Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
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or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Senior Writer & Content Strategist | Small business, business banking, business loans
Randa Kriss is a senior writer and NerdWallet authority on small business. She has nearly a decade of experience in digital content. Prior to joining NerdWallet in 2020, Randa worked as a writer at Fundera, covering a wide variety of small-business topics and specializing in the lending and banking spaces. Her work has been featured by The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Nasdaq, among others. Randa earned a bachelor's degree in English and Spanish at Iona University (formerly Iona College).
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
Sally Lauckner has over a decade of experience in print and online journalism. Before joining NerdWallet, Sally was the editorial director at Fundera, where she built and led a team focused on small-business content. Her prior experience includes two years as a senior editor at SmartAsset, where she edited a wide range of personal finance content, and five years at the AOL Huffington Post Media Group, where she held a variety of editorial roles. She has a master's in journalism from New York University and a bachelor's in English and history from Columbia University. Email: slauckner@nerdwallet.com.
NerdWallet's content is
fact-checked for accuracy, timeliness, and relevance by humans.
It undergoes a thorough review process involving writers and editors to ensure
the information is as clear and complete as possible. Learn more by checking
our
Editorial Guidelines.
Content was accurate at the time of publication.
Why trust NerdWallet
250+ small-business products reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
80+ years of combined experience covering small business and personal finance.
50+ categories of the best business loan selections.
NerdWallet's small-business loans content, including ratings, recommendations and reviews, is overseen by a team of writers and editors who specialize in business lending. Their work has appeared in The Associated Press, The Washington Post, MarketWatch, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur, ABC News, MSN and other national and local media outlets. Each writer and editor follows NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity to ensure accuracy and fairness in our coverage.
Advertiser disclosure
You’re our first priority.
Every time.
We believe everyone should be able to make financial decisions with
confidence. And while our site doesn’t feature every company or
financial product available on the market, we’re proud that the guidance
we offer, the information we provide and the tools we create are
objective, independent, straightforward — and free.
So how do we make money? Our partners compensate us. This may influence
which products we review and write about (and where those products
appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or
advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. Our
partners cannot pay us to guarantee favorable reviews of their products
or services. Here is a list of our partners .
Headway Capital - Line of credit
Overview
The bottom line:
Headway Capital’s fast line of credit can be a good option for startups and borrowers with fair or bad credit.
Loan details
Min. Loan Amount
$5,000
Min. Term Length
12 months
Min. APR
35%
Max Loan Amount
$100,000
Max Term Length
24 months
Max APR
80%
Qualifications
Min. credit score
625
Min. Time in Business
6 months
Min. Annual Revenue
$50,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
Flexible qualification requirements.
No prepayment penalties.
Funds available by next business day after approval.
Cons
Most borrowers are subject to a 2% draw fee.
Not available in all U.S. states.
Headway Capital is an online lender that issues business lines of credit. The company is known for its fast funding process and flexible qualification requirements.
Headway Capital is best for borrowers who:
Need fast cash. You can complete Headway’s simple and straightforward application and find out if you qualify for a credit line in just minutes. After you’ve been approved, you can receive funds as quickly as the next business day.
Have newer businesses. Headway only requires a minimum of 6 months in business and $50000 in annual revenue (about $4,167 per month) for you to qualify. In addition, the lender does not require you to secure your financing with physical collateral, making this credit line well suited for startups that have limited assets.
Have fair or bad credit. Headway considers several factors when underwriting your loan application, not just your credit score. You’ll only need a minimum personal credit score of 625 to qualify.
Headway Capital offers a flexible, revolving business line of credit.
Like most credit lines, you can use Headway’s line of credit for a variety of purposes, drawing funds as you need them. You only pay interest on the funds you draw. Once you’ve paid back the money you’ve borrowed, you can continue to draw on the line.
Here’s what you need to know about this product:
Credit line amount
$5,000 to $100,000.
Estimated APR range
35% to 80%.
Fees
2% draw fee applicable in most states. A draw fee is charged each time you take funds from your credit line.
Terms
12, 18 or 24 months.
Repayment schedule
Weekly or monthly.
Funding speed
Funds available within one business day of approval.
Headway Capital requirements
To qualify for a Headway Capital line of credit, you’ll need to meet the following requirements:
Minimum credit score: 625.
Minimum time in business: 6 months.
Minimum annual revenue: $50000.
You will also need a business bank account. If you’ve been operating for less than one year, you’ll be asked to provide six months of business bank statements.
Headway Capital will require you to sign a personal guarantee. The lender will only take out a Uniform Commercial Code (UCC) lien on your business, however, if you miss payments and your account goes into default.
Headway Capital does not provide financing to businesses in the following states: Arkansas, Connecticut, Montana, Michigan, North Dakota, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Dakota and Vermont.
Where Headway Capital stands out
Fast access to funds
With Headway Capital’s line of credit, you can get fast access to working capital. You can submit an initial application in just minutes by providing basic information about yourself and your business.
If you’re eligible, you’ll receive a pre-qualification offer. This offer will allow you to choose your repayment term and initial draw amount. Then, you’ll be prompted to sign a business loan agreement and provide business bank statements.
After you’re approved, the initial draw amount will be deposited into your bank account and you can pull from the funds immediately. It typically takes one business day to receive your funds.
Easy to qualify
Compared with more traditional business loan options, Headway offers flexible qualification requirements, especially for new businesses and borrowers with bad credit.
Whereas a bank may require a minimum credit score close to 700 and two years in business, you’ll only need a credit score of 625 and 6 months in business to qualify for Headway’s line of credit. The lender also doesn’t require you to secure your credit line with physical collateral, which may be appealing to businesses with limited assets.
Although businesses in certain states will be subject to a 2% draw fee, Headway Capital doesn’t charge any other extraneous fees. The lender does not charge a monthly or annual maintenance fee, an origination fee or an inactivity fee.
You can also repay your outstanding balance at any time without incurring a prepayment penalty.
Where Headway Capital falls short
Low borrowing maximum
If you’re looking for a large credit limit, you may want to consider alternative options, as Headway only offers lines of credit up to $100,000. Some competitors, like American Express and Bluevine, can provide higher maximums — up to $250,000.
Headway Capital does not report your payment history to the commercial credit bureaus. While this means that you can’t hurt your business credit score using a Headway line of credit, it also means you can’t build business credit either.
Building business credit can be particularly important for newer companies, as doing so can help them qualify for larger loan amounts, more competitive interest rates and longer repayment terms in the future.
Although online lenders may be less likely to report to the commercial credit bureaus compared with bank lenders, some companies, like OnDeck, can help you build business credit.
Alternatives to Headway Capital
Fundbox
If you have a slightly lower credit score or want to avoid a draw fee, Fundbox may be worth considering as an alternative to Headway Capital.
Fundbox offers a business line of credit in amounts up to $150,000. Annual percentage rates can range from approximately 36% to 99% — a bit higher than Headway — but Fundbox does not charge a draw fee. Repayment is required on a weekly basis, with 3- or 6-month terms.
To qualify for a Fundbox line of credit, you’ll need a minimum credit score of 600, at least 3 months in business and a minimum annual revenue of $100,000.
SBA microloans
SBA microloans offer competitive interest rates for borrowers who may not qualify for other traditional loan options.
SBA microloans are available in amounts up to $50,000 with repayment terms as long as seven years. Interest rates typically range from 8% to 13%, significantly lower than Headway Capital offers. Although these are term loans — and not lines of credit — they can provide funding for a variety of working capital needs.
Unlike other types of SBA loans, SBA microloans are targeted toward traditionally underserved businesses, including startups and those with bad or limited credit. Specific requirements will vary based on the microlender, but you may be able to qualify with a minimum credit score of 620 and less than two years in business.
Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
In most cases, no, Headway Capital does not do a hard credit pull. When you submit your application, Headway will perform a soft credit inquiry, which will not impact your credit score. If your credit file is restricted, however, the lender will contact you to lift the restriction, which may result in a hard credit pull.
Yes, Headway Capital is a direct business lender. Headway is part of the larger financial services organization Enova International, which also owns online lending companies OnDeck and The Business Backer.
Headway lines of credit may have a 2% draw fee, depending on your state. Business owners in Colorado and Georgia, for example, will not have a draw fee.