Kapitus provides short-term loans and merchant cash advances for established entrepreneurs with strong revenue, but factor rates may make it hard to compare loan options.
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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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.
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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 .
Kapitus - Term loan
Overview
The bottom line:
Kapitus offers fast funding and high borrowing limits, but its factor rate-based pricing and frequent repayment schedule may not suit every business owner.
Loan details
Min. Loan Amount
$10,000
Min. Term Length
6 months
Max Loan Amount
$750,000
Max Term Length
24 months
Qualifications
Min. credit score
625
Min. Time in Business
24 months
Min. Annual Revenue
$250,000
Pros & Cons
Pros
Offers a variety of business financing options.
Can be used to build business credit.
No prepayment penalties.
Offers daily, weekly or monthly repayment options.
Cons
Factor rates make it difficult to compare loan options.
Qualification criteria is on the high end compared with other online lenders.
You may need to contact a representative to activate your online loan dashboard.
Editor's note: While Kapitus offers other types of business loans, this review focuses on its business term loan and merchant cash advance.
Founded in 2006, Kapitus is an online lender that offers short-term small-business loans and merchant cash advances for business owners with at least 24 months in business and $250000 in annual revenue.
Its term loan provides up to $750000 in working capital to cover everyday business expenses.
Its merchant cash advance (MCA) allows business owners to access up to $5 million in funding, with repayments based on a percentage of future credit or debit card sales. However, Kapitus’s MCA is relatively difficult to qualify for compared with other MCAs, making alternative financing options more attractive.
Kapitus is best for borrowers who:
Have an established business. Applicants must have at least 24 months in business and generate $250000 or more in annual revenue to qualify.
Need access to large funding amounts. Kapitus offers up to $750000 for term loans and up to $5 million for merchant cash advances, making it a potentially good option for small-business owners financing big projects.
Need fast financing. Borrowers in need of fast cash may access funding in as little as 24 hours.
Have sufficient cash flow. Businesses that borrow a large short-term loan may struggle to meet higher repayments if their cash flow isn’t steady enough.
Kapitus loan requirements
To qualify for a term loan or MCA from Kapitus, you’ll need to meet the following minimum requirements:
Credit score: 625.
Time in business: 24 months.
Annual revenue: $250000.
...
Kapitus loan features
Here’s what you can expect from Kapitus’s term loan and merchant cash advance.
Kapitus term loan
Loan amount
$10000 to $750000.
Estimated factor rate
1.10 to 1.45.
Fees
Origination fee of 2.5% to 5% of total loan amount.
Wire fee.
No prepayment penalty.
Terms
6 to 24 months.
Repayment schedule
Daily, weekly or monthly.
Funding speed
As fast as 24 hours.
Kapitus merchant cash advance
Loan amount
Up to $5 million.
Estimated factor rate
Not disclosed.
Fees
Origination fee.
No prepayment penalty.
Terms
On average, borrowers repay their advances in 6 to 24 months.
Kapitus may approve online applications in as little as four hours and provide funding within 24 hours, making it a potential option for small-business owners in need of cash to cover emergency expenses.
High maximum funding amounts
Kapitus offers up to $750000 for its term loan and up to $5 million for its MCA, which are higher than what many other online lenders offer. These high limits may be attractive to established business owners looking to seize time-sensitive business opportunities. However, MCAs are among the costliest forms of business financing, so borrowing at this level can result in a significant repayment burden.
Where Kapitus falls short
Factor rates make it difficult to compare offers
Unlike traditional interest rates that can be used to calculate an annual percentage rate (APR), Kapitus uses a factor rate for both its merchant cash advance and term loan. While common for an MCA, this is an unusual pricing model for a term loan and makes it harder to compare the true cost of financing against lenders that use APRs.
» Convert factor rates to APRs using NerdWallet’s MCA calculator
Its MCA is difficult to qualify for
Merchant cash advances are typically seen as a last resort for small-business owners who can’t secure traditional forms of financing. However, Kapitus’s MCA has qualification criteria similar to those of traditional business loans and lines of credit, including its own term loan. As a result, business owners who qualify for a Kapitus MCA are probably better served applying for a different type of financing, either through Kapitus or another small-business lender.
Alternatives to Kapitus
iBusiness Funding
iBusiness Funding is another online lender offering term loans to businesses with at least 24 months in operation. Unlike Kapitus, it charges a traditional interest rate for its term loan rather than a factor rate, and its repayment terms go up to 60 months. However, its term loan maxes out at $500000 (lower than Kapitus’s maximum) and it requires a slightly higher minimum credit score of 660.
Forward Financing
Forward Financing offers a more accessible merchant cash advance that may be a good fit for startups and business owners with bad credit. Its MCA requires just 12 months in business and a credit score of 500. In comparison, Kapitus requires 24 months in business and a 625 credit score for its MCA. Forward Financing does cap funding at $300000 — significantly lower than Kapitus’s $5 million maximum.