How To Fund Your Business Without a Hard Credit Inquiry
Businesses of any size often require loans for working capital, equipment purchases, or long-term growth, and there are many loan products available that can help fund your business’s needs. Most of these loan products have one thing in common, however: They require a credit check for each applicant.
If you prefer to explore funding opportunities that do not require a credit check, there are still plenty of options. Each https://maxloan.org/installment-loans-sd/ type of funding, though, can have different requirements, terms, and rates, so it’s important to evaluate each on what the repayment burden means for your business before making your decision.
Key Takeaways
- Small business loans might not always be the best fit for funding your business, especially if you’re just starting out and can’t show significant business history.
- There are financing options for small businesses where owners can skip a credit check but still qualify for capital to help with cash flow.
- PayPal, Square, and FundThrough are a few of the companies offering nontraditional loan products.
- Many of these options are through private payment processors and require some history with the company, so they’re best suited for companies that have generated revenue for at least one to two years.
How Business Loans Work
Business loans are a crucial element to both large and small businesses. At different points in the life of your company, you may need some extra working capital. Or perhaps you’re looking to scale in a way that’s only feasible with a sizable investment in equipment or real estate. In cases like these, business loans can be an important component to your financial plan and can create a helpful safety net as your company grows.
The first step to securing a business loan is to assess your financial history and viability. Lenders may want to see your personal and business credit scores (if applicable), any collateral that may be used to secure the loan, and financial statements showing the health of your company. In almost every case, a bank will check an applicant’s personal credit history. Certain banks will not consider applicants with personal credit scores less than 650 or 700, so it’s important to have an idea of your credit health before beginning the loan application process.
Once you apply, the bank or lender will pull your credit history, usually using a hard credit check, which is when a lender requests to review your credit reports once you’ve applied.
A hard credit check can affect your credit score and remain on your credit history-in some cases for two years-so make sure you’re committed to the loan you’ve chosen.
If approved for a business loan, you’ll receive the specific terms, interest rates, down payment (if any), and penalties associated with your loan. However, if traditional loans aren’t the right fit for your business, there are still many options for securing funding, as outlined below.
PayPal Working Capital
One of the best places to look for a capital infusion without a credit check is with your payment processor. If you’re one of the more than 30 million businesses that use PayPal, you will likely qualify for a working capital loan.
- Loan limits: Loans are based on your PayPal account history. A business can borrow up to 35% of its annual PayPal sales. First-time borrowers can borrow up to $150,000, and subsequent loans max out at $200,000.
- Rates and fees: Borrowers will pay a single fixed fee determined by the loan total, PayPal history, and the selected repayment percentage. Borrowers can select 10%-30% of daily sales as the rate for paying back the loan.