Banks offer lower cost but slower, stricter approval; alternative financing is faster and more flexible at a higher price. Urgent, short-term needs usually fit alternative funding.
Check my optionsFinancing options
Bank loans win on price when you qualify and can wait. Alternative financing wins on speed, flexibility and access when the bank says no or the opportunity will not wait.
Amount to request
$85,000.00
Funding range$25K to $5M
*Sample amounts shown. Your actual offer depends on your business and is reviewed before approval.
You can apply at 500; stronger credit opens more products.
Advances, lines of credit and second-position options in one place.
A person reviews your revenue, time in business and bank activity, often within hours.
A human reads the file, not just an algorithm score.
Fast decisions. Applying takes about 5 minutes.
A short application. A soft credit pull to start.
We review revenue, time in business and bank activity, not just a credit score.
You see the amount, the schedule and the full repayment amount before you sign.
Funding in as little as 24 hours for qualified businesses.
A bank loan is underwritten on the full picture: two or more years of tax returns, financial statements, a strong personal score, often collateral and a personal guarantee. In return, the rate is lower and the term longer, which keeps monthly payments small. The process typically runs from a few weeks to a few months, especially for SBA-backed loans.
Alternative financing covers online term loans, lines of credit, merchant cash advances, revenue-based financing and factoring. Many of these are underwritten mainly on bank statements and can decide the same day, with funding the next business day. The trade-off is cost and payment frequency: factor rates and daily or weekly payments make them more expensive per dollar than a bank loan.
The right choice depends on three questions. Do you qualify for the bank, realistically? Can the need wait the bank timeline? Is the use long-term, deserving a long-term rate, or short and high-return? If the answers are yes, yes and long-term, the bank is usually best. If any answer is no, alternative financing is often the practical route.
Many owners use both over time: alternative funding to seize an immediate opportunity or bridge a gap, then a bank or SBA loan once the business has the history and documents to qualify. A marketplace application through MFE shows what is available now, with credit from 500 considered.
For comparison, here is an alternative-financing offer broken down in dollars. Illustrative numbers.
| Amount funded | $50,000 |
| Factor rate | 1.38 |
| Total payback (amount × factor) | $69,000 |
| Fees deducted at funding (2%) | $1,000 |
| Net cash you receive | $49,000 |
| Weekly payment over 44 weeks | $1,568 |
| Same total as daily debits (~220 business days) | $314/day |
Illustrative numbers only. Your offer depends on your file; always compare net cash and total payback in writing.
| Speed | Weeks vs. often next business day |
| Credit | Strong vs. from 500 |
| Documents | Full financials vs. bank statements |
| Cost | Lower vs. higher |
| Payments | Monthly vs. daily, weekly or monthly |
Good fit:
Probably not yet:
Generally yes per dollar borrowed, because it is faster and accepts more risk.
Yes. Many businesses graduate to bank financing as history and credit improve.
Common reasons include limited time in business, lower credit scores, lack of collateral or thin financials.
SBA loans are made by banks and approved lenders with a partial government guarantee; they follow bank-style underwriting.
Put both in dollars: net cash, total payback, payment size and frequency and term.
Sometimes, if cash flow supports both and the bank agreement allows it; disclose both to each lender.
Example uses for illustration only.
Before you apply:
One secure application. A soft credit pull to start. No obligation to accept an offer.
Apply for Funding