Average Bad Credit Business Loan Interest Rates

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Maximum interest rates for bad credit business loans run anywhere from 25.00 percent to 99.00 percent, unless you’re able to get an SBA loan. SBA loans are backed by the U.S. government, allowing lenders to offer lower rates. However, it’s not possible to give an average rate for bad credit business loans because interest rates vary widely based on the lender, the market and your credit profile.

Let’s dig into common interest rates for different bad credit business loans and lenders.

Compare current interest rates for bad credit business loans

As a bad-credit borrower, you probably won’t qualify for a lender’s lowest interest rates. So pay attention to the upper range of interest that a lender offers.

Maximum rates that you might see for different types of bad credit business loans:

Factors that influence bad credit business loan rates

The following factors can influence the interest on your loan:

• Cash flow. Having plenty of revenue or cash on hand shows financial stability and could lead to lower interest rates than if you operate with tight profit margins.
• Credit score. Your exact score will influence how risky the lender views you. When using a personal credit score, many lenders will work with credit scores of 600 or higher. A score in the 500s will provide limited options. And while low, a business credit score of 49 is better than 20.
• Current market. If the credit environment tightens for economic reasons, lenders favor less risky borrowers and deny more bad credit applicants than they would in a robust economy.
• Lender. Some lenders specialize in loans for bad credit borrowers, while others keep lending to this group at a minimum. It all depends on the balance a lender wishes to keep with its loan portfolio.
• Time in business. If your business credit has only dipped recently due to unforeseen circumstances, a lender may take your favorable payment history into account.
• Unsecured or secured loan. Promising business assets to back the loan reduces risks for the lender if you default. For this reason, lenders may lower interest rates for secured loans over unsecured loans.

How to compare bad credit business loans

Since interest rates and fees are already high even for the best bad credit business loan, stay vigilant when comparing the key features of loans. What to look for:

• APR. Business loans usually show an annual percentage rate, which reflects the annual cost of the loan including some fees.
• Factor rate. Some loans charge a factor rate instead of an APR, multiplying the entire loan amount by a factor like 1.10 or 1.50. Factor rates don’t include fees and often translate into a higher APR than loans that charge interest traditionally.
• Fees. You’ll run into these common business loan fees, plus a few specific to loan alternatives that cater to bad credit businesses.

• Loan amount. Lenders tend to offer lower loan amounts to bad-credit borrowers. If you need a higher loan amount like $250,000 or $500,000, you’ll have to find a lender willing to lend you that amount.
• Repayment terms. You may need to repay the loan on a short timeline, such as six to 24 months.

Loan cost examples

To find the most affordable loan, shop around and compare interest rates, total costs and repayment terms. Keep in mind that some bad credit loans use factor rates. This is a fixed cost that doesn’t change even if you repay the loan early.

Use these examples or our business loan calculator to get an idea of how much you’ll pay.

Compare lenders with bad credit business loans

Lenders set their own standards for how much risk they’re willing to take when lending to business owners with bad credit. See how the features and interest rates change across the market, depending on the type of loan.

Term loans

Bad credit term loans often come with smaller loan amounts and short repayment terms. Compare these lenders that cater to bad credit borrowers.

Business lines of credit

Business lines of credit tend to come with lower loan amounts than other loans, especially if your business has a risky credit history. See the features on business lines of credit from these bad-credit lenders.

Equipment loans

Your business may qualify for equipment loans with higher loan amounts and longer terms since this is a secured type of loan. Some lenders also offer flexible repayment schedules, such as quarterly or seasonally.

What you can expect to find on the market:

Invoice factoring or financing

Invoice factoring allows you to sell your outstanding invoices to a factoring company that will collect the invoices in exchange for fees. Invoice financing uses the outstanding invoices as collateral to fund a loan, which you pay back as clients pay the invoice.

Not all lenders offer invoice factoring or financing, so look at the key features for a few lenders with this product.

Merchant cash advances

Merchant cash advances (MCA) provide an advance of funds that you repay with future debit or credit card sales. This type of loan comes with lenient eligibility criteria, but typically a shorter time to repay.

See what these lenders offer with their MCAs.

Bottom line

Interest rates on bad credit business loans commonly range from 25.00 percent and upward, though it depends on your exact credit risk. While your credit score matters, different factors can offset the risk, such as having strong revenue, collateral or a previous history of on-time payments. Be sure to consider different lenders’ interest rates, fees and repayment terms to determine whether you’re getting an ideal offer.

Frequently asked questions

• Can I get a business loan with bad credit?

  Yes, you can qualify for a business loan with bad credit. However, you need to find a lender that accepts credit scores below 600, and you may need collateral or a personal guarantee to ease the lender’s risk. It’s also harder to get a loan in an economic downturn because lenders tighten criteria to avoid risky borrowers.

• What types of business loans are best for bad credit?

  A business line of credit works well for businesses with bad credit because the lender will set a credit limit according to your risk level. It then gives you a chance to establish a positive credit history. Secured business loans are also easier to qualify for since the loan is backed by business assets.

• Can I get a startup business loan with bad credit?

  It’s possible to get a startup business loan with bad credit, as long as you meet the lender’s minimum requirements. Lenders who accept startups tend to have more lenient criteria, such as a credit score of 500 to 600 and at least six months in business. Online lenders, SBA lenders and community development financial institutions (CDFIs) may be more willing to accept bad-credit borrowers.