Comparison tool
Compare Business Funding Options for Your Exact Situation
Answer seven questions and see every major funding product rated for fit, with how fast it funds, how long you repay, and what it would roughly cost on the amount you need.
Business Funding Comparison Tool
Answer seven quick questions. Every product updates with a fit rating, speed, and an estimated cost on the amount you need.
Illustrative only. Fit ratings reflect common underwriting guidelines, and costs use the mid-range assumptions listed below; they are not offers or approvals. Actual eligibility, pricing and terms are set by each lender.
Which Type of Business Funding Is Best?
The best option is the cheapest product you qualify for that funds in time and has a payment your cash flow can carry. SBA loans cost the least but need two years in business, $250K+ in annual revenue on two years of tax returns, a 680+ score and 30 to 60 days; term loans are next and can fund in 48 to 72 hours for qualified files. Lines of credit suit recurring short-term needs. Merchant cash advances and short-term loans fund in days and accept weaker credit, but cost more.
How the Comparison Works
The tool checks your answers against the guidelines lenders commonly use for each product: time in business, owner credit, monthly revenue, how the amount compares to revenue, how fast you need the money, what it is for, and whether you already have advances open. Each product gets one of three ratings:
- Strong fit. Nothing in your answers conflicts with typical guidelines.
- Possible. You may qualify, but something will likely shrink the amount, raise the price or slow things down.
- Unlikely. At least one answer usually rules the product out today.
The cost figure applies a mid-range assumption for each product to the amount you entered, so you can see how far apart the options are in dollars.
Cost Assumptions Used
| Product | Assumption | Typical speed | Typical term |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant cash advance | Factor 1.35, 8 months, daily | Same day to 2 days | 4 to 12 months |
| Short-term loan | 20% total cost, 12 months, weekly | Same day to 3 days | 6 to 18 months |
| Line of credit | 20% APR, draw repaid over 12 months | 3 to 10 days | Revolving |
| Term loan | 14% APR, 36 months | 48 to 72 hours | Up to 3 years |
| SBA 7(a) | 11.5% APR, 10 years | 30 to 60+ days | Up to 10 years |
| Equipment financing | 11% APR, 48 months | 2 to 7 days | 2 to 7 years |
| A/R financing | 3% per 30 days, invoices paid in 60 | 3 to 10 days | Invoice by invoice |
Mid-range illustrations, not quotes. Your actual pricing depends on your file. Model a specific offer with the factor rate calculator or the loan payment calculator.
Three Rules for Choosing
- Match the term to the use. Short money for short needs: payroll, inventory, a receivables gap. Long money for long assets: equipment, expansion, a build-out.
- Speed costs money. The products that fund in days are priced for that. If you can plan 30 to 60 days out, the cheapest capital becomes available.
- Watch the payment, not only the price. A cheaper product with a payment your deposits cannot carry in a slow month is the wrong product.
See It Applied to Real Situations
These walk-throughs apply the same logic to specific businesses:
- A business making $100K per month: what funding options could it have?
- What happens with 5 NSFs in the last 3 months
- Getting funding with an existing MCA
- Strong revenue with a 550 credit score
- A construction company waiting 60 days on receivables
- A restaurant doing $150K a month: term loan vs line vs revenue-based
October 2026 Update: Rates, Approval Odds and Costs
Three things changed since this guide was last reviewed, and all three affect the numbers above.
- Prime is 7.00%, up from 6.75% on September 17, 2026, after the Federal Reserve’s first hike since 2023. Variable products (bank lines, SBA 7(a) loans, HELOCs) repriced a quarter point; fixed-rate and factor-rate products you already hold did not. The next Fed decision is October 28. See prime rate is 7%: what it means for business loan rates.
- New approval data: the Federal Reserve’s 2026 Small Business Credit Survey found 81% of applicants approved for at least part of their request and 42% in full; equipment loans (71%), merchant cash advances (48%) and lines of credit (45%) were approved in full most often, SBA (37%) and term loans (35%) least. See business loan approval rates in 2026 and easiest business loans to get.
- Cost pressure: 77% of small employers report rising costs and 47% cite tariffs; NFIB puts the average short-term loan rate at 8.2% (September 2026). The cheapest-tool-first playbook is in tariffs and small business working capital.
Common Questions
Does using the comparison tool affect my credit?
No. The tool runs in your browser and nothing is submitted. If you apply through RAN Funding, the initial review uses a soft pull.
Why does the tool say a product is unlikely when a lender advertises it?
Advertised minimums are floors, not approvals. The tool uses common underwriting guidelines; a lender can make exceptions, which is why a Possible or Unlikely rating is worth discussing with a funding specialist.
Can I combine products?
Yes, and it is often the right answer: for example a term loan for a long-term project and a line of credit for seasonal gaps. Lenders will count every payment when they measure what you can carry.
How accurate are the cost estimates?
They are illustrations based on mid-range pricing. Strong files price lower and weaker files higher. Use them to see the gap between products, not as a quote.
See What You Qualify For
One application, about five minutes, soft pull only. A funding specialist comes back with the offers you qualify for — and explains every term before you sign.