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You may be looking for a loan for your business for many reasons. A sudden spike in sales might have created a need for some additional cash flow, or maybe that influx has created the need to expand. While a tailored business loan would seem to be the obvious choice, many smaller businesses still choose personal loans, favoring their simplicity and easy applications.
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| Business loans | Personal loans | |
|---|---|---|
| APR | How business lenders charge for their loans can vary widely. Some offer interest rates as low as 5.5%. Keep in mind that some lenders charge monthly fees rather than traditional loan interest rates. | Both fixed and variable interest rates can be offered. Some lenders offer a starting APR as low as 3.99%. |
| Terms | Both short term and long term financing options are available. You could get financing for as short as a month with invoice financing or get funds to be paid back within 25 years with SBA loans. | Repayment periods are usually between 1 and 7 years. |
| Loan Amount | Maximums can be as high as $5 million. | Maximums can be as high as $100,000. |
| Eligibility | Your business finances are usually weighed more heavily than your personal finances. Typically requires you to have been in business for at least one year and have monthly revenue of at least $10,000. | Typically requires good to excellent credit. Lenders may also evaluate other financial factors such as your income and debt-to-income ratio. |
| Ease of application | You’ll likely have to submit a business plan and your accounting numbers with your application. Some lenders, mostly traditional banks, may require you to apply for a business loan in person. | Applications can usually be completed online in just a few minutes, with some lenders offering preapproval. |
| Restrictions on use | Can be used for a wide variety of business purposes including financing equipment purchases, payroll, buying a vehicle and much more. | There are many general purpose personal loans that can be used for just about any legitimate reason. You can also apply for specifically purposed loans for things like purchasing a car or refinancing student loans. |
Personal loan. Similar to business loans, secured personal loans tend to come with lower rates. However, if the business fails and you’re unable to make repayments, the lender can take possession of your collateral.
A personal loan can be used for a number of expenses, from consolidating debt to financing a wedding to paying for a big home improvement project. Many lenders offer amounts as low as $1,000 to $10,000, and you can find options as high as $100,000.
In order to qualify for the highest loan amounts at the lowest interest rates, you’ll need to have an excellent credit score and a regular source of income that shows you have an ability to handle the monthly payments.
Yes. You can use a personal loan to cover a business expense, but you should understand the risk: if you default, the bank or financial company you borrow from may seize your personal assets rather than the assets of your business.
However, if you’re just getting started on your business, a personal loan may be easier to qualify for than a business loan. This is because you’ll be using your credit rather than the credit of your business, and you can start on the road to financing your business venture even if you don’t currently have capital or collateral to secure a business loan.
A business loan is meant to finance a business expense. Because this category is so broad, it can pretty much be used for anything that relates to your business. There are loans meant for specific purposes, like getting an advance on your invoices or buying equipment, but there are also term loans that are given as a lump sum and can be used for whatever your business needs.
Many banks or financial companies will want you to have a plan in place that details how you’re going to use the loan, and your approval will be based on both your personal credit and your business’s income and age.
It depends on the personal expense you’re planning on using the loan for, but in general, it’s not recommended. Accountants and lawyers both recommend that you keep your business finances and personal finances separate to make it easier for you to track expenses and inform the IRS of your different streams of revenue.
In addition, your business loan contract may specify a specific use for your loan funds. If this is the case, using your loan funds for any other purpose, even if it’s related to your business, might constitute a breach in contract that could default your loan.
There are times when personal loans are simply a more reasonable option for a business. Although it puts your name and credit on the line, a personal loan has less restrictions than a business loan and is generally easier to qualify for.
There are few options for businesses that have recently opened. This is because your business doesn’t have a history of revenue and lenders can’t be certain you’ll make it long enough to repay your loan.
Even if you’ve found a lender willing to loan your business money, you’ll likely face higher rates than if you’d gone with a personal loan. For instance, a personal loan from Prosper has a low starting APR of 6.95% whereas a business loan from LendingClub starts its APR at 9.77%. That means borrowing the same amount as a business loan will cost you more than if you’d gone with a personal loan.
Business loans that don’t rely on your revenue take a while to process. It can be weeks or even months before you see your loan funds deposited into your account, and this is after you’ve spent valuable time crafting a business plan that showcases how you intend on using the loan.
A personal loan takes very little time, and many online lenders don’t require you to submit extra paperwork to justify the loan’s purpose.
Your business may have little to no collateral to provide as security for a business loan. This means higher interest rates and, usually, a personal guarantee that holds you and your partners responsible should your business default. It also means that you may not be able to access larger amounts offered by business loans since lenders will want to ensure you have liquid assets to cover your full loan amount.
Personal loans don’t require collateral. They’re unsecured, and if you have a high enough credit score, you may be able to borrow up to $100,000. Many personal loans also allow you to apply with a cosigner, which can increase your likelihood of being approved for a large amount at a low interest rate.
