Resources: 150 answers on business funding
Plain answers to what owners ask before they borrow. celerfunding is not a lender: we refer businesses to lenders and may be paid a referral fee.
Browse by topic
- Costs, rates and feesHow business funding is priced: interest, factor rates, APR, origination and broker fees, and how to compare offers.19 questions
- Credit and qualifyingWhat lenders look at, how credit checks work, and what to do if your credit or file is not perfect.22 questions
- Startups and new businessesFunding questions from owners with little or no operating history, new LLCs and corporations.14 questions
- Merchant cash advancesHow a merchant cash advance works, what it costs, stacking, and getting out of advance debt.17 questions
- Lines of credit and term loansHow revolving credit and term loans differ, how payments work, and which fits which need.17 questions
- Equipment and truck financingFinancing or leasing machinery, vehicles and trucks, including used equipment.13 questions
- Invoices, purchase orders and inventoryTurning unpaid invoices, purchase orders and stock into working capital.13 questions
- Government programs and grantsSBA, the Canada Small Business Financing Program, BDC-style lending and grants, in plain terms.14 questions
- Brokers, liens and protecting yourselfHow referral services and brokers work, UCC liens, personal guarantees and spotting scams.13 questions
- Canada and QuébecFunding questions specific to Canadian and Québec businesses.8 questions
More reading
Every question
Costs, rates and fees
- What is a factor rate vs an interest rate?
- How do I convert a factor rate to APR?
- What is a good rate on a business loan?
- Does an origination fee come out of the loan?
- Why is my origination fee so high?
- Should I pay an origination fee on a business loan?
- What is a good factor rate?
- Should I compare offers by rate or by APR?
- How much would a $500,000 business loan cost per month?
- Can you pay off a business loan early?
- What fees come with a business loan besides interest?
- How much do loan brokers charge?
- How do I calculate the total payback on a factor rate?
- Is a 0% interest business loan possible?
- Why did the lender's offer come back higher than I expected?
- What is the difference between total cost and monthly payment?
- Is a business loan interest tax deductible?
- What is APR on a business loan?
- How do I compare two business funding offers?
Credit and qualifying
- Can I get a business loan with a 500 credit score?
- What is the easiest business loan to get with bad credit?
- Do you need a good credit score to get a business loan?
- What is the difference between a soft and a hard credit pull?
- How much can my business qualify for?
- What documents do I need to apply for a business loan?
- What should I do if I get denied for a business loan?
- How can I get a business loan without using my credit?
- What disqualifies a business from funding?
- How hard is it to get a $100,000 business loan?
- How hard is it to get a $1,000,000 business loan?
- What are the 5 C's of credit for business loans?
- Does an LLC or corporation have its own credit score?
- How do I build credit for my new business?
- Can I get business funding with an existing tax debt?
- What counts as working capital when applying for a loan?
- How long does it take for business funding to reach my account?
- My bank turned me down. Is it worth trying elsewhere?
- Why do lenders care about negative days in my bank account?
- Do lenders look at personal or business bank statements?
- What happens after I submit a request to celerfunding?
- Do some industries have a harder time getting funding?
Startups and new businesses
- Can I get a business loan with no revenue?
- What is the best way to get funding for a startup?
- How much can a new LLC borrow?
- Can I get a business loan with just an EIN?
- Can a startup get a business line of credit?
- Can I use a co-signer for a startup business loan?
- How do I get a loan to buy an existing business?
- Which type of loan is best for a startup?
- How many months in business do I need to qualify?
- Can I get a loan to start a business from the government?
- What do I need for a startup business loan application?
- Can I get funding for a new restaurant?
- Are there startup loans with guaranteed approval?
- Can I get business funding as a sole proprietor?
Merchant cash advances
- What is a merchant cash advance?
- Is a merchant cash advance worth it?
- Are merchant cash advances legal?
- What are MCA fees?
- What is MCA stacking?
- How do I get out of merchant cash advance debt?
- What is MCA consolidation?
- What is a reverse MCA?
- Can I get a merchant cash advance with no credit check?
- What does reconciliation mean in a merchant cash advance?
- What is the difference between an MCA and a business loan?
- Can I refinance a merchant cash advance?
- What happens if I default on a merchant cash advance?
- Why are daily payments on a cash advance a problem?
- Who is a merchant cash advance best suited for?
- Can I get a merchant cash advance if I do not take card payments?
- How do I know if I have too many advances?
Lines of credit and term loans
- What is a business line of credit and how does it work?
- Is a line of credit a loan?
- Which is better, a line of credit or a term loan?
- How do I qualify for a business line of credit?
- Is a business line of credit a good idea?
- What is the difference between a line of credit and an overdraft?
- What is a term loan?
- How long should a business loan term be?
- What is the difference between short-term and long-term business loans?
- Can I get an unsecured business line of credit?
- What is a working capital loan?
- Do small business loans require collateral?
- What is a revolving line of credit?
- What is the difference between secured and unsecured business loans?
- What payment frequencies are common on business loans?
- Can I use a business loan to refinance existing debt?
- Are there fees on a business line of credit?
Equipment and truck financing
- Is it better to lease or finance equipment?
- How does equipment financing work?
- Can I finance used equipment?
- Can a first-time owner-operator get semi truck financing?
- Can I get truck or equipment financing with bad credit?
- What is Section 179?
- Can I deduct financed equipment on my taxes?
- Do I need a down payment for equipment financing?
- What can be financed with equipment financing?
- Is financing a truck a good idea for my business?
- Why not just pay cash for equipment?
- What is the difference between an equipment loan and an equipment lease?
- How long are equipment financing terms?
Invoices, purchase orders and inventory
- What is invoice factoring?
- What are the downsides of invoice factoring?
- What is the difference between recourse and non-recourse factoring?
- Is invoice factoring the same as invoice financing?
- Can I get a loan on a purchase order?
- How can I get funding for inventory?
- What is inventory financing?
- Which businesses use invoice factoring?
- What is seasonal working capital?
- How much does invoice factoring cost?
- Will my customers know I am using invoice factoring?
- How do I fund a large order before my customer pays?
- Can a new business use invoice factoring?
Government programs and grants
- What is an SBA loan?
- What is the difference between SBA 7(a) and 504 loans?
- What disqualifies you from an SBA loan?
- What is the CSBFP?
- Can a startup use the Canada Small Business Financing Program?
- How does BDC work?
- Are there free government grants for small businesses?
- Is Grants.gov a legitimate website?
- How long does it take to get a government-backed loan?
- Will small business loans be forgiven?
- How do I apply for an SBA loan?
- Do SBA loans require a personal guarantee?
- What is a government-backed business loan?
- Can I get a government-backed loan with bad credit?
Brokers, liens and protecting yourself
- Is it worth going through a funding broker or referral service?
- How do I know if a funding broker is legitimate?
- What are common business funding scams?
- Do legitimate lenders ask for upfront fees?
- What is a UCC lien?
- How do I remove a UCC lien?
- Is a UCC lien bad for my business?
- What is a personal guarantee on a business loan?
- Can I get a business loan without a personal guarantee?
- How do I get out of a personal guarantee?
- Why would I share my bank statements with a referral service?
- What should I check in a funding contract before signing?
- What is a confession of judgment?
Canada and Québec
- How do I apply for a business loan in Canada?
- What is the average business loan interest rate in Canada?
- Can I get a business loan in Québec with bad credit?
- What startup funding programs exist in Canada?
- Is quick business funding available in Canada?
- Are Canadian business loans different from US loans?
- Can I get a micro loan in Québec?
- What can the Canada Small Business Financing Program be used for?
Last updated 2026-10-11. celerfunding is not a lender. General information, not financial or legal advice.