Most comparison pages are written by one side and conclude that the side who wrote them wins every time. These do not. Each page below has a section called "Where they are the stronger choice," and it is not decorative.
All comparisons
| Comparison | What they are | Strongest for |
|---|---|---|
| Credibly | Online small-business funder | General working capital |
| OnDeck | Online lender | Conventional term debt |
| Fora Financial | Working capital provider | Revenue-based working capital |
| Bluevine | Business banking and credit line | Banking plus a revolving line |
| Fundbox | Data-connected credit line | Automated line of credit |
| National Funding | Small-business lender | Loans and equipment finance |
| Rapid Finance | Small-business funder | Fast general funding |
| Lendio | Loan marketplace | Maximum option breadth |
| Direct Funding Now | Funding marketplace | Broad small-business funding needs |
| Kudo Funding | Revenue-based financing provider | Established businesses with $20K+ monthly revenue |
| Shopify Capital | Platform-embedded funding | Single-channel Shopify sellers |
| Wayflyer | E-commerce revenue-based finance | E-commerce inventory and ad spend |
| Clearco | E-commerce funding | Online brands, inventory and marketing |
| Kickfurther | Inventory crowdfunding | Planned production runs |
How to use these
Work out what needs to be assessed first. If you need general working capital against your revenue, most providers on this list can do that and you should shop on total cost. If you need someone to look at a supplier quote, an auction listing or a purchase order and decide whether the deal itself works, that narrows the field considerably.
What we will not do
- Quote another provider's rates, fees or approval criteria second-hand. They change, and repeating them is how misinformation spreads.
- Claim we are cheapest. For planned growth with months of lead time, an SBA-backed loan through a bank is usually cheaper than anything here, and we say so on our SBA page.
- Tell you a deal works when the cost of funding exceeds the margin on it.
Common questions
Who is the best business funding provider?
There is no single answer, and anyone who says otherwise is selling. The right provider depends on whether you need general working capital, a revolving line, platform-based e-commerce funding, or funding tied to a specific purchase with a deadline.
Why publish comparisons that recommend competitors?
Because it is the only kind of comparison worth reading. Every page here names the situations where the other provider is the better choice.
Do you publish competitors' rates?
No. Rates and terms change, and second-hand figures are unreliable. Check each provider directly.