How Fast Can You Get a Business Loan? Timeline Guide

How Fast Can You Get a Business Loan? Timeline Guide

When a business opportunity appears or an urgent expense hits, time matters. Waiting weeks or months for funding can mean missing a critical window. The good news is that the lending industry has evolved dramatically, and some loan products can put cash in your account within hours of approval. The bad news is that speed often comes at a cost.

This guide breaks down realistic timelines for every major type of business loan and explains what you can do to accelerate the process.

Funding Timelines by Loan Type

Understanding how long each type of financing takes helps you choose the right product for your situation.

Same-Day to Next Business Day

Merchant Cash Advances

MCAs are the fastest funding option available. Because they are based on your daily credit card sales rather than traditional creditworthiness, underwriting is streamlined. Many MCA providers can approve and fund within the same business day.

• Application time: 10 to 15 minutes
• Approval decision: 1 to 4 hours
• Funding: Same day to next business day

Revenue-Based Financing

Similar to MCAs, revenue-based products use your bank account data to make quick underwriting decisions. Funding typically arrives within 24 hours of approval.

1 to 3 Business Days

Short-Term Online Loans

Online lenders have built technology platforms that automate much of the underwriting process, pulling bank data and credit information digitally. Most can make a decision within hours and fund within one to three business days.

• Application time: 15 to 30 minutes
• Approval decision: Same day
• Funding: 1 to 3 business days

Business Lines of Credit (Online)

Online lines of credit follow a similar timeline. Once the line is established, future draws are often available within hours.

3 to 7 Business Days

Equipment Financing

Equipment loans take slightly longer because the lender needs to evaluate the equipment being purchased in addition to your financial profile. The vendor quote, equipment details, and potentially an appraisal add steps to the process.

• Application time: 30 minutes to 1 hour
• Approval decision: 1 to 3 days
• Funding: 3 to 7 business days

Invoice Factoring

Setting up a factoring arrangement takes a few days for the initial agreement and verification of your invoices. Once the relationship is established, individual invoices can be factored within 24 hours.

2 to 4 Weeks

Bank Term Loans

Traditional bank loans involve more thorough underwriting, often including in-person meetings, detailed financial analysis, and committee review. The process is slower but produces lower rates and longer terms.

• Application time: 1 to 2 hours
• Approval decision: 1 to 3 weeks
• Funding: 2 to 4 weeks after approval

Credit Union Loans

Credit unions follow a process similar to banks, though some smaller credit unions can move faster due to less bureaucracy.

1 to 3 Months

SBA Loans

SBA loans involve both the lender's underwriting process and the SBA's review and guarantee. This dual layer of approval adds significant time. SBA Express loans, which carry a smaller guarantee, can sometimes be processed in two to three weeks, but standard 7(a) and 504 loans typically take 30 to 90 days.

• Application time: Several hours to gather full documentation
• Approval decision: 2 to 8 weeks
• Funding: 1 to 3 months total

What Speeds Up the Approval Process

Regardless of which loan product you choose, these actions will help you get funded faster:

Have your documents ready before you apply. The number one cause of delays is incomplete documentation. Gather your tax returns, bank statements, financial statements, and business documents before you start the application. When a lender asks for additional information, respond within hours, not days.

Maintain clean bookkeeping. Lenders need to understand your financial picture quickly. If your books are disorganized, the lender will ask more questions and the process will stall. Use accounting software, keep your records current, and consider having a CPA review your statements before you apply.

Apply through a lending marketplace. Platforms like Brevo Capital submit your application to multiple lenders simultaneously, which eliminates the time you would spend applying individually to each one. You receive multiple offers and can compare them side by side.

Choose the right lender for your profile. Applying to a lender whose requirements you do not meet wastes time and adds an unnecessary inquiry to your credit report. If your credit score is 620, do not start with a bank that requires 700. Focus on lenders aligned with your qualifications.

Opt for automated underwriting. Lenders that use bank integration technology — where you connect your bank account directly — can pull and analyze your financial data in minutes rather than waiting for you to upload statements.

Respond immediately to requests. After submission, the lender may request clarification or additional documents. Every hour you delay in responding adds to the overall timeline. Treat the process like a time-sensitive project and prioritize it.

What Slows Down the Process

Knowing what causes delays helps you avoid them:

• Missing or outdated documents. Expired licenses, tax returns from the wrong year, or missing pages from bank statements all trigger delays.
• Unresolved tax liens or judgments. If your credit report shows outstanding liens, the lender will need to understand and resolve those issues before proceeding.
• Multiple owners. Every owner with 20 percent or more must be vetted, which adds time proportional to the number of owners.
• Complex business structures. Holding companies, multiple entities, and international operations require additional due diligence.
• Industry risk factors. If your business operates in a high-risk industry, the lender may require additional review and documentation.

Matching Speed to Need

The fastest loan is not always the best loan. Consider these scenarios:

Urgent need, any cost acceptable: A piece of critical equipment breaks down and you cannot operate without it. An MCA or same-day online loan gets you back to work immediately. The higher cost is justified by the revenue you would lose otherwise.

Moderate urgency, cost matters: You have a growth opportunity with a two-week window. A short-term online loan or line of credit balances speed and cost effectively.

No urgency, lowest cost priority: You are planning an expansion six months from now. Start the SBA loan process early to capture the lowest rates and best terms available.

Seasonal preparation: You know your slow season starts in three months. Apply for a working capital line of credit now so it is available when you need it, rather than scrambling when cash gets tight.

Funding Speed Checklist

Before you apply, use this checklist to position yourself for the fastest possible turnaround:

• Bank statements: Have three to six months downloaded and ready to upload or share via bank linking.
• Tax returns: Keep digital copies of your last two to three years of personal and business returns.
• Business license: Scan a copy of your current business license or articles of incorporation.
• Revenue documentation: Prepare a recent profit and loss statement, even a basic one from your accounting software.
• Personal identification: Have a valid government-issued ID ready for identity verification.
• Equipment quotes: If applying for equipment financing, have the vendor quote prepared in advance.
• Clear use-of-funds statement: Write a brief explanation of exactly how you plan to use the funds.

Having these items prepared before you click "apply" can shave days off the process and demonstrate to lenders that you are an organized, low-risk borrower.

The Brevo Capital Advantage

Brevo Capital is built for business owners who value their time. Our streamlined application takes minutes to complete, and our network of lenders means you receive multiple offers fast. Whether you need funding today or are planning ahead, we match you with the right product at the right speed.

Start your application now and see offers within minutes.