Key takeaways
- A low credit score doesn't have to stop you — many partners underwrite primarily on your revenue and bank deposits, sometimes funding scores in the 500s.
- Revenue-based products like merchant cash advances, invoice factoring, working capital, and equipment financing don't hinge on your personal score.
- Consistency of deposits and time in business matter more than your FICO, and getting matched does not require a hard credit pull.
- Easier-to-get funding is usually more expensive, so the lowest-cost option you qualify for is checked first.
Bad credit doesn’t have to mean no funding
Traditional banks lean heavily on your personal credit score, which is why a rough credit history so often ends in a decline. But a large part of the business funding market works differently: these lenders look at how your business actually performs — your monthly revenue, the consistency of your bank deposits, and (for factoring) the creditworthiness of your customers.
Options that don’t hinge on your score
- Merchant cash advances — funding based on your sales; repaid as a share of daily or weekly revenue. The most accessible and fastest option.
- Invoice factoring — approval based on your customers’ credit, not yours, since you’re advancing money you’ve already earned.
- Short-term working capital — underwritten largely on recent bank statements rather than a minimum credit score.
- Equipment financing — the equipment secures the loan, which makes approval easier even with weaker credit.
An honest note on cost
Easier-to-get funding is usually more expensive. We’ll always check whether you qualify for a lower-cost loan or line of credit first, and only steer you toward higher-cost options when speed or accessibility is what matters most. Improving your deposits and time in business widens your options over time.