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Secured Business Line of Credit: Best Options for 2024

By Randa Kriss
Last updated on September 27, 2024
Edited by Sally Lauckner
Fact checked and reviewed
Secured business lines of credit allow you to leverage your assets to access affordable working capital.

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Secured Business Line of Credit Basics

Loan amount$1,000 to $5 million
Repayment termsUp to 10 years
APRStarting at 8.5%
Funding speed1 day to several weeks

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.

Here are 5 of the best secured business lines of credit

LenderNerdWallet RatingMax loan amountMin. credit scoreNext steps

SBA CAPLines of credit

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Best for large funding amounts

$5,000,000650

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Bank of America Cash Secured Line of credit

Read Review
4.7/5

Best for new businesses

Undisclosed670
Read Review

Wells Fargo Prime line of credit

Read Review
4.6/5

Best for established businesses

$1,000,000680
Read Review

American Express® Business Line of Credit*

Read Review
5.0/5

Best for low-revenue businesses

$250,000660
Read Review

Bank of America Secured Business Line of Credit

Read Review
4.1/5

Best for low interest rates

UndisclosedUndisclosed
Read Review

Here are 5 of the best secured business lines of credit

Best for large funding amounts

U.S. Small Business Administration

Max Amount

$5,000,000

Min. Credit Score

650

Best for new businesses

Bank of America

Max Amount

Undisclosed

Min. Credit Score

670

Best for established businesses

Wells Fargo

Max Amount

$1,000,000

Min. Credit Score

680

Best for low-revenue businesses

American Express Business Blueprint™

Max Amount

$250,000

Min. Credit Score

660

Best for low interest rates

Bank of America

Max Amount

Undisclosed

Min. Credit Score

Undisclosed

I'M INTERESTED IN:

Our pick for

large funding amounts

SBA CAPLines offer up to $5 million — more than other secured credit line options. You can choose from four lines of credit, each designed for a specific purpose, including working capital, seasonal slows, construction and contract orders.

SBA CAPLines of credit

Read Review

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Max loan amount
$5,000,000
Min. credit score
650
Est. APR
10.75-14.25%

Pros

  • Line of credit options for seasonal, working capital, building and contracting needs.
  • Large maximum borrowing amounts.
  • Competitive interest rates and repayment terms.

Cons

  • Typically requires good credit and multiple years in business.
  • Slow to fund.
  • Collateral and/or down payment may be required.

SBA CAPLines of credit

Max loan amount
$5,000,000
Min. credit score
650
Est. APR
10.75-14.25%

Our pick for

new businesses

Companies with at least six months in operation can use Bank of America’s secured credit line to establish business credit. Timely payments can help borrowers graduate to an unsecured line of credit option.

Bank of America Cash Secured Line of credit

Read Review
Max loan amount
Undisclosed
Min. credit score
670

Pros

  • Available to borrowers with at least six months in business.
  • No origination fee.
  • Responsible spending can help you graduate to an unsecured credit line.

Cons

  • Credit limit is based on the security deposit you provide.
  • Must have a Bank of America checking or savings account to apply.

Bank of America Cash Secured Line of credit

NerdWallet rating 
4.7/5
Max loan amount
Undisclosed
Min. credit score
670

Our pick for

established businesses

Wells Fargo’s secured business line of credit is available in amounts up to $1 million. This credit line is designed for established, high-revenue companies that need to finance larger working capital needs.

Wells Fargo Prime line of credit

Read Review
Max loan amount
$1,000,000
Min. credit score
680
Est. APR
8.25%

Pros

  • High maximum credit line amount.
  • Competitive interest rates and repayment terms.

Cons

  • Can’t apply online.
  • Origination fee charged at opening and annual renewal.

Wells Fargo Prime line of credit

NerdWallet rating 
4.6/5
Max loan amount
$1,000,000
Min. credit score
680
Est. APR
8.25%

Our pick for

low-revenue businesses

The American Express Business line of credit is secured by business assets, and amounts range between $2,000 and $250,000. The minimum annual revenue requirement is only $36,000, or an average of $3,000 per month.

American Express® Business Line of Credit*

Read Review
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
660

Pros

  • Streamlined application process with minimal paperwork.
  • Financing from $2,000 to $250,000 available.
  • Accepts borrowers with a minimum FICO score of at least 660 at the time of application.
  • Monthly repayment schedule (as opposed to daily or weekly).
  • No prepayment penalties, account maintenance fees or draw fees.

Cons

  • Must have online checking or PayPal account to verify cash flow.
  • Complex monthly fee structure makes it difficult to compare costs to other lenders.

American Express® Business Line of Credit*

NerdWallet rating 
5.0/5
Max loan amount
$250,000
Min. credit score
660

Our pick for

low interest rates

Bank of America’s secured line of credit can be secured by a blanket lien on business assets or a certificate of deposit (CD). Interest rates are competitive, but you’ll need at least two years in business and a minimum annual revenue of $250,000 to qualify.

Bank of America Secured Business Line of Credit

Read Review
Max loan amount
Undisclosed
Min. credit score
Undisclosed

Pros

  • Bank line of credit with competitive interest rates.
  • Lender reports to business credit bureaus.
  • Bank of America’s Preferred Rewards for Business program can offer interest rate discounts and other perks.

Cons

  • Can be slow to fund.
  • High annual revenue requirement.
  • Charges an origination fee.
  • Prepayment fees may apply to early repayments.

Bank of America Secured Business Line of Credit

NerdWallet rating 
4.1/5
Max loan amount
Undisclosed
Min. credit score
Undisclosed

How Much Do You Need?

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What is a secured business line of credit?

A secured business line of credit is backed by specific collateral, typically tangible business assets like property, equipment or inventory. If you can’t repay your credit line, your lender can seize your pledged assets to recover its losses.
Providing collateral reduces risk for the lender — allowing you to access the most competitive interest rates and repayment terms. This security can also help strengthen your small-business loan application, especially if you’re a newer business or have a rocky credit history.
Some lenders may also require a personal guarantee and/or a Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) filing — in addition to specific collateral.
A personal guarantee holds you personally responsible for the debt if your business can’t pay, and a UCC filing allows your lender to seize your business assets if you default. These documents provide further protection for your lender to ensure that your credit line is repaid.

How does a secured business line of credit work?

Like any other business line of credit, a secured credit line allows you to borrow from a set limit of funds and only pay interest on the money you borrow.
Then, you repay what you’ve borrowed over time — usually on a weekly or monthly schedule.
You can continue to draw on your credit line, as needed, provided that you make timely payments and don’t exceed your credit limit.

Unsecured vs. secured business line of credit

Unlike secured lines of credit, unsecured business lines of credit are not backed by physical collateral. These credit lines may, however, require a personal guarantee and/or UCC lien.
Despite the terminology, it’s unlikely that you’ll find an unsecured line of credit that doesn’t include any protection for the lender.
When you don’t provide collateral, lenders may see your business as more of a risk. As a result, unsecured lines of credit tend to have lower funding amounts, shorter repayment terms and higher interest rates compared with secured credit lines.

Pros and cons of a secured business line of credit

Pros

Providing collateral offsets some of a lender’s risk, which may help you qualify for more competitive interest rates and terms.

Offering collateral can help strengthen your application, especially if you’re a startup or have poor credit history.

Cons

A lender will typically require documentation about the asset you’re pledging as collateral, and possibly conduct an appraisal, which can slow the application process.

You may be at risk of losing your assets if you fail to repay your line of credit.

Why you might choose a secured business line of credit

  • You have collateral. If you have business assets like vehicles, large equipment, commercial real estate or even cash, you may consider using it to make your credit application more attractive to lenders.  
  • You want more competitive rates and terms. Securing your line of credit with valuable collateral reduces a lender’s risk, which can lead to lower interest rates and more favorable repayment terms for your business. 
  • You’re looking to build business credit. If your lender reports to business credit bureaus, secured business lines of credit can be a great way to build business credit, though you’ll need to make sure you use the line responsibly and make on-time payments. Established business credit can help your business access more capital, with more affordable rates and terms in the future. 
  • You want flexible financing. Securing a business line of credit can allow you to access a flexible form of financing. Having a line of credit means you can access capital fairly quickly as needed, but you only pay interest on the amount you draw.

Minimum requirements for a secured business line of credit

Red credit card standing alone.
Credit score: 650 - 700+Many secured business lines of credit are issued by traditional lenders, who usually require a stronger credit score.
Sign with a "we are open" text.
Time in business: 6 months - 2 yearsSome lenders offer secured lines of credit that are designed for startups. Most credit lines, however, will require a longer time in business.
A calculator with cash next to it.
Annual revenue: $36,000 - $250,000+Traditional lenders tend to require solid revenue. Online credit lines and startup-specific products may be more flexible.

Where to get a secured business line of credit

Secured business lines of credit are available from traditional and online lenders. The right option for you will depend on factors such as funding needs, speed, interest rates and qualifications, among others.

Banks and credit unions

Banks and credit unions will typically provide credit lines with the most competitive interest rates and terms. These lenders may offer different ways to secure your line of credit — like a certificate of deposit or non-real estate business assets.
To qualify, however, you’ll generally need multiple years in business, good credit and strong finances. Business bank loans are also slow to fund. Wells Fargo’s secured credit line, for example, takes up to two weeks just for processing after you’ve submitted your documentation.

SBA lenders

SBA lenders, usually banks and credit unions, provide secured credit lines through the CAPLines program, which is part of the 7(a) loan program.
There are four types of these SBA lines of credit, designed for specific use cases, such as working capital, seasonal slows and contract orders. To qualify, you’ll need to meet standard requirements for the SBA 7(a) loan program as well as criteria for the individual credit line you need. Collateral requirements also vary based on the specific credit line.
If you’re looking specifically for a working capital line of credit, you might consider the SBA 7(a) Working Capital Pilot program. This pilot program allows business owners to borrow against their accounts receivable and inventory. You may be able to qualify if you’ve been generating revenue for 12 months or more.

Online lenders

Online lenders tend to provide fast, flexible funding. Compared with bank and SBA lenders, these companies typically have more lenient qualification requirements but higher interest rates.
Although some online lenders may issue secured credit lines, many offer unsecured lines of credit instead. If you need faster access to working capital but don’t want to pay a premium on speed and flexibility, you might try talking to an online lender about its collateral policies.
Though the lender may not require collateral, it may allow you to secure your line of credit to access more competitive terms.
Last updated on September 27, 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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Frequently Asked Questions