A secured or unsecured business loan could help you grow your business, cover running costs and even fund a new company.
Our data experts check each company before we add them to our comparisons, so you can be confident that you will only see results from genuine companies.
1
Decide how much you want to borrow
This is the amount of money you need to borrow to fund a business priority.
2
Work out long you need to repay the loan
This is the length of time you need to pay back the loan with interest.
3
Find the type of business loan you need
It's important to know which type of loan is best suited for your business.
4
Calculate the interest rate or APR
This is the rate at which you'll reimburse the loan and dictates the monthly repayment.
5
Check if any conditions are attached to the loan
Sometimes lenders attach additional criteria, such as a personal guarantee.
A business loan is a form of credit designed for commercial organisations.
Whether you’re looking to overcome a small financial hiccup or need to pay for huge changes, taking out a business loan could provide the money you need. Business loans are suitable for both existing businesses and new start-ups.
Business loans work in a similar way to personal loans for individuals. Your company applies to borrow a fixed amount of money, which it must then pay back – with interest – to the lender over a set period.
Business loans come in many shapes and sizes, but the three most common types are secured, unsecured and peer-to-peer lending.
The sheer number of finance options out there can make it difficult to know where to begin looking. Here are some of the loans you could consider for your business.
Unsecured business loans
This type of loan allows your business to borrow money without using any of its assets, including any real estate, as security against the loan.
Secured business loans
These loans require your company to offer security to the lender against the sum being borrowed. Assets might include shares in your company or property it owns.
Peer-to-peer loans
Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending involves borrowing money from an individual through a P2P platform instead of using a bank or other financial organisation.
Asset finance
This type of business finance allows you to borrow against the value of any assets in your business. This includes machinery, IT equipment and even fixtures and fittings. Asset-leasing agreements can also be used to finance new equipment.
Commercial mortgage
These work like residential mortgages but can only be used for commercial property, including any type of building or land you want to buy as an investment. These loans are available for up to 75% of the property's value and the interest paid on the mortgage is tax-deductible.
Bridging loans
Bridging loans are used to cover a shortfall in funding, usually when buying a commercial property or refurbishing an existing one. This type of loan usually has a shorter repayment term and higher interest rates and fees than other types of business loans.
You can borrow as little as £500, or as much as £5 million and even beyond that.
Every loan company sets different limits on how much they’re willing to lend. This means your choices for a lender may be limited by the amount you wish to borrow.
Business loans can have a short repayment period like a month or a longer term such as 30 years.
When deciding how long you need to repay your loan, you need to be realistic about what you can afford to pay each month.
The longer your loan term, the lower your monthly payments will be, but you'll pay more in interest overall.
Our loan repayment calculator can help you determine how long you need to repay your loan based on how much you can afford to pay every month.
This table shows how the term affects what you pay in interest¹.
| Loan amount | Loan term | Monthly Payment | Total interest |
|---|---|---|---|
| £7,500 | 1 | £637.4 | £148.7 |
| £7,500 | 2 | £324.5 | £287.5 |
| £7,500 | 3 | £220.2 | £428.3 |
| £7,500 | 5 | £136.9 | £714 |
| £7,500 | 7 | £101.3 | £1,006.7 |
| £7,500 | 10 | £74.7 | £1,458 |
Once you apply for a loan, the lender assesses your business finances and decides whether to offer you a loan and what the interest rate should be. Its assessment includes your business's:
credit rating
age
profitability
desired loan
If the lender thinks your business loan is low risk, you'll be offered a lower interest rate. If they think your loan is high risk, you'll be offered a higher interest rate.
The advertised APR that you see before you apply is the rate offered to at least 51% of applicants. That means almost half of those offered that business loan might be offered a higher loan rate than the one advertised.
The comparison table above shows the average business loan rates for unsecured term loans.
It's important to check different types of business funding before making a decision because interest rates can differ significantly.
Business loans can be an expensive way to borrow money. But you can still get a good deal and save money if you compare business loans. Make sure you only borrow the amount you need and apply for the type of loan that suits your business.”Salman Haqqi, Personal Finance Editor
A business loan isn't the only way of securing finance for your business. Other options you could try include:
For quick business finance, a business loan may be the best option, but these six ways to get finance for your business extend your options – although some tend to work better for some businesses than others. You could also consider combining several types of funding. That way, you can get the most value out of each type without relying too heavily on any one source.
Before deciding to take out a business loan it's important to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages to make sure it's the right form of credit for your circumstances.
On the positive side, business loans can:
help provide funding for expansion plans
be used to overcome temporary cashflow problems
offer capital for startup companies
There are also drawbacks to business loans, including:
Tough eligibility criteria
Repayments that eat into cash flow
High interest rates for businesses with a poor credit history
Comparing business loans could save you money. Our multiple award-winning comparison service makes sure you get the lowest rates possible based on your individual circumstances. Our aim is to provide you with the most up-to-date information, as well as useful tools and calculators so to help you make life's most important decisions and take control of your money.
We have always aimed to provide the best possible services to bridge the gap between our users and our clients. Over the years, we have been thrilled to be recognised by various prestigious bodies and organisations for those efforts.
If you want to take your business to the next level but don’t have the funds to do so, you could consider getting a business loan.
Find out how to get a business loanWith the right type of borrowing you could pursue business opportunities that would otherwise pass you by, here's how.
Read more on borrowing for your businessIf you need funds to help your business grow or expand, a business loan could offer the solution you need. Here is how they work and how to get the right loan for your business.
More on how business loans work¹These figures have been calculated using money.co.uk's loan repayment calculator tool.
Last updated: 16 August 2022
