Our picks in detail
FoBest overall for bad credit
Fora Financial · Term loan
4.3/51.10 to 1.40 factor
Max amount$1.5M
Min credit570
Time in business6 mo
Funding speed24 to 72 hours
Fora Financial will look at owners other lenders turn away: a 570 credit score and six months of history can get an approval if revenue is strong. The cost is a factor-rate loan with daily or weekly payments. Use it when the alternative is a merchant cash advance, and refinance into something cheaper as soon as your file improves.
Pros
- Accepts credit scores as low as 570
- Six months in business is enough
- Large maximum relative to the credit requirement
- Prepayment discount available
Cons
- Factor-rate pricing means a high effective APR
- Needs about $15,000 in monthly revenue
- Daily or weekly payments
- Short terms
CrBest for scores under 550
Credibly · Working capital loan
4.1/51.11 to 1.45 factor
Max amount$600K
Min credit500
Time in business6 mo
Funding speedSame day to 48 hours
Credibly sits at the accessible end of the market: a 500 credit score and six months of history can be enough. It is priced like the merchant cash advances it competes with, so treat it as emergency capital with a defined exit, not a growth loan.
Pros
- Among the lowest credit requirements available
- Fast funding
- Several products including an MCA and a line of credit
- Clear total repayment amount upfront
Cons
- Expensive factor-rate pricing
- Origination fee
- Daily or weekly debits
- High revenue requirement for the credit profile
FbBest line of credit at 600Partner
Fundbox · Business line of credit
4.6/54.66% to 8.99% fee
Max amount$150K
Min credit600
Time in business3 mo
Funding speedNext business day
Fundbox has one of the lowest barriers to entry of any legitimate lender: three months in business, $30,000 in annual revenue and a 600 credit score. That makes it a realistic first line of credit for a young company, as long as you treat it as short-term working capital and not cheap money.
Pros
- Accepts businesses as young as 3 months
- Low revenue requirement
- Next-day funding on draws
- No prepayment penalty; fees stop when you repay early
Cons
- Short 12- or 24-week repayment plans
- Weekly payments
- Fees are higher than bank rates when annualized
- Maximum line is modest at $150,000
aLBest when your customers have good credit
altLINE · Invoice factoring
4.4/50.5% to 3% fee
Max amount$5M
Min creditN/A
Time in businessNone
Funding speed24 to 48 hours after setup
altLINE is a bank-owned factoring company, which matters: it funds from its own balance sheet rather than reselling your receivables. Factoring turns slow-paying B2B invoices into cash within days, and because the decision rests on your customers' credit, your own score barely matters.
Pros
- Your customers' credit matters more than yours
- No minimum time in business
- Bank-owned, so pricing is competitive for factoring
- Scales with your sales
Cons
- Only works for B2B or B2G businesses that invoice
- Your customers will know you factor
- Fees compound the longer an invoice is outstanding
- Volume minimums apply
NFBest for equipment at 600
National Funding · Equipment financing
4.4/51.10 to 1.36 factor
Max amount$150K
Min credit600
Time in business6 mo
Funding speed24 to 72 hours
National Funding finances new and used equipment with a lower credit bar than banks and a quick turnaround. The equipment itself secures the loan, so the file can be weaker than for an unsecured loan. Pricing is factor-based, so compare the total cost against an SBA or bank equipment loan if you can wait.
Pros
- Finances new and used equipment
- 600 minimum credit score
- Early payoff discount
- Funding in as little as 24 hours
Cons
- Factor-rate pricing
- $250,000 annual revenue requirement
- Maximum of $150,000 for equipment
- Fees and rates are not published upfront
How we chose
Only lenders with a published minimum at or below 620 were considered. We then ranked on transparency, total cost, repayment flexibility and whether the lender reports to business bureaus so the loan helps rebuild credit.
Market note, November 2026. Revenue-based underwriting keeps expanding, which helps owners with damaged personal credit and healthy businesses. Prices have not fallen. The best move remains fixing the file: a 60-point improvement can halve the cost of capital.
How to get one
- Step 1
Pull your reports and dispute errors
A surprising share of sub-620 scores include errors. Fixing them is free and fast relative to any loan.
- Step 2
Strengthen the numbers lenders weight more
Consistent deposits, low NSF counts and a business account history matter more than the score at these lenders.
- Step 3
Borrow with an exit
Take the smallest amount that solves the problem and plan to refinance within six to twelve months.
How to compare offers
Daily debits
Most bad-credit products debit daily. Count your deposit days and make sure the math works on a slow week.
Credit reporting
Choose lenders that report to business bureaus so on-time payments rebuild your file.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a business loan with a 500 credit score?
Credibly lists a 500 minimum, and merchant cash advance providers often go lower. Expect factor-rate pricing and daily payments.
Will a bad credit business loan hurt my credit further?
A hard pull costs a few points. Paying on time with a lender that reports to business bureaus helps; missing payments hurts both files.
Should I fix my credit before applying?
If the need can wait 60 to 90 days, yes. Removing errors and lowering utilization can move a score enough to unlock cheaper lenders. See our guide to credit repair before business funding.