Compare your funding options before you apply.

Decision rule

Equipment under $250,000, vendor hold inside 30 days, FICO below 680, or under two years of clean tax returns? Equipment financing wins on all-in cost and is usually the only door that closes inside the calendar. Equipment above $400,000, strong credit and clean operating history, project bundles working capital or real estate, or 10-year amortization is the only path that clears DSCR? SBA 7(a) earns its 60-day underwriting wait on cash-flow shape and total interest cost.

Decision rule

Buyer cash equity at 10% to 15%, goodwill-heavy target, real estate bundled in, or working capital needs to roll into the same loan? SBA 7(a) is the structurally cheaper deal even with the heavier documentation timeline. Buyer cash above 25%, partial buyout disqualified under SOP 50 10 7.1, speed dispositive at 30 to 45 days, or deal size above the $5 million 7(a) cap? Conventional acquisition debt closes faster and often prices 50 to 150 basis points below the SBA cap on a strong file.

Decision rule

One identified stock buy with a vendor quote in hand, a recognized SKU profile, and a sell-through cycle that fits the amortization? Inventory financing earns the 100 to 300 basis point asset-backed rate floor. Mixed needs across the year, average utilization well below 100%, or a facility that needs to live across multiple selling seasons? BLOC wins because you only pay for capital while you are actually using it.

Decision rule

Brand-new business that cannot yet qualify for a bank-grade line and significant home equity sitting idle? HELOC earns its lower rate on this narrow file. Established business that qualifies for any tier of BLOC pricing? BLOC wins on every structural dimension after taxes and home-pledge risk are priced in, even at a higher headline rate.

Decision rule

Buying one identified asset with a vendor quote in hand and a 5-to-10-year useful life? Equipment financing wins on rate, structure, and narrow collateral position. Facing 3+ separate cash gaps across the year with an unknown total dollar amount? A line of credit wins because cost is charged only on the drawn balance and the rest of the limit sits at zero cost.

Decision rule

Confirmed customer PO and you cannot pay the supplier from cash? PO financing is the only product that fires before fulfillment. Already shipped and waiting 30 to 90 days for payment, or running a recurring ledger of B2B invoices? Factoring wins on cost, speed of draw, and general working-capital use.

Decision rule

Loan need under $50K, startup or under 24 months operating, or credit 575 to 640? Microloan is usually the only SBA route open. Need $75K or more, two years of tax returns, or real estate / acquisition / debt refinance? 7(a) wins on size, term length, and use-case flexibility.

Decision rule

Steady monthly revenue, 620+ FICO, 12 months operating? Take the term loan; the rate gap is usually 1,000 to 1,500 basis points and the fixed payment is easy to plan around. Revenue swings 25%+ month to month, file lands at 580 to 620 FICO, or you need a payment that auto-flexes with revenue? RBF earns its premium on cash-flow shape.

Decision rule

Episodic or recurring capital needs, 620+ FICO, 12 months operating? BLOC wins on cost and survives the deal. Need a single lump sum inside a week, choppy revenue month to month, or a thin file? RBF earns its premium on speed, revenue-flex, and underwriting flexibility.

Decision rule

Choose the card if FICO is 670+, the amount is under $50K, and you can clear it in the grace period. Choose the MCA when speed, size, or weaker credit closes the card option.

Decision rule

Credit above 600 and a few business days to wait? Take the term loan; the monthly payment and lower cost almost always win. Below 600 or needing funds the same morning? The MCA is the available door, sized small against one revenue cycle.

Decision rule

Buying one long-life asset with a quote in hand? Finance the equipment; the lower rate, longer term, and narrow lien usually win. Mixed costs with no single thing to pledge? Take the term loan for one flexible lump sum.

Decision rule

Invoice other businesses and wait 30 to 90 days to get paid? Factor the invoices first, almost always the cheaper move. Take daily card or deposit revenue with no invoices, thin credit, or a 48-hour deadline? The MCA is the receivables door that opens, sized small against one revenue cycle.

Decision rule

Clean two-year tax returns, 660+ FICO, deal above $200K with a multi-year payback, and the timeline can absorb 45+ days? SBA — the rate cap and 10-year amortization compound into real interest savings. Need money inside two weeks, credit under 660, under 24 months operating, or short use case? Conventional — the speed and credit flexibility are the entire product.

Decision rule

Need above $500K, real estate, or a 15-to-25-year term? Standard 7(a) — the only SBA route available. Need under $500K inside 30 days, lighter file, or the only true SBA-backed revolving line of credit? Express. Below $350K and the file is clean? Ask the lender about 7(a) Small Loan in parallel — it often beats Express on rate at Express-level speed.

Decision rule

Thin file, customer concentration above 40%, or DSO over 60 days? Factoring — the only product whose underwriting is built around the customer and the invoice rather than your business. Twelve months operating, $50K+ monthly A/R, 600+ FICO, customers spread across the ledger? Invoice financing — usually 200 to 600 basis points cheaper annualized, with collections staying entirely in your hands.

Decision rule

Specific project, known dollar figure, multi-year payback, and 30+ days to close? SBA 7(a) — almost always cheaper per drawn dollar. Irregular working-capital needs, average utilization under 40%, or you need money inside a week? Line of credit — almost always cheaper per available dollar. Most established operators eventually run both.

Decision rule

File clears 660 FICO, 1+ year operating, $15K+ monthly revenue, no active stacked positions? LOC wins by 4x to 10x on cost — almost every time. File below that bar, or 48-hour speed dominates the decision? MCA is the only door open, used surgically against a defined revenue cycle.

Decision rule

Need under $10K and pay in full monthly? Card — the 25-day grace period is free working capital, rewards are pure upside. Need $25K+ or plan to carry the balance more than 60 days? LOC — the rate gap and the consumer-bureau gap both compound against the card.

Decision rule

FICO 580+, six months operating, $25K+ monthly revenue, no current advances on bank statements? Short-term loan, almost always cheaper. Below 580 FICO or under six months operating? MCA is the door that's actually open — size it small enough that one revenue cycle clears it.

Decision rule

Loan size $250K+ on a 5-to-25-year term and a pledgeable asset that isn't load-bearing for daily operations? Pledge it. Service business with light balance sheet, deal under $150K, or asset on offer is the engine of the business? Stay PG-only and price for speed.

Decision rule

Tax returns clean and DSCR above 1.25x with 30+ days to wait? Bank. Need a wire inside a week, file under 24 months in business, or last year shows a paper loss after depreciation? Online. Most growing operators end up using both at different points.

Decision rule

Need cash inside 48 hours or credit under 580? MCA. Have 6+ months of operating history, $20K+ monthly revenue, and 5 days to underwrite? RBF wins on cost and on what happens if anything goes sideways.

Decision rule

Time-to-fund matters more than rate? MCA. Have 60 days and great credit? SBA. The middle ground is usually a term loan, not either of these.

Decision rule

Will you use 80%+ of the capital within 60 days? Term loan. Will utilization sit below 30%? Line of credit. Below 20%, the LOC is the wrong product.

Decision rule

Buying owner-occupied real estate or heavy fixed equipment? 504 — lower blended rate over 25 years. Need working capital, debt refi, or a business acquisition? 7(a).

Decision rule

Match the contract to the obsolescence curve, not the lowest monthly payment. Tech that ages in 3 years? Lease. Truck or lift you'll run for 8? Finance.

Decision rule

DSO over 60 days and customer credit risk you'd rather not carry? Factoring. DSO under 45 and you want to keep collections in-house? LOC. Industry norms matter.

Decision rule

Need under $10K with disciplined payoff? Card. Need $25K+ for an expansion or a planned project? Loan. Funding $40K on a card can drop personal FICO 60 points.