The 7 Best Bad Credit Startup Business Loans

Total Rating	4.8
Rates & Fees5.0
Services5.0
Eligibility Requirements4.9
Application4.5
Sales & Advertising Transparency4.4
Customer Service4.9
User Reviews4.9

Pros

Compare offers from multiple lenders with a single application
Long-term funding available

Cons

Not all lenders in Lendio’s network accept bad-credit applicants
Rates can be expensive

Why We Chose Lendio For Best Equipment Financing

Lendio is an easy-to-use online loan matchmaking service that lets you compare and apply to 75+ lenders in just 15 minutes and get funded as soon as 24 hours. Lendio is especially helpful if you’re new to business financing and aren’t sure which options you might qualify for or would work for your business.

Lendio is particularly great for equipment financing, as the service makes it easy to apply to multiple equipment financing companies, including companies that accept businesses that have bad credit and have only been in operation for a few months. Lendio states that if you have bad credit but can show solid revenues for the past 3-6 months, you can qualify for equipment financing.

Lendio Services

Lendio is a loan marketplace that allows small businesses to access funding options like:

Equipment financing
Term loans
Lines of credit
Short-term loans
Merchant cash advances
Business credit cards
Commercial mortgages
Accounts receivable financing

Lendio Rates & Fees

Rates and fees vary by product and lender. For equipment financing, Lendio states that rates start at 7.5%. You can borrow $5,000 to $5,000,000 with repayment terms of one to 10 years.

Lendio Eligibility Requirements

Lendio’s eligibility requirements vary by product and lender. For equipment financing specifically, Lendio recommends you meet the following requirements:

Personal credit score of 520+
Annual revenue of $50,000+

Choose Lendio If...

You want to apply for equipment financing to purchase business equipment
You want to compare multiple offers from 75+ lenders with a single application

Get Started With Lendio

BusinessLoans.com: Best Bad Credit Startup Loans With Borrower Support

BusinessLoans.com

Get Started With BusinessLoans.com

Total Rating	4.0
Rates & Fees4.6
Services4.0
Eligibility Requirements4.1
Application3.0
Sales & Advertising Transparency3.6
Customer Service4.1
User Reviews4.4

Pros

Saves time by sending your application to multiple lenders at once
Great support & guidance for borrowers
Quick & easy application process

Cons

Funds can take a while to disburse
Not all lenders in BusinessLoans.com’s network accept applicants ith bad credit

Why We Chose BusinessLoans.com For Best Loans With Borrower Support

BusinessLoans.com is another loan marketplace in which applicants are connected to loan products from within the company’s lender network. BusinessLoans.com is free to use and will send you loan offers without performing a hard pull on your credit. Also, there is no recommended minimum credit score for loan applicants to meet — the company makes an effort to find loan products for would-be borrowers of all credit levels.

BusinessLoans.com may be a new lending marketplace, but it has already garnered praise for its attention to customer service, as it works with borrowers throughout the matching and application process. You can get matched with a loan by the algorithm and never have to talk to anybody, but if you want individualized assistance, BusinessLoans.com representatives are there to help. Considering all this, adding BusinessLoans.com to this article was an easy call.

BusinessLoans.com Services

Lending products offered through BusinessLoans.com include:

Term loans
Short-term loans
Lines of credit
Merchant cash advances

Lending amounts range from $5,000 to $3 million. If you’re approved, the time to funding ranges from 24 hours to one week.

BusinessLoans.com Rates & Fees

As BusinessLoans.com is a loan marketplace, your rates and fees will depend on the lender and loan product you end up receiving.

BusinessLoans.com Eligibility Requirements

Little eligibility information is provided by the company — notably, there is no minimum credit score to meet. Typically, you’ll need $100,000+ in annual income and 6+ months in business to qualify for a loan, but BusinessLoans.com will attempt to match you with a loan even if you don’t meet these benchmarks.

Choose BusinessLoans.com If...

You want to easily compare loan offers with one application
You want personalized support to find the best loan for your business

National Business Capital: Best Bad Credit Startup Loans With Flexible Requirements

National Business Capital

Get Started With National Business Capital

Total Rating	4.2
Rates & Fees4.0
Services3.5
Eligibility Requirements4.3
Application4.5
Sales & Advertising Transparency4.4
Customer Service4.7
User Reviews4.9

Pros

No credit check for certain financing products (if you meet other requirements)
Relaxed time-in-business and revenue requirements if your credit is 650+
Lends to businesses in the cannabis industry (with 1+ year in business)

Cons

Rates can be expensive
Potentially high annual revenue requirements

Why We Chose National Business Capital For Best Loans With Flexible Requirements

National Business Capital is an online lending marketplace with 75+ lenders and a business model similar to that of Lendio. Interested borrowers can choose from various types of short- and long-term business funding options. Rates can be on the high side, but the financing is fast and easy to qualify for, even if you’re a startup with bad credit.

An interesting fact: National Business Capital will lend to cannabis-related businesses if they have at least one year in operation and $500K+ in annual revenue. “Green” businesses, take note!

National Business Capital Services

National Business Capital can connect you with lenders that offer funding such as:

Term loans
Business lines of credit
Equipment financing
SBA loans
Revenue-based financing

National Business Capital Rates & Fees

Like Lendio and BusinessLoans.com, National Business Capital is a lending marketplace. Your fees and rates will depend on the loan product you qualify for and ultimately receive.

For many products, National Business Capital offers rates starting at 7% to 8%.

National Business Capital Eligibility Requirements

Startups with bad credit will have the best luck qualifying for a small business loan or equipment financing loan through National Business Capital (their LOCs and SBA loans have higher minimum requirements). National Business Capital has very low credit qualifications for financing. However, applicants with a score of 650+ may be able to qualify for financing even if they don’t have any time in business or sales revenue.

National Business Capital typically requires the following to qualify for its small business loans:

1+ year in business
$120K+ annual revenue
580+ credit score

Choose National Business Capital If...

You want to compare offers from various lenders for products like term loans, lines of credit, and equipment financing
You own a cannabis startup and have difficulties getting a loan elsewhere

Fundbox: Best Lines Of Credit For Startups

Fundbox

Total Rating	3.8
Rates & Fees3.1
Services3.6
Eligibility Requirements4.5
Application4.8
Sales & Advertising Transparency3.8
Customer Service3.0
User Reviews4.4

Pros

Simple application
Next-day funding
No draw fee, prepayment fee, origination fee, or maintenance fees

Cons

Frequent repayments are required
Rates can be expensive

Why We Chose Fundbox For Best Lines Of Credit

Fundbox has a convenient short-term lending product for newer businesses with subprime credit: revolving lines of credit up to $150,000. Though short-term loans may not be a good fit if your credit is completely trashed or your business isn’t earning revenue yet, Fundbox loans are quite accessible to businesses that have six months under their belt and are already bringing in some revenue.

Businesses can get a funding decision within three minutes of submitting an application, and funds can arrive in your account as soon as the next business day. While larger and more established businesses will get better terms with another lender, Fundbox’s business lines of credit are available to startup founders with subprime credit. As such, Fundbox’s short-term funding is more accessible than many comparable loan products found elsewhere.

Fundbox Services

Fundbox offers lines of credit up to $150,000.

Fundbox Rates & Fees

Here is what Fundbox discloses regarding its rates and fees.

Term length: 12 or 24 weeks
Borrowing fee: Starts at 4.66% (12-week terms) and 8.99% (24-week terms)
Draw fee: None

Fundbox Eligibility Requirements

With a minimum credit score of 600 and a six-month minimum time in business, Fundbox is suitable for both startups and subprime-credit borrowers. Your business does need to be bringing in at least $100K annually, and very poor credit applicants will not be approved.

Choose Fundbox If...

You want a line of credit to draw from as needed for business expenses
You want an immediate credit decision and funding as quickly as the next business day

Get Started With Fundbox

Upstart: Best Startup Business Loans For No Credit History

Upstart

Total Rating	4.0
Rates & Fees3.6
Services3.4
Eligibility Requirements4.7
Application4.8
Sales & Advertising Transparency4.1
Customer Service3.9
User Reviews4.1

Pros

No time-in-business or business income requirement
Builds personal credit
Considers applicants with no credit

Cons

The origination fee is taken off the top of the loan
Low borrowing amounts

Why We Chose Upstart For Startups With No Credit History

Personal loans provide a means for your brand-new business to receive startup funds, even if you have no business credentials. One personal loan option for startups is Upstart, a lending platform that partners with banks to provide personal loans to eligible borrowers. Read our guide to using personal loans for business for more details on this common practice.

If you don’t have any credit history, Upstart may be able to find you a loan product for which you can qualify. This convinced us to add Upstart to this list of top easy approval startup loans.

Upstart Services

Upstart provides eligible borrowers with personal loans ranging from $1,000 to $50,000

Upstart Rates & Fees

Here’s what Upstart discloses about its rates and fees:

Term length: 3 or 5 years (monthly repayments required)
APR: Fixed at 7.8%-35.99%

After you accept an Upstart loan offer, the funds will usually hit your account by the following business day.

Upstart Eligibility Requirements

Upstart’s minimum credit score is just 300 (the lowest possible FICO score). Notably, Upstart will also consider applicants with no credit — that is, individuals who don’t have enough credit history to generate a FICO score.

Upstart’s underwriting model uses education, employment, and many other variables to make a lending decision. That means college graduates and/or individuals with a steady employment history may have an advantage when applying. However, the only personal income requirement is that you make $12,000 annually.

Choose Upstart If...

You have no credit history and would like other factors (education, employment, etc.) to be considered for a loan
You don’t meet the revenue or time in business requirements for small business loans

Get Started With Upstart

Credibly: Best Merchant Cash Advances For Startups With Bad Credit

Credibly

Get Started With Credibly

Total Rating	3.6
Rates & Fees3.1
Services3.7
Eligibility Requirements3.3
Application4.0
Sales & Advertising Transparency3.6
Customer Service4.3
User Reviews4.0

Pros

Can borrow up to $600K
Will accept very poor credit
Transparent rates and fees

Cons

High revenue requirements

Why We Chose Credibly For Best MCAs For Startups

Credibly originates several types of short-term loans, including merchant cash advances and working capital loans up to $600K, business lines of credit up to $250K, and others. Some of these products are made available through Credibly's network of external funding partners. This company is startup-friendly — though you do need to have been in business for six months — and will accept you even if you have very poor credit.

With Credibly, the money comes through fast, and the amounts you can borrow are pretty high considering the relaxed borrower requirements. A minimum credit score of 500 is quite notable, especially as many competing lenders have tightened their credit score requirements in the face of a turbulent economy. Credibly is also transparent about its rates and requirements, listing all the information you need to know on its website.

Credibly Services

Credibly and its network of funding partners offer the following products:

Term loans
Short-term loans
Lines of credit
Merchant cash advances
SBA loans
Equipment financing
Invoice factoring

Credibly Rates & Fees

Credibly’s rates and fees vary depending on the loan product, but here are the details of Credibly’s working capital loans:

Term length: 3-15 months
Factor rate: As low as 1.11
Origination fee: 2.5% (one-time)

With short-term loans of this type, the total cost of borrowing is front-loaded into a fixed fee, which is expressed as a multiplier referred to as the factor rate. Multiply the amount you’re borrowing by the factor rate, and you’ll know the amount you have to pay back (not counting the origination fee).

Here are the details of Credibly’s merchant cash advances:

Average term length: 3-15 months
Factor rate: As low as 1.11
Underwriting fee: 2.5% (one-time)
Admin fee: $50/month

Credibly Eligibility Requirements

Credibly’s working capital loans and MCAs have a minimum required credit score of just 500, while business lines of credit are offered to applicants with 560+ personal credit.

Credibly’s revenue requirements vary based on the product you select. Your business must be bringing in $15K+/month ($180K/year) to qualify for a working capital loan or MCA. You must also have at least six months of business history.

Choose Credibly If...

You have a credit score of 500+ and are having difficulty finding a loan elsewhere
You need to borrow up to $600K but have a low credit score

Kiva U.S.: Best Crowdfunded Loans For Startups With Bad Credit

Kiva U.S.

Get Started With Kiva U.S.

Total Rating	4.2
Rates & Fees5.0
Services2.9
Eligibility Requirements4.9
Application3.5
Sales & Advertising Transparency5.0
Customer Service4.1
User Reviews4.4

Pros

No credit check
No interest or fees
Flexible repayment plans

Cons

Lengthy application process
You’ll need to conduct a successful crowdfunding campaign
Low borrowing limits

Why We Chose Kiva U.S. For Best Crowdfunding For Startups

Kiva is a nonprofit dedicated to helping small businesses succeed in their communities with interest-free financing. Kiva offers small, crowdfunded loans to entrepreneurs worldwide, but Kiva U.S. is for US-based businesses specifically. According to Kiva, the ideal candidate for its crowdfunded loans is socially aware and has a strong online/social media presence.

Note that these loans are very small, maxing out at $15,000. Additionally, it may take over a month for you to see any funds. However, if your crowdfunding campaign succeeds, you’ll get a completely interest-free loan.

Kiva U.S. Services

Kiva specializes in crowfunded loans up to $15,000.

Kiva U.S. Rates & Fees

Kiva U.S. loans are completely free, with no interest and no fees. However, you must still pay back the loan. Term lengths run from 6-36 months.

Kiva U.S. Eligibility Requirements

With Kiva U.S., there is no credit check, and you don’t even need any time in business or business revenues to qualify. Even better, there is no interest or fees charged, and you can repay with a flexible, convenient repayment plan. However, that doesn’t mean that just anyone can easily get a “free” loan.

Kiva favors community-minded businesses with a compelling story — after all, this is debt crowdfunding, so you need to convince individuals browsing the site to lend to your business instead of another business.

Choose Kiva U.S. If...

Your business has a compelling story and strong social media presence
You’re willing to put in the work to run a crowdfunding campaign in exchange for an interest-free loan

Business Loan & Funding Products Review Methodology

We spend hours researching and evaluating each business loan and funding product that we review at Merchant Maverick, placing special emphasis on key characteristics to generate our ratings.

Weighted Rating Breakdown

Rates & Fees 20%

Services 20%

Eligibility Requirements 20%

Application 15%

Sales & Advertising Transparency 10%

Customer Service 10%

User Reviews 5%

When rating lenders and funding providers, we use a 31-point rubric that looks at rates and fees, services, eligibility requirements, application, sales and advertising transparency, customer service, and user reviews. We weigh each section differently to calculate the total star rating. This rubric is applied to traditional term loans, as well as short-term loans, start-up loans, lines of credit, online lending products, merchant cash advances, and equipment financing products.

Rates & Fees: 20% of the total star rating
Services: 20% of the total star rating
Eligibility Requirements: 20% of the total star rating
Application: 15% of the total star rating
Sales & Advertising Transparency: 10% of the total star rating
Customer Support: 5% of the total star rating
User Reviews: 5% of the total star rating

Each section is further broken down into granular, weighted subsections, in which we examine specific attributes like terms lengths, conditions of repayment, credit score and revenue requirements, ease of application, length of time to funding, the ethics involved in promoting the lending product, customer support, and the overall reputation of the lender or funding provider.

Read more about how we rate small business lenders.

How To Get Easy Approval Startup Business Loans With Bad Credit

Even with bad credit, you may still qualify for a startup small business loan.

First, assess and compare different lenders that cater to new business owners who have bad credit. Generally, you should be able to find a startup loan as long as you’ve been in business for at least a few months and your credit score is at least 500. You’ll also need to show that you have sufficient income (personal or business, depending on the lender’s requirements) to repay the loan.

Once you find a loan that appeals to you (and for which you’re eligible), it’s easy to apply online. If you meet the minimum criteria and are “pre-approved,” the lender will reach out and ask for more information for the underwriting process. Once you return the requested information, you will hopefully receive a “hard” approval and a loan offer. With most online lenders, you’ll receive your funds as soon as 24 hours to a few days after accepting the offer.

Check out our step-by-step breakdown of the startup loan application process for more details.

Bad Credit Startup Business Loan Application Tips

With a few exceptions, the application process for these startup loans is quick, painless, and entirely online. However, startup business loans for borrowers with bad credit are never guaranteed. To increase your chances of startup business loan approval, here are a few tips for applying:

Don’t waste your time applying for startup loans when you don’t meet the minimum qualifications
When you do qualify, apply for multiple loans and then compare your offers to choose the best one (there’s no credit risk in getting pre-approved, as this usually only requires a “soft” credit check)

If you check out some loan or credit card options and are not pleased with the offers you’re getting, you might consider:

Taking steps to improve your personal credit score
Waiting until you’ve been in business for 12 months, after which you’ll qualify for more loans
Looking into alternative business financing options such as crowdfunding

For more business funding alternatives for bad credit, see our full list of options below.

Alternative Startup Funding For Bad Credit Borrowers

If you don’t qualify for small business loans, alternative funding types have more flexible credit score requirements. Consider the following alternatives to startup business loans for bad credit:

Small Business Credit Cards

If you aren’t yet ready for a business loan, a small business credit card for bad credit can be a good way to cover startup expenses while building your credit. Business credit cards are also an effective way to establish a business credit history and separate your personal credit history from your business credit history.

If you can’t get a business credit card, you can even use a personal credit card to cover business expenses. Just be sure not to use the same card to cover personal and business expenses — the IRS will not look kindly on you if you do so.

Corporate Cards

For new businesses registered as corporations, a corporate card is another type of business credit card that can be used to pay for business expenses. Since you are applying as a corporation, the card issuer will not check your personal credit. The caveat is that many corporate card issuers require a high balance in your corporate bank account. For example, Amex’s corporate card program for startups requires a minimum $1 million bank account balance.

On the other hand, fintech outfit Brex offers a corporate credit card without any cash-on-hand or credit score requirements. However, you’ll have to either take in $1 million/year in annual revenue, have 50+ employees, or have received equity investment to qualify.

Small Business Grants

Business grants do not need to be repaid, and no credit check is involved. Various organizations, local governments, and private companies offer small business grants, including startup business grants. However, your company will usually need to meet certain criteria to qualify. For example, some grants require that your business be woman-owned or be operating in a specific city and/or industry.

Crowdfunding

In addition to crowdfunded loans, such as Kiva, other crowdfunding platforms for businesses do not require any repayment (or credit check). Depending on how the service is structured, businesses may need to offer equity in their company or provide backers with a reward related to the project for which they are soliciting funds.

FAQs About Business Loans For Startups With Bad Credit

Can I get a bad credit startup business loan with no credit check?

Almost every lender will at least perform a soft pull of your credit to get an idea of where you stand in terms of credit. Conventional lenders like banks will likely always require a credit check, but there are a few lenders that don’t require a credit check.

Do I need collateral to get a bad credit startup loan?

Bad credit startup loans usually don’t require you to put up any specific collateral or business assets. However, most online startup loans require a UCC-1 blanket lien and/or a personal guarantee.

Can I get an SBA loan with bad credit?

You usually need to have at least fair credit to get an SBA loan. The SBA has different credit score requirements for different loans, but the minimums tend to be in the 600s. For example, the SBA 7(a) loan requires a score of 640, while an SBA Microloan has a minimum of 620.

How can I start a small business with no money and bad credit?

There are a number of different tactics you can take to start a business when you have no money and bad credit. This includes adopting a business strategy with very low overhead or tapping non-traditional sources of financing. Learn more about how to start a small business with no money.

Can I get startup business loans with no revenue?

There are a few lenders, including the “crowdlending” nonprofit Kiva U.S., that offer loans with no revenue requirements whatsoever. However, most startup business loans will carry some degree of revenue requirement. Some lenders offer equipment financing loans to businesses with no revenue yet, however.

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Jason Vissers

Expert Contributor at Merchant Maverick

Jason has been writing about small business software platforms, services, and financing since 2015. Jason’s expertise has been featured in Yahoo Finance, Time/NextAdvisor, Home Business Magazine, CreditCards.com, GoBankingRates, TheLadders.com, and other publications. He has a bachelor’s degree in Political Science from San Diego State University and currently lives in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

@jvizz_mm

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1. Lendio

❮ ❯

Best Equipment Financing Loans For Startups With Bad Credit
Minimum Credit Score: N/A
Revenue: N/A

2. BusinessLoans.com

❮ ❯

Best Bad Credit Startup Loans For Borrower Support
Minimum Credit Score: N/A
Revenue: N/A

3. National Business Capital

❮ ❯

Best Startup Loan For Flexible Borrower Requirements
Minimum Credit Score: N/A
Minimum Revenue: $120K+/year

4. Fundbox

❮ ❯

Best Lines Of Credit For Startups
Minimum Credit Score: 600+
Revenue: $100K+/year

5. Upstart

❮ ❯

Best Easy Approval Loans For No Credit
Minimum Credit Score: 300+ (those with no credit will still be considered)
Revenue: $12K+/year (personal income)

6. Credibly

❮ ❯

Best Merchant Cash Advance For Startups
Minimum Credit Score: 500
Revenue: $15K/month

7. Kiva U.S.

❮ ❯

Best Crowdfunding For Startups
Minimum Credit Score: N/A
Revenue: N/A