See the total cost of a small business loan before you apply, not just the payment
Businessloans.id models SBA loans, term loans, lines of credit, equipment financing and merchant cash advances so you can see total cost and readiness side by side. We are based in the United States, we are not a lender, and we do not make credit decisions — we help you understand the numbers before you talk to one.
What are you actually trying to figure out about business financing?
Six routes into business financing
Pick the one that matches what you're actually trying to decide.
Figure out what a loan really costs
Model total cost and total interest before you compare a single offer.
Run the cost calculator →SBA 7(a) vs SBA 504
The two main SBA programs exist for different purposes — see which fits.
Compare the programs →Line of credit or term loan?
One is for ongoing flexibility, the other for a single defined purpose.
See the difference →Equipment financing
Often the easiest category to qualify for because the asset secures the loan.
Read the equipment guide →Merchant cash advances explained
Fast money with a cost structure that looks nothing like a normal loan.
Understand the true cost →Get your business funding-ready
What lenders actually check before they'll talk numbers with you.
Check your readiness →Model the real cost before you apply
Four calculators covering loan cost, readiness, debt-to-income and side-by-side fee comparison — all client-side, nothing stored or sent anywhere.
Business loan cost calculator
See the total cost and total interest of a business loan before you compare offers — not just the monthly payment.
Assumptions this uses
- Assumes a fully amortizing fixed-rate loan with equal monthly payments across the full term
- Does not include origination fees, underwriting fees or an SBA guarantee fee
- Uses the interest rate you enter, which may differ from the loan's actual APR
Limitations: This does not account for origination or closing fees, variable rate changes, prepayment penalties, or how your specific credit and revenue profile would affect the rate you're actually offered.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The monthly payment is the least useful number on any business loan offer
Two business loans can carry the same monthly payment and differ by tens of thousands of dollars in total interest, because the term length and fee structure change everything. Before you compare offers, ask each lender for the total amount you'll repay over the full term, including origination fees. If a lender won't give you that number plainly, that's information too.
Ask about your specific business financing question
A quick way to get a plain-English read on what a calculator result actually means for your business.
Tell us what you're trying to figure out
This isn't a loan application — it's a way to get pointed toward the right resource for your specific situation.
Nothing you submit here is an application to any lender, and there's no obligation attached to sending it.
Partner link — we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. How we make money.
See real business loan offers from US lending partners
Once you know your target amount and rough readiness score, comparing actual offers is the next honest step.
Compare business lending partners →A few things worth owning, not selling
These are plain, useful items for managing a business financing decision — not products we're pushing, and removing them changes nothing about the site.
How we make money: some links here are partner or affiliate links and we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. It never changes what we write or how options are ordered — see our disclosure and methodology.
Small business finance books
Background reading on how lenders evaluate a small business, before you start applying.
Check price →Financial calculators
For the arithmetic you do not want to do on a phone while comparing offers.
Check price →Document organizers
Business loan applications want more paperwork than personal loans — keep it findable.
Check price →Shredders
The cheapest piece of financial security you can buy once old paperwork is settled.
Check price →The Small Business Funding Readiness Kit
Built for US small business owners preparing to approach a lender. It walks through the documents to gather, the questions to ask, and a worksheet to compare offers side by side before you commit to one.
Where to compare actual business loan offers
These are the partners we work with once you're ready to see real numbers from real lenders — the calculators above work the same whether or not you ever click through.
How we make money: some links here are partner or affiliate links and we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. It never changes what we write or how options are ordered — see our disclosure and methodology.
LendingTree Business loan marketplace
Compare small business loan offers from multiple US lenders in one place.
Compare business loan offers →Bluevine business line of credit
A US business line of credit and banking option built for ongoing working capital.
Explore Bluevine →Business Loan Questions, Answered Plainly
No hedging, no upsell. Where the honest answer is 'it depends', we say what it depends on.
What credit score do I need for a small business loan?
It depends heavily on the loan type. SBA loans typically want a personal credit score in the high 600s or better, traditional bank term loans often want the same, while online lenders and equipment financing can work with scores in the mid-500s because the equipment or a shorter term reduces their risk. There is no single US-wide minimum.
How long does an SBA loan take to fund?
A standard SBA 7(a) loan commonly takes 30 to 90 days from application to funding because it involves both a lender's underwriting and an SBA guarantee review. SBA Express loans move faster, often within a couple of weeks, but come with a lower maximum guarantee percentage. If speed matters more than rate, factor this timeline in early.
Is a business line of credit better than a term loan?
Neither is universally better — a line of credit suits recurring or unpredictable expenses because you only pay interest on what you draw, while a term loan suits a single, defined purchase with a known cost. Our guide on lines of credit versus term loans walks through both scenarios with real numbers.
How much can I borrow for a small business loan?
Loan amounts vary by lender and loan type: SBA 7(a) loans go up to $5 million, typical online term loans range from $5,000 to $500,000, and equipment financing is usually capped near the value of the equipment itself. Your revenue, time trading and credit profile determine what you'll actually qualify for within those ranges.
What's the difference between a merchant cash advance and a loan?
A merchant cash advance is not technically a loan — it's a purchase of a portion of your future sales, repaid through a fixed percentage of daily card revenue rather than a fixed monthly payment. The cost is expressed as a factor rate instead of an APR, and when converted, the effective annual cost is usually far higher than a term loan. Our guide breaks down the true cost side by side.
Do I need collateral for a business loan?
Some do and some don't. SBA loans generally require collateral when it's available, equipment financing uses the equipment itself as collateral, while many online term loans and lines of credit are unsecured but come with a personal guarantee instead. Unsecured financing usually carries a higher rate to offset the lender's added risk.