Revamping your existing business or building one up from scratch can require more money than you can imagine. There are lots of costs and expenses piled up even before you start making sales, and for that beginning, you need that kind of money.
Most entrepreneurs proceed to business loans that help them kickstart their venture, here’s what you need to know about business loans.
A loan is a lump-sum amount given to a party for their business. They can use this money as working capital, paying off business debts, making inventory purchases, buying office space or renovating their existing business.
When the loan is given, a repayment plan is mutually agreed upon between the lender and the borrower. The duration of repayment, which is for how long the loan has to be repaid in installments is set as well as the interest rate that is liable on each installment of the principal amount.
The interest rate is usually decided upon how much credibility the borrower has, which is measured by their credit rating and debt-to-income ratio. If the credit score is less, the borrower has a higher chance of defaulting on the loan, hence they may get a loan with a higher rate of interest, and vice versa.
Essentially, there are 5 major types of loans, and each one of them has its own share of pros and cons. All of these are accessible, however some may have a criteria the borrower doesn’t fit in.
These are small business administration loans that are aimed to help out small-scale businesses ready to start up. The range is also relatively lower, but they can be anywhere from $5000 to $5 million. These also have very low interest rates from 5% to 13% because small business owners may find it hard to repay as their business is only just starting.
A business term loan usually works the same way as a traditional loan, but these have a specific term of 5 to 10 years. The duration of the loan purely depends on the case and how much money is being borrowed. The average interest rate is from 7% to 30%.
There are many deserving entrepreneurs who are refused traditional loans because of their poor credit history. A business line of credit is a loan type where poor performing borrowers are also given the loan, average APR rates are 7% to 25%, and repayment terms are usually between 6 months and 1 year, but exact terms vary depending on your business’ revenue and credit score.
This is the type of loan that is only dedicated to buying the equipment that many businesses need. It also doesn’t require a lot of money so the loan amount and duration is less too, around 5 years.
This is also a short term loan aimed at expanding the current mode of business by bringing in more inventory, cutting down debts etc. This kind of loan requires an adequate amount of paperwork and a proper application to come through.
Let’s be real, having someone lend you a big amount of money upfront is the biggest benefit of a business loan! But that’s not all, there are a couple of other benefits too:
Acquiring a business loan is a complicated, time-consuming process. It is not as easy as you walking in and the lender gives you the loan. There is a proper loan protocol that everyone one must follow.
The first step is always background research. It starts with the purpose of the loan, why do you want and how much you want. You can do a quick calculation through business loan calculators available online, and see how much loan you can qualify for.
When you’re going to the loan lender, he will ask to see your business plan. A business plan is a complete document about your business, it’s vision, strategies and budgeting. The lender is more interested in how you will utilize the money and how you plan on paying it back. Make sure your business plan is well crafted and contains all the information you need.
The lender will then verify all information you’ve provided: your credit score, DTI, tax report, insurance history and any other relevant financial records. Make sure all documents are up-to-date and are true to your understanding.
After assessing your documents and loan application, the lender will tell you their final verdict; whether the application is approved or not. If yes, you can move forward with obtaining the loan and decide the rules, if not, you will know what went wrong with the application. If you can fix it, you may still have a chance of reapplying for the loan, and this time actually getting it.
Once you’ve gotten the whole process sorted and assembled the documents, you must be wondering what is the easiest business loan to get after all. Here is a list that might be helpful for you!
Loan Provider | Best For |
Fundbox | (Best Overall) Easy qualifications for revolving credit up to $100,000 |
BlueVine | Same-day funding on a short-term loan up to $250,000 |
Kabbage | Easy monthly payments on revolving credit up to $250,000 |
OnDeck | Short-term funding with an easy application and low rate for prime borrowers |
LoanBuilder | Easy-to-customize loan terms up to 52 weeks with funding up to $500,000 |
National Funding | Low-credit borrowers wanting a short-term loan up to $500,000 with easy |
Note: Sample rates have been extracted online, courtesy of FitSmallBusiness.
Obtaining a business loan has become accessible for many Americans, and often for people with a low performing credit too. The best way is to shop around for rates to make sure you get the best deal possible!
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