Registered lenders are obligated to run a credit check before signing off on a loan application. The past payment record speaks volumes about your repayment capacity. Your current financial condition reveals your ability to keep up with the debt payments, while your past payment record demonstrates your commitment and loyalty to repayment.
There is no such thing as a no-credit-check business loan. All business loan providers will perform some kind of credit check. It may be hard as well as soft. Hard credit check leaves hard search footprints on your credit report, which lowers your credit score, but a soft credit check does not.
What are business loans with no credit check?
A business loan with no credit check refers to a small business loan that you can qualify for without undergoing a hard check. If you are applying for these loans, it implies that you have a less-than-perfect credit rating, and perhaps because you struggled with payments in the past or because you have not built a credit history.
It is vital to note that all business loan providers run some kind of credit checks. It is mandatory because it helps them determine whether you are in a position to pay off your business loan. Business loans are approbated when you prove your repayment capacity.
Some business loans require a hard check, while others require a soft check. Soft inquiries are not recorded on your credit report, and therefore, they do not pull your credit points. Subprime borrowers should prefer a soft credit check in order to protect their credit scores.
When it comes to approving a business loan, your credit score is not the quintessential. Lenders will take into account other factors such as a trading history, annual turnover, and reasons why your credit report is not up to scratch.
Business loans with poor credit come with high interest rates.
What business loans can you obtain with no credit check?
There are three types of business loans available from direct lenders that do not involve a credit check:
- Invoice financing
Invoice financing is a method to raise money against unpaid receivables. Suppose a golden investment comes your way, and your working capital has already run out. Waiting for customers to pay receivables is not always feasible because the opportunity can slip through your hands.
Invoice financing companies will fund up to 85% of your invoices. The remaining balance is handed back to you once your customers pay off the entire amount. Invoice financing companies do not charge interest rates. They charge financing fees, which may be up to 5% of the total invoice value.
Here are the upsides and downsides of invoice financing:
| Pros | Cons |
| You can have immediate access to cash. Advance on invoices is paid within 24 hours. | Invoice financing may prove to be an expensive financing option because they charge high fees. |
| This is the best financing option when you are running out of working capital. | You will be responsible for bearing the loss if any customer fails to repay. |
| Invoice financing is unsecured, meaning they are not subject to collateral. There is no risk of losing your personal or business assets. | Invoice factoring used aggressive methods for collecting payments. Your relationship with customers might be affected with your customers. |
| If you choose invoice discounting, you can raise money on unpaid invoices without letting your customers know about it. | While your business credit score does not matter, lenders check customers’ creditworthiness. It is not easy to get approved if customers have not been loyal with payments in the past. |
| If you choose invoice factoring, you can keep yourself away from chasing your customers for payments. | It might increase the reliance on invoice financing if you do not revise collection methods to ensure on-time payments from your clients. |
- Merchant cash advance
A merchant cash advance is not a loan. It is rather raising money against future card sales. This is suitable only for those businesses that are heavily reliant on debit and credit card sales. Merchant cash providers do not charge interest rates. Once you borrow money, a fixed percentage of daily card sales will start being automatically deducted until the whole amount is paid back.
- They are not subject to credit checks.
- Lenders will make the lending decision based on your sales volume and frequency. They will assess the sales record of the past six months.
Here are the pros and cons of a merchant cash advance:
| Advantages | disadvantages |
| Funds are disbursed within 24 hours. | The cost of MCA is quite high. It depends on the factor rate, a multiplier, which can be up to 1.5 |
| Repayments are flexible. You will pay a fixed percentage of daily sales. How quickly you pay it off depends on the sales volume. | Regular automatic deductions from daily revenues will restrict the cash flow. You might have to take out a new MCA. |
| Approval is based on the sales volume of the previous six months and trading history rather than your credit score. | You cannot save money even though you manage to pay off the whole amount early, as the total cost remains unchanged. |
- Short-term business loans
Short-term business loans are also an alternative, especially if you need a small amount of money during emergencies. Direct lender loans for bad credit may give the nod to your application without running a hard credit check. However, the loan amount cannot be more than £1,000.
If you are looking to borrow a large sum of money, they will check hard credit inquiries. If they make the lending decision based on a soft credit check, they will demand a personal guarantee. It means you will be personally responsible for the debt settlement if your business fails. Some lenders might want you to secure these loans against an asset.
Here are the benefits and drawbacks of short-term business loans:
| Merits | Demerits |
| They are quick. The approval is made within 24 hours. | They charge very high interest rates. |
| You do not have to be tied to long-term financial commitments. | There is a risk of falling into a debt trap if you fail to discharge the debt on time. |
| Qualification is easier for a paltry sum because the decision will be made based on your revenues rather than your credit score. | They are paid off in one fell swoop therefore it might be quite difficult to repay them. If you default, the loan will be roll over, accumulating the debt. |
| They are ideal for bridging the cash flow. | They are not meant for funding large expenses. |
The bottom line
If you are looking to apply for a business loan with no credit checks, it is not possible. No lender will feel inclined to lend you money without running a thorough affordability check, and your credit score is part of that.
However, there are some financing solutions, such as merchant cash advance and invoice financing, that do not require a credit check. Unfortunately, they are not suitable for all types of businesses.
Try improving your credit score if you need a business loan. Not only will you be able to borrow a larger sum, but you will also be able to qualify for lower interest rates.








