capital loans can also come in the form of merchant cash advances (MCAs). In this case, MCA companies advance you a sum of cash, which you’ll pay back by allowing the company to take a fixed percentage of your daily credit card sales.
\nAlthough merchant cash advances offer an easy working capital solution, they’re also very expensive.
\n","header":"Merchant Cash Advances","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Small businesses often face a shortage of working capital due to late payments and unpaid invoices. Therefore, invoice financing is a solution for business owners whose working capital is tied up in outstanding invoices.
\nInvoice financing allows you to trade in your unpaid invoices for business capital, freeing up cash to use for your business’s daily operations.
\n","header":"Invoice Financing","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"An SBA loan is a low interest rate business loan backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA 7(a) loan works particularly well for working capital, offering business capital in amounts up to $5 million to use for a variety of business purposes.
\n","header":"SBA Loans","button":{"link":null,"text":null}}]}},{"pageSection":{"header":"Best Working Capital Loan Options","components":[{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"The following working capital lenders offer business capital with a balance of accessibility, affordability, and convenience. These are the best options for working capital loans:
\n| Lender | \nEligibility | \nLoan Amount and Term | \nCost | \n
| LoanBuilder | \nNine months’ business history; $42K annual revenue; 620 credit score | \n$5K – $500K; 13 – 52 weeks | \n2.9% – 18.72% fixed fee | \n
| OnDeck | \nOne year business history; $100K annual revenue; 625 credit score | \n$5K – $250K; 3 – 24 months | \n27.2% – 99.9% (based on loans originated in the half-year ending March 31, 2024; minimums provided are rates that at least 5% of customers received) | \n
| Credibly | \nSix months in business; $15K monthly revenue; 500 credit score | \n$5K – $400K; 6 – 18 months | \n1.15 – 1.45 factor rate | \n
| Amex Merchant Financing | \nAccept Amex cards; two years in business; $50K annual revenue; $12K in annual credit and debit card sales; no credit score minimum | \n$5K – $2M; 6, 12, or 24 months | \n1.75% – 28% fixed fee | \n
Through LoanBuilder, a PayPal product, small business owners can access short-term working capital loans between $5,000 to $500,000. These short-term loans come in the form of one lump sum that you’ll repay, plus interest, with weekly payments over a term as short as 13 weeks or as long as 52 weeks.
\nLoanBuilder charges interest as a total percentage of the loan amount, spanning between 2.9% to 18.72%. For example, if you have a $100,000 loan with a quoted rate of 5%, then you’ll pay $5,000 in interest. To qualify for LoanBuilder, you need at least nine months of business history, $42,000 in annual revenue, and a 620 credit score for the business owner.
\nBest for: Business owners who need working capital and are okay with very short repayment terms.
\n","header":"LoanBuilder, a PayPal Service","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"OnDeck has a number of working capital loan options for small businesses, including short-term loans and business lines of credit. Their working capital loans range from $5,000 all the way up to $250,000, and you can be approved in as few as 24 hours.
\nThe fees that OnDeck attaches to their working capital loans will depend on your credit rating, your cash flow situation, and if you’ve borrowed with OnDeck before. Annual interest rates start at 27.2% (based on loans originated in the half-year ending March 31, 2024; minimums provided are rates that at least 5% of customers received). To qualify, you need at least one year in business, a credit score of 625, and $100,000 in annual revenue.
\nBest for: Established businesses that have a little more revenue.
\n","header":"OnDeck","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"The alternative lender Credibly offers a working capital short-term loan in amounts ranging from $5,000 to $400,000. The repayment term ranges from six to 18 months.
\nAside from their working capital loans themselves, Credibly has a fast, online-based application process—and can fund applications as fast as the same day as you apply. On average, however, most customers will receive funds within three to five days.
\nPlus, although Credibly’s interest rates fall within the same range as other lenders on the market, Credibly does offer prepayment incentives for paying back your loan early.
\nTo qualify for one of these working capital loans, you’ll need $15,000 per month in revenue, a 500 credit score, and six months in business.
\nBest for: Working capital loans for startups; business owners with lower credit who need working capital.
\n","header":"Credibly","button":{"link":null,"text":null}},{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Finally, through American Express Merchant Financing, Amex offers working capital loans to businesses that process American Express credit card transactions from customers. Through this working capital loan, you’ll receive a lump sum of cash from Amex of anywhere from $5,000 to $2 million, which you’ll repay, plus a set fee, through a percentage of your credit and debit card transactions.
\nThe fees attached to this merchant financing could be as low as 1.75% of your loan amount and as high as 28% of your loan amount, so how affordable this working capital loan ends up being can vary.
\nBest for: Business owners who accept Amex credit cards and need a large lump sum loan to finance working capital.
\n","header":"American Express Merchant Financing","button":{"link":null,"text":null}}]}},{"pageSection":{"header":"How to Find a Working Capital Loan for Your Business","components":[{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Now that we’ve reviewed some of the best options for working capital loans, you might be wondering how to actually get one of these business loans.
\nYou can find a working capital loan for your business by following these steps:
\nUnlike most small business loans, which are invested in assets to grow your business, working capital loans are used for ongoing costs. Running costs might include payroll, invoices, rent—anything that’s involved with keeping the lights on, so to speak.
\nTherefore, your company will be in a much better position if you’re functioning with positive working capital. And working capital business loans help to ensure that this is the case.
\nThat said, here are some ways you can put your working capital loan to work for your small business:
\nAfter you find a working capital loan for your business, you should use that loan responsibly and take measures to better manage your working capital in the future. This will prevent you from having to take on additional debt in the future.
\nWhat are the best practices for managing working capital? Here are some basic working capital management tips:
\nA working capital loan is a type of short-term business financing designed to cover day-to-day operational needs such as payroll, inventory, and cash flow gaps.
\nWorking capital loans can come in many forms—short-term loans, lines of credit, invoice financing, etc.—and are often issued by online, alternative lenders.
\n","header":null}]},{"question":"How do you get a working capital loan?","answer":[{"content":"To get a working capital loan, you can follow these simple steps:
\nOverall, compared to other types of business loans, it’s usually fairly quick and easy to get a working capital loan.
\nAs many working capital loan providers are alternative lenders, they typically offer online-based applications with minimal documentation and funding times within a few days.
\n","header":null}]},{"question":"What is the difference between a working capital and term loan? ","answer":[{"content":"Working capital loans are short-term products designed for financing day-to-day business needs, typically with repayment terms of three years or less.
\nWorking capital loans can be structured in a variety of ways—as short-term loans, lines of credit, invoice financing, merchant cash advances, etc.
\nTerm loans, on the other hand, have a single structure. With business term loans, you receive a lump sum of capital that you repay, with interest, over a set period of time.
\nAdditionally, term loans fall into one of three categories:
\nMoreover, whereas working capital loans have a specific use case—day-to-day operational needs—term loans are much more flexible.
\nThese products can be used for a variety of purposes, including everything from buying equipment to financing a business renovation.
\n","header":null}]},{"question":"How do you calculate working capital on a loan?","answer":[{"content":"You can calculate working capital by subtracting your liabilities from your assets:
\nCurrent Assets – Current Liabilities = Working Capital
\nThis will give you your dollar amount of working capital. You can also calculate your working capital ratio by dividing your assets by your liabilities:
\nCurrent Assets / Current Liabilities = Working Capital Ratio
\nAn ideal working capital ratio is between 1.2 and 2.0—if you need access to additional funds, then you might try to find a working capital loan.
\n","header":null}]}]}]}},{"pageSection":{"header":"The Bottom Line","components":[{"fieldGroupName":"CustomLoanPost_Acfcustomloanpage_pageSection_PageSection_Components_Paragraph","content":"Working capital loans are incredibly flexible and can pay big dividends. They can tide you over between paying suppliers and getting paid by customers, help take on a big order, or give you the capital to stock up prior to the busy season.
\nLike any sort of loan, it’s absolutely essential that you look closely at the costs and fees associated with a working capital loan before accepting a loan offer.
\nBecause of their relatively small size, their fast-tracked approval process, and their frequently unsecured nature, they often come with high interest rates. Make sure you get a few different quotes to find the best possible working capital loan for your business.
\n","header":null,"button":{"link":"https://www.fundera.com/apply","text":"Compare Your Loan Options"},"rank":1}]}}]},"acfAuthorByline":{"authorName":null},"fdsRelatedPosts":{"fieldGroupName":"fdsRelatedPosts","header":"Related Posts","postCount":5,"automatic":true,"posts":null}},"id":38450,"template":"CustomLoan","categorySlug":"","date":"2020-10-21T10:21:06"}},"staticQueryHashes":[],"slicesMap":{}}