Lenders

UK business lender reviews: who funds what

Independent write-ups of 100+ UK business lenders: what each funds, who it suits and the alternatives, grouped by finance type. Compare them in minutes.

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Amount: From £10,000 to £20 millionLarger amounts through secured, property and asset-based finance
Security: Secured or unsecuredOptions compared for your case
Suitable businesses: Sole traders to limited companiesPartnerships and LLPs too
Lender panel: 300+ lendersWhole-of-market search

In short

These are independent reviews of the lenders we compare for UK businesses, grouped by the type of finance each is best known for.

Each page covers what the lender funds, who it suits and the alternatives. Use Instant Quotes to see which fit your business today.

About UK business lender reviews

These are independent write-ups of lenders we work with when searching the market for UK businesses.

Each page explains who the lender is, what it funds, who it tends to suit and the alternatives worth comparing. Smart Funding Solutions is an independent broker and is not part of any lender listed here.

Lenders change their appetite often, so a write-up is a starting point, not a quote. The quickest way to see which lenders fit your business today is Instant Quotes, which compares lenders in minutes. It is free to enquire; any broker fee is disclosed separately before you proceed.

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Explore this section

Choose the right option

Each option suits a different need. Start with the one closest to yours; we will compare the rest for you.

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365 Finance review: merchant cash advance for card-taking businesses

365 Finance is a UK provider of revenue-based finance, founded in 2012, offering £10,000 to £500,000 repaid automatically as a percentage of your card sales.…

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4Syte review: invoice finance and construction finance for UK SMEs

4Syte is a Chelmsford-based independent invoice finance provider, set up in 2016, offering factoring and invoice discounting of around £50,000 to £3,000,000,…

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Accredo review: secured business loans for UK limited companies

Accredo is a UK secured business lender, trading since 2000, that underwrites every case by hand rather than by credit score. It suits limited companies that…

How to use these lender reviews

Start with the type of finance you need, then read the lenders in that group. Most lenders appear under their main product, but many offer more than one, so check each page for the full range. If you are comparing offers already on the table, our business loan comparison guide explains how to weigh cost, speed and terms side by side, and how lenders assess applications covers what each one will look at.

Unsecured business loans

Lenders whose main product is unsecured business loans. Read our guide to unsecured business loans first if you are new to it.

Merchant cash advance and revenue-based finance

Lenders whose main product is merchant cash advance and revenue-based finance. Read our guide to merchant cash advance and revenue-based finance first if you are new to it.

Revolving credit and flexible facilities

Lenders whose main product is revolving credit and flexible facilities. Read our guide to revolving credit and flexible facilities first if you are new to it.

Invoice finance and asset based lending

Lenders whose main product is invoice finance and asset based lending. Read our guide to invoice finance and asset based lending first if you are new to it.

Asset finance and equipment leasing

Lenders whose main product is asset finance and equipment leasing. Read our guide to asset finance and equipment leasing first if you are new to it.

Secured and property-backed lending

Lenders whose main product is secured and property-backed lending. Read our guide to secured and property-backed lending first if you are new to it.

Specialist and niche lenders

Lenders that focus on a particular sector, structure or type of borrower.

Why use a broker rather than going direct

Every lender has its own criteria, and an application that is declined still leaves a mark on your credit file. We look at your business once, work out which lenders are realistic, and approach the ones most likely to say yes on terms that fit. We present your case properly, answer the lender's questions and keep the process moving. You can also read our guides to banks versus alternative lenders and regional and government-backed loans.

Side by side

Compare your options

How the main business finance structures work. Lenders set their own terms, so treat this as a guide to the questions to ask.

Option	How you repay	Security	Often used for
Unsecured business loan	Fixed instalments, usually monthly	No charge over assets; a personal guarantee is usually required	Growth, stock, tax bills and cash flow
Secured business loan	Fixed instalments, often over a longer term	A charge over property or other assets	Larger sums, property and refinancing
Revolving credit facility	Interest on what you draw; repay and redraw	Varies by lender and case	Recurring or uneven cash flow gaps
Merchant cash advance	A share of future card takings	No charge over assets	Card-taking businesses with uneven months
Asset finance	Regular payments over the life of the asset	The asset being financed	Equipment, vehicles and machinery
Invoice finance	Settled as customers pay their invoices	Your unpaid invoices	Businesses waiting on customer payment

General information only. Every lender has its own criteria, and all finance is subject to status.

FAQs

Questions clients ask

Are these lenders endorsing Smart Funding Solutions?

No. These are our own independent write-ups. Smart Funding Solutions is a broker and is not part of, or endorsed by, any lender listed.

How do you choose which lenders to write about?

These are lenders we compare when searching the market for clients. We add and update pages as lenders change what they offer.

Can I apply to a lender directly?

Yes, you can. Comparing first helps you avoid applications that are unlikely to succeed and shows you options you may not have considered.

Why are rates not shown?

Pricing depends on your business, the amount, the term and security, so any figure without your details would be misleading. Instant Quotes gives indicative terms based on your answers.

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“Simon was fast, kept us updated at all stages and was a real pleasure to work with on our asset finance. I highly recommend this company: excellent service all round.”

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