Comparison
The same $50,000 need, carried two ways: on 0% intro business cards arranged by a consultant, or on a business line of credit at the published starting price. All figures are illustrative.
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Short answer: if every dollar is repaid inside the intro period and you pay no consultant, a 0% stack can cost less than a line. Add a consultant fee of 8–10% ($4,000.00 to $5,000.00 on $50,000) and the gap narrows: in the examples below, a line at the published starting price costs less than the stack at a 10% fee and slightly more than the stack at an 8% fee, in both the 12- and 24-month scenarios.
Published . Card APR, intro length and line rate are assumptions for illustration, not market averages or offers.
On the line, a $50,000 draw at 1% per month over 12 months has a payment of $4,442.44. On the cards, paying $4,166.67 a month clears the balance as the intro period ends.
| Option | Fees | Interest | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line of credit, repaid over 12 months | $1,245.00 | $3,309.28 | $4,554.28 |
| Cards, repaid inside the intro, no consultant | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Cards, repaid inside the intro, 8% consultant fee | $4,000.00 | $0.00 | $4,000.00 |
| Cards, repaid inside the intro, 10% consultant fee | $5,000.00 | $0.00 | $5,000.00 |
In this scenario, a self-managed 0% stack is the cheapest if everything goes to plan. The line costs $4,554.28 in fee and interest, which is more than an 8% consultant fee ($4,000.00) and less than a 10% fee ($5,000.00).
On the line, the same draw over 24 months has a payment of $2,353.67. On the cards, the owner pays $2,083.33 a month during the 12-month intro period, leaving $25,000 that reprices to 24% and is paid off over the next 12 months at $2,363.99 a month.
| Option | Fees | Interest | Total cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line of credit, repaid over 24 months | $1,245.00 | $6,488.08 | $7,733.08 |
| Cards, half repaid in intro, rest over 12 months at 24%, no consultant | $0.00 | $3,367.88 | $3,367.88 |
| Same, with 8% consultant fee | $4,000.00 | $3,367.88 | $7,367.88 |
| Same, with 10% consultant fee | $5,000.00 | $3,367.88 | $8,367.88 |
Once a balance survives the intro period, the comparison tightens. The line costs $7,733.08 over 24 months, against $7,367.88 for the stack with an 8% fee and $8,367.88 with a 10% fee. A higher post-intro APR, card cash-access fees or a line rate above the starting price would each move the result, so rerun the numbers in the payment calculator before deciding.
| Factor | Card stack | Business line of credit |
|---|---|---|
| Credit checks | One hard inquiry per card application | Soft pull to check what you qualify for |
| Form of money | Card purchases; cash access costs extra | Cash drawn to the bank account, $10,000 minimum draw |
| Price after year one | Each card’s regular APR | Same published terms; each draw re-amortizes over 12 to 36 months |
| Size | Sum of approved card limits | $10K to $350K published range |
| Unused room | Card terms apply | No maintenance fee on the unused line |
Merchant Fund Express publishes its business term loan at $10K–$250K, with the loan amount capped at 15% of annual revenue and terms of 12 to 18 months, and its business line of credit at $10K to $350K, from 1% per month with a 2.49% fee per draw. The line has its own qualification thresholds: 3+ years in business, 650+ personal FICO and $25,000 a month in revenue for the bank-style line, per the line page.
It can be when the balance is repaid inside the intro period and there is no consultant fee. In our $50,000 examples, a 10% consultant fee made the stack cost more than the line at its published starting price, while an 8% fee left the stack slightly cheaper.
The published draw fee is 2.49%, which is $1,245.00 on $50,000. Interest runs only on what you draw.
The published starting price of 1% per month, modeled as 12% APR. Your rate may be higher depending on your file.
An illustrative 24% APR. Actual APRs are set in each card agreement and are usually variable.
Checking what you qualify for with Merchant Fund Express uses a soft pull. A card stack usually means one hard inquiry per card.
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