National Funding Business Loans: 2023 Review

National Funding offers fast and flexible business loan options, but transparency on its website could be improved.
Randa Kriss
By Randa Kriss 
Edited by Sally Lauckner

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Our Take

4.5

NerdWallet rating 

The bottom line:

Borrowers who can't qualify for more traditional loan options might consider National Funding for fast access to capital.

National Funding - Online Term Loan
Max loan amount
$400,000
Min. credit score
600
Apply now

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Pros & Cons

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.

  • Short-term loans require daily or weekly repayment.

  • Requires higher annual revenue than other online lenders.

  • Misleading website marketing.

Full Review

National Funding is an online lender that issues small-business loans to entrepreneurs in a variety of industries. The company offers short-term, working capital loans as well as equipment financing and leasing.

National Funding is known for its flexible eligibility requirements, simple application process and fast funding timeline. The lender charges interest as a factor rate, however, which can make it difficult to compare costs with those of other lenders.

How Much Do You Need?

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National Funding is best for borrowers who:

  • Need cash fast. National Funding offers a simple application process with minimal documentation required. You can apply, receive a decision and get funding in as little as 24 hours.

  • Can repay the loan early. You may be able to receive a special discount for repaying your loan early. When you get your business loan agreement, National Funding will provide information regarding the discount amount and time parameters. You must pay off your balance in full within the given timeline to access the discount.

  • Don’t meet the eligibility requirements of other lenders. National Funding considers borrowers with at least six months in business as well as those with bad credit.

National Funding loan features

National Funding offers short-term business loans, which can be used to make payroll, purchase inventory and cover working capital needs, among other purposes.

The lender also offers equipment financing and equipment leasing. These options can be used to purchase or lease used or new equipment.

Short-term loan

Equipment financing and leasing

Loan amount

$5,000 to $400,000.

Up to $150,000.

Estimated APR range

National Funding quotes interest as a factor rate — which starts at 1.1 for borrowers with strong credit.

National Funding quotes interest as a factor rate — which starts at 1.1 for borrowers with strong credit.

Fees

  • Origination fee.

  • Late fees as applicable.

  • Origination fee.

  • Late fees as applicable.

Terms

Four to 24 months.

24 to 60 months.

Repayment schedule

Daily or weekly.

Monthly.

Funding speed

As fast as 24 hours but may vary based on your underwriting and bank processing times.

As fast as 24 hours but may vary based on your underwriting and bank processing times.

National Funding loan requirements

To qualify for a business loan from National Funding, you’ll need to meet the following minimum criteria:

  • Credit score: 600 or higher.

  • Time in business: Six months or more.

  • Annual revenue: $250,000 or more.

National Funding also requires that you have a business bank account. If you’re applying for equipment financing or leasing, you’ll need to provide an equipment quote from a vendor as part of your application.

Where National Funding stands out

Quick application and funding

National Funding’s loan application is relatively simple. Business owners can apply online in minutes and get a decision within 24 hours. Plus, approved loans may be funded as soon as the next business day. A business loan from a traditional bank takes days or even weeks to get from application to funds in the bank.

Easier for businesses to qualify

Small-business owners typically need a credit score of 690 or higher to qualify for an SBA loan or to secure a loan through a traditional bank. National Funding offers business loans to borrowers with bad credit (a personal credit score as low as 600).

National Funding can also be a good option for startup companies because the lender requires a minimum of only six months in business to qualify.

Early repayment discount

Instead of charging prepayment penalties, National Funding offers a discount for borrowers to repay their loans early. Before you accept the terms of your loan, National Funding will provide the prepayment discount amounts and details of the offer.

To receive the discount, you must pay off your balance in full, be current and be in good standing within the given time parameters.

Where National Funding falls short

Daily or weekly repayments

National Funding’s short-term loans require daily or weekly payments. This frequent payment schedule can put a strain on businesses with irregular sales or cash reserves that are already stretched thin.

Charges interest as a factor rate

National Funding charges interest on its business loans as a factor rate. Factor rates are multiplied by your loan amount to calculate the total amount you’ll need to repay.

For instance, say you have a 12-month, $20,000 loan with a factor rate of 1.1. To calculate the total cost of the loan, you’d multiply $20,000 by 1.1 to get $22,000.

Compared with more traditional interest rates, factor rates can be hard to understand and make it more difficult to compare loan costs with those of other lenders. Converting your factor rate into an annual percentage rate, or APR, can give you a better sense of your borrowing costs.

Lack of website transparency

National Funding’s website can make it difficult to determine exactly what type of loan products the lender offers. For example, the main navigation allows you to browse “Loans & Financing,” which lists: Small Business Loans, Working Capital Loans, Short Term Business Loans and Equipment Financing and Leasing, among your options. Based on this list, you might be led to believe that National Funding offers four types of loans.

When you investigate further, however, you’ll find that the lender offers only short-term loans and equipment leasing and loans. Similarly, the website also displays loans based on industry (e.g., construction loans, medical practice loans, agriculture business loans), which can cause a similar type of confusion about the actual financing options National Funding offers.

Alternatives to National Funding

OnDeck

OnDeck offers short-term business loans as well as lines of credit with fast funding times and flexible qualification requirements. You can get a short-term loan of up to $250,000 and a line of credit of up to $100,000.

Like National Funding, you can apply for a loan from OnDeck in just minutes and receive approval the same day. Funds can be available in as little as 24 hours.

To qualify for an OnDeck loan, you’ll need a minimum credit score of 625, at least one year in business and a minimum annual revenue of $100,000 or more.

Triton Capital

If you’re looking for an alternative equipment lender to National Funding, you might consider Triton Capital. Triton offers equipment loans up to $250,000 with repayment terms up to five years. Unlike National Funding, however, Triton Capital does not offer equipment leasing.

With Triton, you can finance used or new equipment, and interest rates start as low as 5.99%. You can apply for equipment financing online with minimal documentation and receive approval within two to four hours. After you’ve been approved, Triton is typically able to provide funds within one to two business days.

To qualify for an equipment loan from Triton, you’ll need a minimum credit score of 600 and annual revenue of $250,000 or more. Generally, Triton prefers that companies have two years in business.

Compare small-business loans

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.

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Frequently asked questions