Merchant cash advance
The fastest way to turn revenue you have already earned the right to into cash you can use this week.
| Typical amount | Speed | Typical term | Secured by |
|---|---|---|---|
| $10,000 – $500,000 | Often 24–48 hours | 3–18 months, typically | Future receivables |
What merchant cash advance actually is
A merchant cash advance is not a loan. A funder buys a fixed dollar amount of your future receivables at a discount, and you remit an agreed share of daily or weekly deposits until that amount is delivered. Because it is a purchase rather than a loan, there is no interest rate: the cost is expressed as a factor rate, and the total you repay is fixed at the outset.
That structure is why it is fast. Underwriting looks at deposit history rather than credit alone, so a business with thin credit but consistent revenue can qualify where a bank would decline.
When it fits
- Revenue is steady but the timing is wrong: payroll lands before the receivable does.
- You need the money in days, not the six to ten weeks a bank term loan takes.
- Credit is imperfect, but bank deposits have been consistent for six months or more.
- The use has a clear return: inventory ahead of a season, a repair that unblocks capacity.
When to think twice
- It is the most expensive money on this page. Use it when speed is genuinely worth the cost.
- Remittance is daily or weekly, so it compresses cash flow while it runs.
- Stacking advances from multiple funders is how businesses get into trouble. Do not.
The honest version
Common in
- Restaurants & food service Thin margins, daily receipts, and equipment that fails at the worst possible moment.
- Trucking & logistics Fuel and drivers are paid now. Brokers pay in thirty to sixty days.
- Retail Inventory is bought months before the season that sells it.
- Auto repair & service Parts and diagnostics are bought before the ticket is paid.
See what you qualify for
Four minutes, a soft credit check, and a real answer, including when a different instrument suits you better.