Merchant Fund Express
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Are PDF bank statements required, or will screenshots work?

Funders want complete statements downloaded from the bank as PDFs; screenshots and edited files slow review or get rejected. Bank-connection tools are an alternative some funders accept.

Check my options

Requirements

Why funders want full PDF bank statements, not screenshots

Underwriters need to verify that statements are complete and unaltered. Full PDFs downloaded directly from your bank, or a secure bank connection where the funder accepts one, let them do that quickly. Screenshots, partial pages and edited files slow review or lead to declines.

As fast as
24 hours

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.

Why owners use Merchant Fund Express

500 credit minimum

You can apply at 500; stronger credit opens more products.

Lines of credit too

Advances, lines of credit and second-position options in one place.

Real underwriters

A human reads the file, not just an algorithm score.

Buyouts up to $100K

Existing balances of $100,000 or less can be bought out.

Payroll before sales come in?

Fast decisions. Applying takes about 5 minutes.

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How it works

Apply in minutes

A short application. A soft credit pull to start.

Fast decision

We review revenue, time in business and bank activity, not just a credit score.

Review your offer

You see the amount, the schedule and the full repayment amount before you sign.

Get funded

Funding in as little as 24 hours for qualified businesses.

How it actually works

A complete statement shows the bank name, account holder, account number (often partially masked), statement period, beginning and ending balances and every transaction. Underwriters check that each month flows into the next, that totals reconcile and that the account belongs to the business named on the application. Screenshots of a mobile app usually omit some of these elements.

Statement fraud is a real concern in the industry, so funders look for signs of alteration. Bank-generated PDFs carry formatting and metadata that are harder to fake; files that have been edited, re-saved through other software or assembled from pieces raise flags. Even honest owners can trigger delays by sending files that look modified.

Download statements from your online banking portal in the official statement format, usually PDF, for each month requested. Include every page, including pages that list only fees or messages. If your bank provides combined statements for multiple accounts, send the whole document so the business account section is verifiable.

Bank-connection tools are an alternative some funders accept. They let the funder view transaction data directly from the bank with your authorization, which can speed review. Ask whether the funder offers this and how the data is protected.

For the current month, which is not yet on a statement, funders often ask for a month-to-date transaction history or an online activity printout from the bank portal. Provide it in the format requested.

MFE reviews complete statements from any business bank and considers credit from 500; sending the right files at the start is the simplest way to avoid delays.

A worked example

Complete statements allow an offer like this to be sized quickly. Illustrative numbers.

Business bank statements3–6 months, PDF from the bank
Month-to-date activityRecent transactions
Government IDOwner(s) with 50%+
Voided business checkFor funding and payments
Existing advance detailsBalance and payment of each
Business detailsEIN, address, start date

Complete files get faster decisions and larger offers.

Acceptable vs. problematic statement files

Bank-generated PDF, all pagesAccepted
Secure bank connectionAccepted by some funders
Month-to-date activity printoutOften requested for the current month
Mobile app screenshotsOften rejected or delayed
Edited or merged filesRaise fraud flags

Who this fits — and who should wait

Good fit:

Probably not yet:

Related questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Will screenshots of my bank account work?

Usually not; funders want full bank-generated PDFs.

Why do funders insist on PDFs?

To verify completeness and detect alterations.

Do I need every page?

Yes, including pages with only fees or messages.

Can I connect my bank account instead?

Some funders accept secure bank-connection tools.

What about the current month?

Provide a month-to-date activity printout if requested.

Does editing a PDF cause problems?

Yes, even harmless edits can raise fraud flags.

Payroll $25K
Inventory $60K
Equipment $90K
Expansion $150K

Example uses for illustration only.

How to improve your chances

Before you apply:

  • Download official PDFs from the bank
  • Send every page
  • Do not edit or merge files
  • Ask about bank-connection options

Merchant Fund Express vs. a traditional bank

Merchant Fund Express
Traditional bank loans
Decision time
Same day
Weeks
Credit to apply
500 minimum
Usually much stronger credit
Collateral
Not required for most offers
Often required
Documents
Bank statements and ID
Tax returns, financials, plans
Offers
Multiple funders, compare
One lender

See what your business qualifies for

One secure application. A soft credit pull to start. No obligation to accept an offer.

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