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A brief overview of 8 different business loan types that should be considered by savvy owners
A business line of credit gives access to a pool of funds to draw from when you need capital. It gives you the flexibility to borrow up to a set amount—typically anywhere from $50,000 to $500,000—whenever you need access to capital. You don’t make payments or incur interest until you actually tap into those funds.
You can draw on a small business line of credit to handle cash flow gaps, access more working capital, address an emergency, or take advantage of a business opportunity.
A business term loan is a lump sum of capital that you pay back with regular repayments at a fixed interest rate—this type of traditional financing is what most people think of when it comes to small business loans.
The “term” in “term loan” comes from its set repayment term length, which can range from a few months to several years depending on the type of loan. Therefore, although term loans can vary in length, the phrase “business term loan” is most often used to refer to loans with terms of one to five years.
Equipment financing is a business loan that provides capital for purchasing new or used equipment, such as vehicles, machinery or technology. Equipment loans may fund up to 100% of the value of the equipment you want to purchase. These loans are repaid over time with interest.
Business equipment financing is asset-based financing, which means the equipment itself is collateral for the loan. For this reason, equipment financing is often easier to qualify for than other types of small business loans. Equipment loans can be great options for startups or businesses with average or poor credit scores.
A business or merchant cash advance (MCA) is a type of business financing in which a company advances you a lump sum that you repay via a percentage of your daily credit card and debit card sales, plus a fee. Technically, a merchant cash advance is not considered a business loan; it’s actually you selling your future debit and credit card transactions at a discount.
Typically, merchant cash advances are repaid on a daily or weekly basis and the financing company takes the payment automatically from your payment processor. In this way, repayments are based on your sales—if you experience a slow in sales, your payments will also be lower but it will take you longer to repay the advance.
A short-term business loan is designed to give small businesses fast access to funding to cover short-term capital needs. Typically, short-term business loans are used for managing cash flow, handling emergencies and unexpected opportunities, as well as bridging larger financing solutions.
Generally, a short-term business loan has terms of one year or less (sometimes 18 months or less) and is structured as a lump sum loan with repayments made on a daily or weekly schedule. Compared to other business loans, short-term loans often have smaller loan amounts and higher interest rates—but fund much more quickly.
SBA loans are business loans partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The three main SBA loan programs—7(a), CDC/504, and microloan—let you borrow money for nearly any business purpose, including working capital, purchasing inventory or equipment, refinancing other debts, or buying real estate.
SBA loans offer low interest rates and long repayment terms, making them one of the most desirable types of business financing on the market. However, they are generally slower to fund and require a lengthy application.
A startup business loan is any type of financing available to businesses with little to no history. A variety of business loans and financing methods are available to startups—including SBA microloans, asset-based loans, business credit cards, and more—although it can be difficult for new small businesses to access funding.
Asset-based lending is any type of financing that’s secured by tangible assets—including a business’s accounts receivable, inventory, machinery, or other forms of collateral. Typically, businesses can borrow 75% to 85% of the value of their accounts receivables or around 50% of the value of their inventory or equipment.
Compared to other small business loans, asset-based lending is easier to qualify for—as the tangible collateral mitigates risk for the lender. In the case of default, your asset-based lender can recoup their losses by seizing and selling the collateral.
