Retail Business Loans: Best Options and How to Get One
Retail Business Loans: Best Options and How to Get One
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Max loan amount
$100,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
35.90-84.90%
Pros
- Fast access to working capital.
- Accepts borrowers with a minimum credit score of 625.
- Streamlined application process with minimal documentation required.
- Can be used to build business credit.
Cons
- Not available in North Dakota.
- May require frequent weekly payments.
- Interest rates can be high compared with traditional lenders.
OnDeck - Line of credit
Best for Working capital needs
Max loan amount
$100,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
35.90-84.90%
Pros
- Fast access to working capital.
- Accepts borrowers with a minimum credit score of 625.
- Streamlined application process with minimal documentation required.
- Can be used to build business credit.
Cons
- Not available in North Dakota.
- May require frequent weekly payments.
- Interest rates can be high compared with traditional lenders.
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
36.00-99.00%
Pros
- Financing available within one business day after approval.
- Simple application with minimal documentation required.
- 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.
- Weekly repayments required over a short term (maximum of 24 weeks).
Fundbox - Line of credit
Best for Startups
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
36.00-99.00%
Pros
- Financing available within one business day after approval.
- Simple application with minimal documentation required.
- 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.
- Weekly repayments required over a short term (maximum of 24 weeks).
Max loan amount
Undisclosed
Min. credit score
700
Pros
- Bank loan with competitive interest rates.
- No collateral required.
- Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program can offer interest rate discounts and other perks.
Cons
- Can be slow to fund.
- Prepayment fees may apply to early repayments.
- Must be an existing Bank of America customer to apply online.
- Charges an origination fee.
Bank of America Business Advantage Unsecured Term Loan
Best for Low interest rates
Max loan amount
Undisclosed
Min. credit score
700
Pros
- Bank loan with competitive interest rates.
- No collateral required.
- Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards program can offer interest rate discounts and other perks.
Cons
- Can be slow to fund.
- Prepayment fees may apply to early repayments.
- Must be an existing Bank of America customer to apply online.
- Charges an origination fee.
Max loan amount
$1,500,000
Min. credit score
570
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.
- Charges an origination fee.
Fora Financial - Online term loan
Best for Bad credit
Max loan amount
$1,500,000
Min. credit score
570
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.
- Charges an origination fee.
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Pros
- Funding in as little as 24 hours.
- Prepayment discounts available.
- Offers loans to startups and borrowers with bad credit.
- No collateral or down payment required.
Cons
- Charges a factor rate that makes it more difficult to compare costs with other lenders.
- Requires higher annual revenue than other online lenders.
- Misleading website marketing: National Funding offers only short-term loans and equipment financing/leasing.
- Charges an origination fee.
National Funding - Equipment financing
Best for Equipment financing
Max loan amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Pros
- Funding in as little as 24 hours.
- Prepayment discounts available.
- Offers loans to startups and borrowers with bad credit.
- No collateral or down payment required.
Cons
- Charges a factor rate that makes it more difficult to compare costs with other lenders.
- Requires higher annual revenue than other online lenders.
- Misleading website marketing: National Funding offers only short-term loans and equipment financing/leasing.
- Charges an origination fee.
SBA 7(a) loan
Best for Large loan amounts
Max loan amount
$5,000,000
Min. credit score
650
Est. APR
10.50-14.00%
Pros
- Large borrowing maximums.
- Interest rates are capped.
- Long repayment terms available.
Cons
- Collateral is typically required.
- Longer processing times than online lenders.
SBA 7(a) loan
Best for Large loan amounts
Max loan amount
$5,000,000
Min. credit score
650
Est. APR
10.50-14.00%
Pros
- Large borrowing maximums.
- Interest rates are capped.
- Long repayment terms available.
Cons
- Collateral is typically required.
- Longer processing times than online lenders.
PayPal Working Capital Loan
Best for PayPal users
Max loan amount
$300,000
Min. credit score
300
Pros
- No credit check required.
- Low minimum revenue requirements based on PayPal sales.
- Funding available within minutes after approval.
Cons
- Automatic daily repayments deducted as a percentage of your PayPal sales.
- Minimum payment of 5% or 10% of your total loan amount every 90 days.
- Fixed fee structure can make it difficult to compare costs to other loans.
PayPal Working Capital Loan
Best for PayPal users
Max loan amount
$300,000
Min. credit score
300
Pros
- No credit check required.
- Low minimum revenue requirements based on PayPal sales.
- Funding available within minutes after approval.
Cons
- Automatic daily repayments deducted as a percentage of your PayPal sales.
- Minimum payment of 5% or 10% of your total loan amount every 90 days.
- Fixed fee structure can make it difficult to compare costs to other loans.
What is a retail business loan?
A retail business loan is a type of financing that’s used to manage or grow your retail business. These loans can be used to:
- Purchase inventory or equipment.
- Make payroll.
- Hire new employees.
- Pay for utilities and other day-to-day expenses.
- Launch marketing or advertising campaigns.
- Upgrade your technology.
- Expand your online presence.
- Improve or expand your physical location.
Types of retail business loans
Many different types of business loans can be used to fund your retail store. Common options include:
Business term loans
With a business term loan, you borrow a lump sum of money from a lender and repay it, with interest, over a specific period of time. Term loans can be good for one-time specific investments in your business.
If you have a larger project, you might prefer a long-term business loan to spread your total costs over a longer time period. Short-term business loans, on the other hand, are better for immediate financing needs.
Business lines of credit
Business lines of credit are more flexible than term loans. A business line of credit allows you to draw from a set amount of funds and only pay interest on the money you draw. When you ’ve repaid what you’ve borrowed, you can continue to draw on the credit line.
As a result, business lines of credit are good for managing cash flow needs and covering everyday expenses. They can also serve as an emergency fund.
🤓 Nerdy Tip
If you need to buy inventory for your retail business, you might consider inventory financing. With inventory financing, the products you buy serve as collateral on the loan, making it easier to qualify for than more traditional loan options. Inventory financing is available as a term loan or line of credit.SBA loans
SBA loans are issued by participating lenders, like banks and credit unions, and partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration.
The most popular SBA loan, the 7(a) loan, can be used for a variety of purposes — making it a good option for the wide-ranging needs of retail businesses. SBA 7(a) loans are available as term loans and lines of credit.
Equipment financing
Equipment financing is used specifically for buying new or used equipment for your business. These loans typically function like term loans — in which you borrow funds and repay them over time, with interest.
Because the equipment you purchase serves as collateral on the loan, however, equipment financing can be easier to qualify for than some other loan options.
Merchant cash advances
A merchant cash advance, or MCA, isn’t technically a loan. Instead, an MCA company gives you an upfront sum of capital that you repay using a percentage of your debit and credit card sales, plus a fee.
MCAs are usually fast to fund and easy to qualify for — and can be well suited for retail businesses that have substantial debit and credit card sales. Keep in mind, however, that MCAs are often expensive, with APRs reaching triple digits, so you’ll likely want to consider other options before turning to an MCA.
Where to get retail business loans
Retail business loans are available from both traditional and online lenders.
Banks and credit unions
Banks and credit unions will typically offer retail business loans with the lowest interest rates and most competitive repayment terms. To qualify, however, you’ll likely need to be an established business with good credit. Bank loans can take anywhere from several days to several weeks to fund.
Some banks and credit unions are also SBA lenders. SBA loans offer long repayment terms and competitive interest rates. Although SBA loans can be slightly easier to qualify for compared to traditional bank loans, you’ll still need to meet strict criteria to get funding. And like bank loans, SBA loans are slow to fund.
Online lenders
Online or private business loans tend to have greater flexibility compared to loans from banks and credit unions. These lenders typically have more lenient qualification requirements and may work with startups or borrowers with bad credit.
Online lenders also offer streamlined applications with minimal documentation. Some lenders can provide funding in just 24 hours. As a result of this speed and flexibility, however, online lenders often charge higher interest rates.
How to get a retail business loan
To get a retail business loan, you can follow these steps:
1. Evaluate your financing needs
Think about how much business capital you need and how you plan to use it. If you’re looking for ongoing access to funds, for example, a working capital line of credit may be the best option. If you need to purchase inventory, on the other hand, you might consider inventory financing.
In any case, you should also make sure that you can afford to take on any potential debt. A business loan calculator can help you estimate payments and total loan costs.
2. Review your qualifications
Most lenders will use a standard set of criteria — personal credit score, annual revenue, time in business — to underwrite your loan application. It can be helpful to know where you stand on these metrics before submitting your application.
Keep in mind that lenders may also consider factors like your cash flow, available collateral and existing debt obligations.
3. Compare lenders
You’ll want to research several different small-business lenders to find the right one for your needs. As you compare your options, you should consider factors such as:
- Loan types.
- Maximum loan amounts.
- Repayment terms and schedule.
- Interest rates and fees..
- Funding speed.
- Application process.
- Lender reputation.
It can also be useful to read online reviews to get a better sense of what it’s like to work with a particular lender.
4. Gather your documentation and apply
Although the business loan application process varies from lender to lender, you’ll generally be asked to provide the following:
- Basic information about you and your business.
- Personal and business bank statements.
- Personal and business tax returns.
- Business financial statements.
- A description of your collateral.
- Existing debt obligations, if applicable.
If you’ve applied with an online lender, you may be able to receive approval and funding by the next business day. Banks and SBA lenders, on the other hand, may take up to several weeks.
Ready to get funding for your retail business?
- If you think you can qualify for a bank loan: Explore the best banks for small-business loans.
- If you need fast access to funds or can’t qualify for traditional options: Compare the best online business loans.
- If you don’t want to take on debt: Consider alternatives like small-business grants or crowdfunding.
Last updated on August 20, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet’s review process evaluates and rates small-business loan products from traditional banks and online lenders. We collect over 30 data points on each lender using company websites and public documents. We may also go through a lender’s initial application flow and reach out to 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 small-business friendly features, including:
- Transparency of rates and terms.
- Flexible payment options.
- Fast funding times.
- Accessible customer service.
- Reporting of payments to business credit bureaus.
- Responsible lending practices.
We weigh these factors based on our assessment of which are the most important to small-business owners and how meaningfully they impact borrowers’ experiences.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodology for small-business loans and our editorial guidelines.
Wondering if you qualify?
It’s possible to get a business loan even if you have bad credit. Bad-credit business loans are available from alternative sources, like online or nonprofit lenders.
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