Pre-revenue startups
We would rather tell you now than waste your time. Our funding reads deposits, so a business with no revenue is not a fit yet. Here is what does work, and the point at which you should come back.
✓ Checking what you qualify for does not affect your credit score.
Updated October 13, 2026 · Merchant Fund Express
Merchant Fund Express works with operating businesses. The revenue-based tier starts at six months in business and $60,000 in verifiable revenue, and the line of credit and term loan tier starts at three years. A pre-revenue startup has no deposit history to read, so a revenue-based offer is not possible yet.
Any site promising a cash advance to a business with zero sales is either misdescribing the product or pricing in a risk you should not take.
Still the most common source of first money. It costs no interest and keeps ownership clean.
The SBA microloan program works through nonprofit intermediaries and is aimed at small and newer businesses; many intermediaries also offer training.
Put terms in writing: amount, repayment or equity, and what happens if the business closes.
When the need is a specific asset or inventory, the seller or a lessor may finance it against the item itself.
Personal credit products are another route owners use, but they put your personal credit directly on the line. Treat that as a decision, not a default.
| Stage | What to do |
|---|---|
| Month 0 | Open a dedicated business checking account and run every sale through it |
| Months 1 to 6 | Build steady deposits, avoid negative days, keep transfers clean |
| Month 6 | Check fit on the revenue-based tier once you approach $60,000 in verifiable revenue |
| Year 3 | Tier 1 line of credit and term loan become possible with 650+ FICO and $25,000 a month average |
The single most useful thing you can do now is the first row. A clean business account from day one is what makes a fast decision possible later.
All figures in worked examples are illustrations of the arithmetic, not offers or quotes. Real terms depend on your file and the funder.
The most common setback we see is a business that has been selling for a year but ran deposits through a personal account. The sales were real, but a reviewer cannot read them as business revenue. The second is opening a new business account right before applying, which resets the visible history. If either applies to you, move everything into one business account now so the clock starts.
If you have been operating for a few months with real deposits, you may be closer than you think. Read funding with three months in business and six months in business, or see do you work with startups.
When your deposits are in place, check what you qualify for. It does not affect your credit score.
No. An advance is based on future sales, which a funder estimates from past deposits. Without deposits there is nothing to base it on.
The revenue-based tier starts at six months in business with $60,000 in verifiable revenue.
A small SBA-backed loan made through nonprofit intermediaries, aimed at small and newer businesses. Terms and requirements are set by each intermediary.
It is an option, but you are personally liable and it affects your credit. Weigh it carefully.
Same-day decision. Applying takes a few minutes and will not affect your credit score.
