Credibility Capital business loans: 2023 review
The Bankrate promise
At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. While we adhere to strict , this post may contain references to products from our partners. Here's an explanation for .
At a glance
| Overall Score | 4.4 |
|---|---|
| Overview | Credibility Capital is an online lender that offers long-term business loans and lines of credit to established, low-risk small businesses. The application process is simple, and you can receive loan proceeds in as soon as three days. |
| Loan amount: | $50,000 to $500,000 |
| APR: | Starting at 9.49% |
| Term lengths: | 3 to 5 years |
| Minimum credit score: | Over 650 |
Who Credibility Capital is best for
Credibility Capital is ideal for established and successful businesses that have been operating for two or more years. You’ll need a personal credit score of at least 650 and an annual revenue of $200,000.
If you can meet their strict guidelines, Credibility Capital may offer you one of the best small business loans around. Their starting interest rates are competitive with the low rates typically offered by banks and traditional lenders but with a faster application and funding process.Who Credibility Capital may not be best for
Given their eligibility requirements, Credibility Capital isn’t a good fit for new businesses or business owners with bad credit. And since all loans are secured with a blanket UCC lien filing along with a personal guarantee, you’ll need to look elsewhere if you want an unsecured business loan.
You should also consider other lenders if your company is headquartered in one of the four states where business loans are unavailable (Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont).
Credibility Capital pros and cons
PROS
-
Able to prequalify
Fast funding
No draw fees or early repayment penalties
Competitive starting interest rates
CONS
-
Not available in all 50 states
-
Additional fees
-
No unsecured loan options
-
Steep eligibility requirements
Business loan types offered
Credibility Capital features two business loan options for small businesses. Both stand out for their long repayment terms and competitive starting rates.Installment loan
The installment loan from Credibility Capital gives you up to five years to pay back your loan with predictable monthly payments. On its website, the lender only gives a starting interest rate of 9.49% for its five-year loan. But a spokesperson stated rates of 8.99 percent to 17.99 percent. These rates are low compared to other lenders, especially alternative online lenders who work with business owners with poor credit.
Credibility Capital’s installment loan doesn’t have many fees. You won’t get charged prepayment or maintenance fees, but there is a one-time closing fee based on the loan amount:
- 4.99% for loans under $100,000
- 3.99% for loans between $100,000 and $199,999
- 2.99% for loans over $200,000
Line of credit
Credibility Capital’s business line of credit gives you access to a pool of funds between $100,000 and $250,000. It comes with a long draw period of two years, and you can access funds up to four times monthly over that period, only paying interest on the amount you borrow.
You’ll repay the outstanding balance in fixed monthly installments over three years when it ends. This is a much longer repayment period than online lenders that only give you anywhere from six to 18 months to pay back your loan.
A long repayment period can make it easier for you to manage finances while operating your business but costs more in the long run. And depending on the interest rate you’re given, it could push your business deep into debt.
Since this type of loan from Credibility is secured by a lien and personal guarantee, it’s not an unsecured line of credit.
There are no draw fees, but you will have to pay a $300 annual maintenance fee during the draw period and a 4.99% commitment fee that can be financed with the initial draw.
You may also have the option to renew your line of credit or refinance the balance into an installment loan for a larger amount than you currently owe to access more cash.
Do you qualify?
Credibility Capital’s loan eligibility requirements aren’t as flexible as other lenders. Here’s what you’ll need to qualify:
- FICO score over 650
- At least 24 months in business
- Minimum annual revenue of $200,000
- Operating in a state Credibility Capital currently serves
- No bankruptcies in the past 5 years
- No current delinquencies greater than $1,000
- No outstanding judgments
- No unsettled or unpaid liens
What we like and what we don’t like
Credibility Capital has a number of features you should look for from a lender, especially if you have a good or excellent credit score. But you’ll need to compare multiple business loan offers to make sure you’re getting the most affordable loan for you.
What we like
- Able to prequalify. Credibility Capital does a soft credit check that doesn’t impact your credit score when you apply for funding.
- Fast funding. Most loans are approved and fully funded in three to five days from the receipt of the application and financial documents.
- No draw fees or early repayment penalties. You won’t pay a fee when borrowing from your line of credit, and there are no prepayment penalties should you decide to repay before the loan term ends.
- Competitive starting interest rate. Creditworthy borrowers may be eligible for a rate as low as 9.49 percent.
What we don't like
- Not available in all 50 states. Business loans are unavailable to businesses in Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota and Vermont.
- Additional fees. Depending on the loan, you may have to pay closing, maintenance or commitment fees.
- No unsecured loan options. All loans require both a blanket UCC lien and personal guarantee from each owner holding a stake of 25 percent or more in the business.
- Steep eligibility requirements. Credibility Capital loans aren’t as accessible as other online lenders.
How to apply for a loan with Credibility Capital
When you’re ready to apply with Credibility Capital, here’s how to move forward:
- Submit an online application. You’ll also need to provide six months of bank statements to receive an initial lending decision.
- Review the loan offer. If you qualify for funding, you’ll get an offer that includes the loan amount, terms and borrowing costs. Upon acceptance of the loan offer, you must provide two years of business and personal tax returns and year-to-date financial statements to complete your application.
- Get the final approval. The lender will review your supporting documents and run a hard credit check before issuing a final loan approval.
- Receive funding. Once the loan is finalized, Credibility Capital will fund the loan. Some borrowers receive loan proceeds or access to the line of credit in as soon as three days.
Credibility Capital FAQs
How Bankrate rates Credibility Capital
Overall Score 4.4 Accessibility 4.4 Credibility Capital isn’t a good fit for new businesses or poor credit. Affordability 4.1 Credibility offers competitively low rates but does have a number of fees to watch out for. Transparency 5.0 Credibility Capital offers more information on its website than many other lenders. Customer experience 4.1 Besides email, there’s not much information on how to contact this lender. Flexibility 4.6 Credibility’s long-term financing for a line of credit stood apart from other online lenders. Methodology
To select the top small business lenders, Bankrate considers more than 20 factors. These factors include loan amounts, approval and funding times, credit requirements, APR or factor rate ranges, fees, and easy-to-find rate and fee disclosures. Bankrate reviewed more than 20 lenders and gave each a rating, which consists of five categories:
- Accessibility: Factors considered in this category include minimum loan amounts, approval and funding speed, minimum annual revenue and minimum credit score.
- Affordability: This section measures interest or factor rates and fees.
- Transparency: How easy it is to find important rates, fees and eligibility requirements are considered in this category.
- Customer experience: Customer service hours, online applications and app availability are considered in this category.
- Flexibility: This category considers factors like the number of loan products and ability to change payment due date.
Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.