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Best Business Loans for Companies With Low Revenue

By Rosalie Murphy, Edited by Ryan Lane | Last updated on September 9, 2022
The more revenue your business generates, the more business loan options you’ll likely have. Here are some low-revenue choices.

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Many lenders have minimum revenue requirements for a small-business loan, often starting at $100,000 annually. But revenue is just one factor they consider — qualifications like your personal credit score and business history also matter. So if your revenue is low but your business is otherwise strong, you may be able to find financing options that work for you.
Here are the best business loan options for businesses with low revenue.

How much do you need?

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We’ll start with a brief questionnaire to better understand the unique needs of your business.

Once we uncover your personalized matches, our team will consult you on the process moving forward.

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Here are 5 low-revenue business loans

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Lender
NerdWallet Rating
Max loan amount
Min. credit score
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American Express Business Blueprint™ - Line of credit

on American Express Business Blueprint™'s website

4.5/5

Best for Business line of credit with low revenue requirement

$250,000640

on American Express Business Blueprint™'s website

Funding Circle - Online term loan

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5.0/5

Best for Business loan with no stated revenue requirement

$500,000660

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SBA Microloan

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Best for Government-backed loan with no revenue requirement

$50,000620

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Fundbox - Line of credit

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5.0/5

Best for Annual revenue of more than $100,000

$150,000600

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OnDeck - Online term loan

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5.0/5

Best for Annual revenue of more than $100,000

$250,000625

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Here are 5 low-revenue business loans

Best for Business line of credit with low revenue requirement

American Express Business Blueprint™

Max Amount

$250,000

Min. Credit Score

640

Best for Business loan with no stated revenue requirement

Funding Circle

Max Amount

$500,000

Min. Credit Score

660

Best for Government-backed loan with no revenue requirement

U.S. Small Business Administration

Max Amount

$50,000

Min. Credit Score

620

Best for Annual revenue of more than $100,000

Fundbox

Max Amount

$150,000

Min. Credit Score

600

OnDeck

Max Amount

$250,000

Min. Credit Score

625

Our pick for

Business line of credit with low revenue requirement

American Express Business Blueprint™ offers a business line of credit to businesses with an average monthly revenue of at least $3,000. A line of credit is flexible financing that you can draw on as needed and pay back over time.

American Express Business Blueprint™ - Line of credit

4.5
NerdWallet rating 
Read Review

on American Express Business Blueprint™'s website

Max Loan Amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
640
American Express Business Blueprint™ loans are a good option for business owners with fair credit who want access to working capital.
4.5
NerdWallet rating 

Max loan

$250,000

Min. Credit score

640

American Express Business Blueprint™ loans are a good option for business owners with fair credit who want access to working capital.
Read Review

on American Express Business Blueprint™'s website

Our pick for

Business loan with no stated revenue requirement

Funding Circle’s term loan doesn’t list a revenue requirement, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy to qualify for. You’ll need a strong personal financial history and several years in business.

Funding Circle - Online term loan

5.0
NerdWallet rating 
Read Review

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Max Loan Amount
$500,000
Min. credit score
660
Est. APR
5.99-16.49%
Funding Circle is an option for established businesses that are financing an expansion or refinancing debt.
May fund quickly
5.0
NerdWallet rating 

Max loan

$500,000

Min. Credit score

660

Apr range

5.99-16.49%

Funding Circle is an option for established businesses that are financing an expansion or refinancing debt.
Read Review

with Fundera by NerdWallet

Our pick for

Government-backed loan with no revenue requirement

SBA microloans are issued by nonprofit community financial institutions, and these loans may be more available to lower-revenue businesses than other government-backed options. The average SBA microloan is around $13,000.

SBA Microloan

Read Review

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Max Loan Amount
$50,000
Min. credit score
620
Est. APR
8.00-13.00%
The average microloan is roughly $13,000, according to the Small Business Administration.

Max loan

$50,000

Min. Credit score

620

Apr range

8.00-13.00%

The average microloan is roughly $13,000, according to the Small Business Administration.
Read Review

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Our picks for

Annual revenue of more than $100,000

Once you hit $100,000 in annual revenue, you’ll potentially have a number of additional online business loan options — even if other qualifications (like your credit score) aren’t ideal.

Fundbox - Line of credit

5.0
NerdWallet rating 
Read Review

with Fundera by NerdWallet

Max Loan Amount
$150,000
Min. credit score
600
Est. APR
10.10-79.80%
Fundbox offers a business line of credit to fill a cash-flow gap, and qualifying is easier than with other lenders.
May fund quickly
5.0
NerdWallet rating 

Max loan

$150,000

Min. Credit score

600

Apr range

10.10-79.80%

Fundbox offers a business line of credit to fill a cash-flow gap, and qualifying is easier than with other lenders.
Read Review

with Fundera by NerdWallet

OnDeck - Online term loan

5.0
NerdWallet rating 
Read Review

with Fundera by NerdWallet

Max Loan Amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
625
Est. APR
29.90-97.30%
OnDeck offers a fast term loan for small-business owners with less-than-stellar credit who want to expand.
May fund quickly
5.0
NerdWallet rating 

Max loan

$250,000

Min. Credit score

625

Apr range

29.90-97.30%

OnDeck offers a fast term loan for small-business owners with less-than-stellar credit who want to expand.
Read Review

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Minimum requirements for a loan

The Nerds are here to help you find the right loans for your business needs.

Credit Score

550 or higher

Annual Revenue

at least $50k

Time in Business

6 months or more

How Much Do You Need?

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What is revenue, and why does it matter to business lenders?

Revenue is the amount of money your business brings in by selling your products or services. Steady and consistent sales show that you’re executing on your business plan. This demonstrates to would-be lenders that you know how to run a small business — and that you’ll be able to repay your debt.
Beyond that, your revenue speaks to your business finances, not just your personal finances. Your credit score can be important in applying for a small-business loan because it demonstrates personal financial security, but lenders want to see that you’re a responsible business owner, too.
» MORE: What is operating revenue?

How to enter revenue on a business loan application

If you’re applying for a business loan online, the lender may have you enter your estimated annual revenue during the initial, automated approval process. Accounting software can help you make an accurate revenue estimate, as well as keep your books up to date.
If you’re tentatively approved for a loan, lenders will usually ask for financial statements to back up your revenue estimates. Your accounting software or bookkeeper can generate the documents you’ll need to share with lenders to do this, like a profit and loss statement.

Business loans with no revenue requirement

Funding Circle does not have a revenue requirement. That doesn’t mean these loans are easy to qualify for, though — you will need at least two years in business, as well as a credit score of at least 660. Funding Circle says its average borrower has annual revenue of $1.4 million and has been in business for 11 years.
SBA loans are government-backed loans issued by financial institutions, usually banks. These loans actually have a maximum revenue requirement by industry, not a minimum one, because they’re only intended for small businesses.
But SBA lenders can set their own requirements for borrowers. They are likely to have credit score and time in business requirements, and may also have minimum revenue standards. If you’re a very small business, your best bet may be SBA microloans, which are the smallest SBA loans but tend to be the easiest to qualify for.
» MORE: How to get a business loan with no money

Business loans with low annual revenue requirements

The smaller your business is, the more limited your loan options are. But some lenders offer products for businesses with less than $100,000 in annual revenue.
For example, the American Express® Business Line of Credit uses a monthly revenue requirement — an average monthly revenue of at least $3,000, which translates to just $36,000 in annual sales. American Express uses your online checking account to verify your cash flow.

If your annual revenue is $100,000 or more

Once your business breaks $100,000 in annual revenue, you’ll have access to more funding options from online lenders — even if you have bad credit or just a few months in business.
Fundbox requires a minimum credit score of just 600 and only six months in business. You’ll have to make weekly repayments, though, and loan terms max out at just 24 weeks.
OnDeck has a line of credit of up to $100,000 and a term loan of $5,000 to $250,000, which both have a minimum annual revenue requirement of $100,000.
You’ll also begin qualifying for some business bank loans at this revenue level. In general, banks require higher credit scores and more time in business than online lenders do. But their interest rates can be significantly lower.

Alternative financing options for businesses with low revenue

If you’re struggling with business loan requirements, other business financing products may be a better fit.
Business credit cards: If you have good personal credit, business credit card issuers may not consider your time in business or revenue history. A business credit card can be a helpful tool for covering cash-flow gaps and making larger purchases while you’re building your business financial history.
Invoice factoring: With this financing method, also known as accounts receivable factoring, your business sells invoices for work you’ve completed to a factoring company. Instead of waiting for your clients to pay you, you can get cash right away, albeit slightly less than you’re owed. This can be a good way to generate cash fast without taking on debt.
Merchant cash advances: A merchant cash advance lender will give you a loan, then recoup payment by taking a percentage of your credit card sales until the loan and interest are paid off. While these loans can be easy to qualify for, their high APRs have the potential to trap you in a cycle of debt.

Find the right business loan

The best business loan is generally the one with the lowest rates and most ideal terms. But other factors — like time to fund and your business’s qualifications — can help determine which option you should choose. NerdWallet recommends comparing small-business loans to find the right fit for your business.
Last updated on September 9, 2022