Personal Business Loans: Compare Financing Options




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Small-business owners have plenty of hurdles to clear, and one of the highest is finding startup financing. If your business is too new to qualify for a traditional business loan, an unsecured personal loan may make sense as long as you receive an affordable rate.
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- 35+ personal loans reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 20+ years of combined experience covering personal loans and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 20+ categories and 70+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Why trust NerdWallet
- 35+ personal loans reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 20+ years of combined experience covering personal loans and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 20+ categories and 70+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Personal Business Loans: Compare Financing Options
- Personal Business Loans: Compare Financing Options
- Can you get a personal loan for a business?
- Benefits of using a personal loan to start a business
- Drawbacks of using a personal loan to start a business
- When it makes sense to get a personal loan for business
- How to get a personal loan for business
- Alternatives to personal business loans
- Methodology
- Recap
- FAQ
- About the author
Lender ▾ ▾ | NerdWallet Rating ▾ ▾ | Learn more | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
4.0 /5 | 8.99-35.99% | $2,000-$50,000 | 660 | See Offers on NerdWallet | |
5.0 /5Fast funding Flexible payments | 6.70-35.99% | $1,000-$50,000 | None | See Offers on NerdWallet | |
4.5 /5Fast funding Rate discount | 8.71-29.99% | $2,000-$45,000 | 640 | See Offers on NerdWallet | |
4.5 /5Secured loans Wide range of loan amounts | 6.99-35.99% | $2,000-$50,000 | 600 | See Offers on NerdWallet | |
4.0 /5Rate discount | 8.99-29.99% | $5,000-$50,000 | 640 | See Offers on NerdWallet | |
4.5 /5Flexible payments | 7.90-35.99% | $1,000-$40,000 | 600 | See Offers on NerdWallet | |
4.5 /5 | 8.99-23.35% | $5,000-$45,000 | 680 | See Offers on NerdWallet |
Our pick for
Borrowers with fair or bad credit
Our pick for
Borrowers with good or fair credit
8.99-29.99%
$5,000-$50,000
640
Our pick for
Borrowers with good or excellent credit
8.99-23.35%
$5,000-$45,000
680
Can you get a personal loan for a business?
A personal loan is money borrowed from a bank, credit union or online lender that can be used for any number of purposes, including to fund a business.
Most personal loans are unsecured, which means they don’t require collateral, and you pay them back in fixed monthly payments — typically over two to seven years.
Some lenders may not allow you to use a personal loan for business expenses, so it’s always best to check before you submit an application. This information may be available on the lender’s website or you can call their customer service department to confirm.
» MORE: How does a personal loan work?
Benefits of using a personal loan to start a business
Flexibility: As long as your lender has no rules against using a personal loan for your business, you can use the money however you want, including to purchase equipment and inventory, stock up on office supplies, kickstart your marketing efforts or cover other costs.
Low rates: Depending mostly on your credit score, personal loans can have lower annual percentage rates than other financing products — such as credit cards, if you carry a balance — saving you money over the lifetime of the loan. They also have fixed payments that ensure your loan is paid back within a certain time frame so you'll avoid compound interest (interest on top of the original interest).
Easier to qualify: If you’re just starting your business, you may have more luck qualifying for a personal loan than a business loan. When underwriting traditional business loans, lenders look at your company’s revenue and time in business, along with your personal credit score. For a first-time business owner seeking to fund a new business idea, you won’t have some of the history that small-business lenders are looking for.
Personal loans are underwritten based primarily on your credit score and income. That means you can include other income sources — like earnings from a 9-to-5 job or rental properties — to supplement the income you’ll earn from your new venture.
» COMPARE: Best business loans for bad credit
Fast funding: The majority of personal loans are funded within one week of approval, though if you choose to apply with an online lender, you’ll likely receive funds by the next or even same business day. This may be faster than some traditional business loans. For example, the process of applying for and receiving an SBA loan can take 30 days to a couple months.
Drawbacks of using a personal loan to start a business
May not receive a full tax deduction: Interest paid on a personal loan is typically not tax deductible, unlike interest paid on business loans. However, there’s an exception for when you use a personal loan to cover business expenses. To get the full deduction, you’ll need to make sure no portion of the loan is used for another type of expense.
Personal credit or assets could be at risk: If you take out an unsecured personal loan and fail to repay it, your credit will take a hit. This may make it harder to access affordable financing in the future. If you take out a secured personal loan and tie it to an asset like your car or home, the lender can seize that asset if you default.
Small loan size: Personal loans tend to have smaller loan amounts — ranging from about $1,000 to $50,000 for most lenders — than business loans. For a small startup, the size might be just right, but if you own a more established company or plan on making big purchases, you’ll want to look for loans that offer more financing.
Shorter repayment terms: Most personal loan terms range from two to seven years, so if you need a longer repayment term, you’re better off looking at other small-business financing alternatives. SBA loans tend to have the longest repayment terms, ranging from 10 to 25 years.
» COMPARE: Small-business financing options
When it makes sense to get a personal loan for business
You might consider a personal business loan if you haven’t been in business long enough to qualify for a traditional business loan and you’re looking to borrow less than $100,000.
A personal business loan might also be a good choice if you need money soon and can’t wait the time it takes a traditional business loan to process.
Compare APRs with other financing options to make sure a personal business loan is the least expensive choice.
How to get a personal loan for business
1. Pre-qualify with multiple lenders
To get a personal loan for business, you’ll need to apply with a bank, credit union or online lender.
Some lenders, especially online lenders, let you pre-qualify before submitting your application. That means you can see potential loan terms, including what interest rate you may qualify for, without submitting to a hard credit check, which can temporarily lower your credit score. Consider pre-qualifying with multiple lenders to find the best rate.
» Get started: Pre-qualify with multiple lenders for free on NerdWallet
2. Submit your loan application
Once you’ve decided on a lender, it’s time to complete your application. You’ll need to supply information like your personal details and contact information, your Social Security number and any supporting documents that verify employment and income.
Approval decisions can be instantaneous or take a few days, depending on the lender.
3. Get funded
Once approved, you’ll sign the loan documents and receive the funds in your account, sometimes as early as the same or next day. Once funded, make a plan for how you’ll manage your payments over the course of the loan. Missing even one payment can trigger a late fee and a hit on your credit score, which may make it harder in the future to access affordable credit for your business.
» MORE: How to get a personal loan
Alternatives to personal business loans
Small-business loan: If you're an established business and want to explore other options, a small-business loan may be a smart choice. When reviewing your application, small-business lenders prefer to see at least two years of operation, though some online lenders may only require a minimum of six months.
» COMPARE: The best small-business loans
Business line of credit: A business line of credit is a type of small-business loan but with more flexibility. It works like a credit card, letting you borrow up to a certain limit and then paying interest only on what you borrow, so it’s ideal for business owners who aren’t sure of the scope of their financial need.
» COMPARE: The best business lines of credit
Business credit card: A business credit card offers revolving credit that’s ideal for short-term expenses and may be easier to qualify for than a small-business loan. Business credit cards also offer rewards, like cash back or travel points, and can help keep your business and personal finances separate.
» COMPARE: The best business credit cards
Last updated on October 18, 2024
Frequently asked questions
The best loan will depend on your business’s needs. If your business does not have two years or more of history or revenue, a personal loan can make sense as a potential financing option.
You can typically use funds from a personal loan for almost anything, including to fund your business. It's best, though, to research the lender to determine any loan use restrictions it has before you submit an application.
To get a personal loan for business, you will need to apply and be approved with a lender. Approval is typically based on your credit, and once approved, you can receive funds within one week.
- 35+ personal loans reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 20+ years of combined experience covering personal loans and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 20+ categories and 70+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates personal loan products from more than 35 financial technology companies and financial institutions. We collect over 50 data points and cross-check company websites, earnings reports and other public documents to confirm product details. We may also go through a lender’s pre-qualification flow and follow up with 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 consumer-friendly features, including: soft credit checks to pre-qualify, competitive interest rates and no fees, transparency of rates and terms, flexible payment options, fast funding times, accessible customer service, reporting of payments to credit bureaus and financial education. Our ratings award fewer points to lenders with practices that may make a loan difficult to repay on time, such as charging high annual percentage rates (above 36%), underwriting that does not adequately assess consumers’ ability to repay and lack of credit-building help. We also consider regulatory actions filed by agencies like the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to consumers and how meaningfully they impact consumers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for personal loans and our editorial guidelines.
NerdWallet's Personal Business Loans: Compare Financing Options
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