Best LLC loans in March 2023
Meaghan Hunt is a researcher, writer, and editor across disciplines with a passion for personal finance topics. After a decade of working in public libraries, she now writes, edits, and researches as a full-time freelancer.
Helen Wilbers has been editing for Bankrate since late 2022. He values clear reporting that helps readers confidently land deals and make the best choices for their finances. He specializes in auto and small business loans.
Chloe Moore, CFP®, is the founder of Financial Staples, a virtual, fee-only financial planning firm based in Atlanta and serving clients nationwide.
What To Know First
Limited liability company loans are small business loans used to fund startup costs, expansion, or major purchases for your LLC. Most small business loans are available to LLCs, so it can be hard to choose a lender. Here, Bankrate assesses some of the top picks available in today’s market. You’ll also find advice on qualifying and applying for these loans.
We made sure to pick a mix of loan types to suit different businesses’ needs. We considered each loan’s affordability and accessibility, including their availability across the United States.
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Compare the best fast business loans in March 2023
LENDER AND LOAN TYPE | BEST FOR | MIN. FICO CREDIT SCORE | LOAN AMOUNT | MIN. TIME IN BUSINESS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Bluevine line of credit | LLC line of credit | 625 | Up to $250,000 | 24 months |
Funding Circle term loan | Building business credit | 660 | $25,000-$500,000 | 24 months |
Lendio line of credit | Comparing lender options | 560 | $1,000-$500,000 | 6 months |
Taycor Financial term loan | Unsecured loans | 550 | $10,000-$1 million | 3 months |
Triton Capital equipment loan | Equipment loans | 600 | $10,000-$500,000 | Startups eligible |
Bluevine line of credit: LLC line of credit
- Minimum FICO credit score
- 625
- Minimum annual revenue
- $480,000
- Minimum time in business
- 24 months
- Simple interest rates from
- 6.20%
- Loan amount
- Revolving, up to $250,000
- Term lengths
- 6 or 12 months
Overview: Founded in 2013, Bluevine is a fintech company focused specifically on banking services for small business. In addition to a business checking account, Bluevine offers a revolving line of credit specifically for small businesses. This unsecured revolving line of credit is issued through Celtic Bank, a Utah-chartered industrial bank, member FDIC. Your available credit automatically replenishes as you pay off your balance.
Why Bluevine is the best for LLC lines of credit: With a speedy online application process, Bluevine offers lines of credit for LLCs and other small businesses. Well-qualified and well-established borrowers may enjoy a low starting interest rate.
Pros
- Online application, funding available in as little as 24 hours
- Low starting interest rate
- Minimal fees
Cons
- Not suited for startups
- Unusually high minimum annual revenue
-
Bluevine only lends to companies with 24 months of operating history and $480,000 in annual revenue. You can qualify for monthly rather than weekly payments by doubling those minimums. Additionally, you’ll need a personal FICO score of at least 625.
Lines of credit are unavailable in Nevada, North Dakota and South Dakota. Some industries are ineligible, including political campaigns, controlled substances, pornography and paraphernalia and auto dealerships. Card replacement fees and wire transfer fees may apply.
Funding Circle term loan: Best for building business credit
- Minimum FICO credit score
- 660
- Minimum annual revenue
- No set requirement
- Minimum time in business
- 24 months
- APR from
- 12.45%-45.00%
- Loan amount
- $25,000-$500,000
- Term lengths
- 6 months-7 years
Overview: Funding Circle has backed more than 130,000 businesses around the world since its launch in 2010. The company offers small business lines of credit and SBA 7(a) loans in addition to their business term loans. Funding Circle blends the convenience of an online application with the personal touch of assigning you a dedicated account manager to touch base with once you’ve committed to a loan.
Why Funding Circle is the best for building business credit: Loan payments are reported to credit bureaus Experian and Dun & Bradstreet, so on-time payments may help your business credit score grow.
Pros
- No prepayment penalties
- No FICO credit score impact to apply for LLCs
- Flexible repayment terms ranging from six months to seven years
Cons
- Two years’ time in business required
- Origination fee can be high
-
Funding Circle requires a 660+ FICO score and two years in business, but has no revenue minimums. Applicants must be able to offer collateral such as liens on equipment, vehicles or inventory. All owners with a 20 percent stake or more must be on the loan, and signatories must add up to at least 51 percent ownership. Signatories must have no personal bankruptcies from the past seven years and must provide a personal guarantee.
Funding Circle charges an origination fee of 4.49 percent to 8.49 percent. It also charges a late fee of up to 5 percent.
Lendio line of credit: Best for comparing lender options
- Minimum FICO credit score
- 560
- Minimum annual revenue
- $50,000
- Minimum time in business
- 6 months
- Interest rates from
- 8.00%-24.00%
- Loan amount
- Revolving, $1,000-$500,000
- Term lengths
- 1-2 years
Overview: Lendio is a lending platform that connects borrowers to a network of more than 75 funders. From startup loans to business credit cards, Lendio allows applicants to generate offers from multiple lenders with whom they may qualify to borrow. The Lendio business line of credit option allows you to search based on how much money you need.
Why Lendio is the best for comparing lender options: Lendio matches your business profile and needs with lenders from their network that may be best suited for you. For efficient shopping, this site allows you to compare multiple lenders side-by-side.
Pros
- Highly flexible lines of credit, starting as small as $1,000
- Lower barriers for approval than some competing lenders
- Both secured and unsecured options
Cons
- Can take up to two weeks to receive funds
- Fees vary based on the lender you’re matched with
-
The lenders in Lendio’s network require a minimum credit score of 560, $50,000 in annual revenue and six months or more in business. Both secured and unsecured lines of credit are available, but you’ll need to apply online to determine which option is the best fit for you. Select borrowers qualify for prepayment discounts if they can pay the balance in full before the loan term ends.
Taycor Financial term loan: Best for unsecured loans
- Minimum FICO credit score
- 550
- Minimum annual revenue
- $96,000
- Minimum time in business
- 3 months
- Factor rate from
- 1.10-1.36
- Loan amount
- $10,000-$1 million
- Term lengths
- 4-60 months
Overview: Taycor Financial offers a variety of loan products for businesses, including equipment financing, software financing and startup financing. Taycor has been in business development for over 30 years. The company’s term loans offer highly flexible use terms and repayment options, and can be used for working capital.
Why Taycor Financial is the best for unsecured loans: This lender offers a simple online application process, which requires only three months of banks statements for most requests under $400,000. Plus, borrowers may not need to provide collateral for amounts up to $500,000.
Pros
- Short time-in-business requirement
- Funds are available in as little as 24 hours
- Simple application
Cons
- Personal guarantee required
- Maximum factor rate is relatively high
-
Taycor Financial requires businesses to have at least three months in business and at least $8,000 in monthly revenue. You’ll also need a personal FICO score of at least 550. You can apply online by filling out a one-page application and providing three months of bank statements, along with tax returns. Taycor requires a personal guarantee and may charge an origination fee of up to 5 percent.
Some industries are ineligible for this loan product, including adult entertainment, gaming, gambling and marijuana.
Triton Capital equipment loan: Best for equipment loans
- Minimum FICO credit score
- 600
- Minimum annual revenue
- $350,000
- Minimum time in business
- Available to startups
- Interest rates from
- 5.99%-24.99%
- Loan amount
- $10,000-$500,000
- Term lengths
- 12-60 months
Overview: Like some of its competitors, Triton Capital company rose out of the 2008 recession, offering a solution for small businesses that may struggle with traditional lending. The company’s equipment loans can be used for anything from heavy machinery to medical equipment. Triton Capital’s $500,000 upper limit is generous, but the company requires significant annual revenue to qualify.
Why Triton Capital is the best for equipment loans: This lender offers a quick turnaround on applications and comparatively low-barrier loans for startups looking to expand.
Pros
- Approval within hours and funding within two days
- No set minimum time in business
- Low starting APR
Cons
- Comparatively high annual revenue required, starting at $350,000
- Documentation fee
- Personal guarantee required
-
A minimum FICO score of 600 and minimum annual revenue of $350,000 are required. All owners with at least a 10 percent ownership stake must be on the application and provide a personal guarantee, though the company also supports “corp only” requests. Triton Capital charges a $150 to $750 documentation fee. Equipment loans are secured by the equipment financed.
Some industries are ineligible for this loan product, including the adult, gaming, cannabis, CBD, hemp, day trading and cryptocurrency industries.
The Bankrate guide to choosing the best LLC loans
Limited liability company loans are small business loans used to fund startup costs, expansion, or major purchases for your LLC. Most small business loans are available to LLCs, so it can be hard to choose a lender. Here, Bankrate assesses some of the top picks available in today’s market. You’ll also find advice on qualifying and applying for these loans.
We made sure to pick a mix of loan types to suit different businesses’ needs. We considered each loan’s affordability and accessibility, including their availability across the United States.
A limited liability company is a common type of business entity in the United States. LLCs may be organized in several ways, such as with single-member ownership, multi-membership, or member-managed companies. Members can be individuals, other LLCs or corporations.
An LLC loan is simply a business loan made to an LLC in exchange for repayment plus interest. Most business loans provided by both nontraditional and traditional lenders are available to LLCs.
LLC loans may be used toward expenses including startup or expansion costs, buying inventory or equipment purchases.
LLC loans come in all types, but these are some of the most popular.
SBA loans
SBA loans are partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. While these loans can be harder to qualify for than some others, this is because they are lower risk for lenders. In the event of default, the SBA will repay your lender the portion of the loan it guaranteed.
Term loans
A term loan is a lump sum that is borrowed and repaid over a specified period. For business loans, this window may be anywhere from a few months to 10 years.
Lines of credit
A business line of credit is a fixed amount of money your lender allows you to borrow. Like credit cards, lines of credit are a type of revolving credit. You can borrow flexibly up to your limit and repay over time.
Invoice factoring
Invoice factoring is a type of borrowing that allows businesses to float expenses while awaiting payment of invoices. This is a short-term solution for small businesses with inconsistent cashflow.
You sell your unpaid invoices to the factoring company for between 70 percent and 90 percent of your invoiced amount. Then, the company collects those invoices and pays you the remainder, deducting a percentage as a fee.
How to qualify for an LLC loan
LLC lenders commonly require similar information from applicants. However, the threshold for creditworthiness will differ based on the lender.
Business owners should be prepared with the following information:
-
- Annual revenue
- A business plan (not required by all lenders)
- Your business credit score (not required by all lenders)
- Years in business — some lenders may require a minimum of 12 or 24 months
- Industry information- be aware that some lenders exclude some types of businesses from eligibility
- Loan proposal (not required by all lenders)
- Other debts and obligations
- Your personal financial history, including your FICO score
-
- Profit/loss statements
- Proof of ownership
- Bank statements
- Business license
- Employee identification number (EIN)
- Tax returns
- Balance sheets
- Business insurance
- Payroll records
- Financial projections
- Driver’s license or other photo ID
- Commercial lease agreement
- Accounts receivable and accounts payable
How to apply for an LLC loan
Applying for an LLC loan is much like the process for getting any business loan. Following the steps below can help you to prepare for the process.
1. Choose a type of loan
2. Decide how much money you need, and how much you can afford to borrow
3. Determine your eligibility
4. Compare lenders
5. Gather documentation
6. Apply for a loan
FAQs about LLC loans
-
You may choose a fixed or variable interest rate depending on your business’s risk tolerance. If you have a narrow margin for the repayments you can afford, you may opt for fixed interest in order to ensure steady monthly payments. If you can tolerate some risk and fluctuation in payments due, a variable rate may save you some money over the life of the loan, depending on market conditions.
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Your lender may require a personal guarantee. This agreement states that if your LLC defaults on repayment of the loan, you are personally liable for repayment. This often extends to your personal assets, including your bank accounts, home and vehicles.
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Your new LLC may be able to finance a loan, but remember, many lenders require a certain amount of time in business (six, 12 or 24 months is a common threshold).
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Yes, a number of LLC loans are partially guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). While the SBA does not lend money to businesses, it does back loan products in cooperation with lending partners.
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Factor rates are expressed as a decimal rather than a percentage, as interest rates are. Multiplying the borrowed amount by the factor rate will show you the total cost to borrow, including fees.
Methodology
To choose the best LLC loans, we ensured all loans featured are broadly available across the United States. We then considered features that make loans affordable and accessible to businesses with different characteristics and needs, including interest rates, required time in business, minimum annual revenue and fees. Additionally, lenders were evaluated for notable features such as funding speed and nontraditional eligibility criteria.