United Capital Source alternative business loans review
- Min. Amount
- $2,000
- Max. Amount
- $5,000,000
- APR
- Not stated
Summary
Up to $5,000,000 in business term loans and more for a wide range of industries.
United Capital Source's wide variety of business loans could help any small or midsize business get the funds it needs. But it could be particularly helpful to businesses in industries that don't typically qualify for business loans from traditional lenders.
It works with businesses ranging from gas stations to accounting firms and doesn't shy away from high-risk industries like cannabis. We take a closer look at United Capital Source's business term loans to help you decide if it's the right fit for your small business.
Pros
-
Rates start at 5%
-
Wide range of financing available
-
Online application
-
Relatively transparent about costs and process
Cons
-
Can be expensive if you have bad credit
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Usually requires bank statements
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Daily or weekly repayments on some products
Details
Product details
| Min. Amount | $2,000 |
| Max. Amount | $5,000,000 |
| Loan term | 24 months to 25 years |
| Min. Credit Score | 550 |
| APR | Not stated |
| Requirements | 550+ credit score, 3+ months in business, $120,000+ annual revenue, business checking account |
First, do I qualify?
To be eligible for a United Capital Source business term loan, you or your business must:
- Be at least six months in business
- Make at least $75,000 a year before taxes
- Have a credit score of or higher
- Have no open bankruptcies
What is United Capital Source?
United Capital Source is a connection service that helps small and midsize businesses find funding with flexible credit requirements. As of May 2019, it’s helped fund over $900 million in loans to small businesses across the country.
Its business term loans are unsecured, so they don’t require collateral. With this type of financing, your business can apply for amounts ranging from to with APRs starting at and no fees.
If approved, you have between and to pay off the loan. There are no prepayment penalties, so your business can save on interest by paying off the loan early.
It also offers several other types of business financing, including lines of credit, merchant cash advances, SBA loans and invoice factoring.
Business line of credit
This financing option gives your businessaccess to continuous fundssimilar to a credit card but with higher limits, lower rates and a deadline for paying it all back. It’s great for covering recurring costs like inventory or payroll when your cash flow gets low. Credit lines range from $1,000 to $200,000 and come with terms as long as 18 months. Rates start at 8%.
Merchant cash advance
Retailers and e-commerce businesses might want to look closely at this option. Here, your business can getan advance on future salesto smooth out your business’s cash flow and cover recurring expenses. Your business can get an advance of between $7,500 and $1 million at a factor rate starting at 1.09. You can pay it back over 3 to 18 months with a percentage of your business’s daily sales.
SBA loans
United Capital Source doesn’t directly fund thesegovernment-guaranteed loansbut can connect you to several lending partners, similar to a business loan marketplace. The lenders it works with offer financing through the SBA 7(a) and 504 programs with amounts ranging from $50,000 to $10 million. They’re typically less expensive than your typical term loan — rates start at 5%. They also tend to come with longer terms — between 3 and 25 years.
Invoice and receivables factoring
Designed to help businesses with lots of invoices from other businesses or the government, invoice factoring lets your business get an advance on your outstanding invoices — up to 90%. Once your clients pay off the invoices, your business receives the remaining percentage, less the interest. Loan amounts range from $10,000 to $10 million with terms up to 24 months and interest rates starting at 5.8%.
Your business might also qualify for invoice financing, equipment loans and other cashflow lending solutions through United Capital Source.
What makes United Capital Source unique?
United Capital Source opens its doors to high-risk industries and poor credit business owners and can get your business the funds it needs quickly. It’s won high ratings from customers and ranked onInc. Magazine’slist of the top 5,000 fastest-growing businesses in the country in both 2015 and 2017.
Its site is user-friendly compared to other alternative lenders. Its live chat feature can connect you quickly with a customer service representative to answer any questions you might have. And unlike many alternative lenders, it presents the rates, terms and amounts for different types of financing in an easy-to-read format.
What are the benefits of a United Capital Source business loan?
- Large amounts.Your business can borrow up to $5 million if it qualifies for a term loan.
- Cannabis friendly.This lender is one of the few financing options for cannabis businesses.
- Multiple types of financing.If you think your business might need different types of financing, like merchant credit or a line of credit, this lender can cover many of your needs.
- Bad credit options.Finding a lender willing to work with business owners with a poor credit rating can be difficult. United Capital Source can help.
- Positive customer reviews.As of May 2018, it has high ratings from customers on Trustpilot and the best grade a business can get from the Better Business Bureau.
What to watch out for
- Bank account required.Cannabis business owners that don’t have a business bank account will need to consider another provider.
- Not for startups.While your business can be less than a year old and qualify for United Capital Source funding, you won’t be able to qualify for a loan directly from United Capital Source to start a business.
- Weekly or daily repayments on some loans.This can be difficult for businesses that don’t have a steady day-to-day cash flow. In that case, you might want to apply for a program that offers monthly repayments.
Compare other alternative business loan offers
United Capital Source reviews and complaints
| BBB accredited | Yes |
|---|---|
| BBB rating | |
| BBB customer reviews | 2.7 out of 5 stars, based on 5 customer reviews |
| BBB customer complaints | 3 customer complaints |
| Trustpilot Score | 4.9 out of 5 stars, based on 1,028 customer reviews |
| Customer reviews verified as of | 13 October 2020 |
United Capital Source doesn’t have many reviews or complaints on its BBB page, but it earns high ratings from customers on its Trustpilot page. Recent customers compliment its customer service representatives by name and are happy about the quality of their experiences.
How do I apply?
First, confirm you meet the following eligibility requirements.
Qualifications
- Your business must be at least six months old.United Capital Source doesn’t provide financing to launch a new startup.
- Your business must make a month.This means its gross revenue — before taxes.
- You must have a FICO score or higher.A 500-credit rating is considered poor credit.
- Have no open bankruptcies.Typically, it’s difficult to qualify for financing if you’ve filed for bankruptcy in the past seven years.
Do I need a business bank account?
Yes, businesses must have a business bank account in order to be eligible for financing with United Capital Source. This may prove difficult for businesses in the cannabis industry, which often struggle to find a bank that will work with them.
Once you’ve checked that your business is eligible, you’re ready to start the application.
Steps to apply
- Click theGo to sitebutton on this page.
- HitApply Nowonce on United Capital Source’s website.
- Select the range for your business’s total average monthly sales and hitContinue.
- Select the range for the amount your business wants to borrow and hitContinue.
- Enter you and your business’s basic contact information before clickingGet Funded.
- Follow the directions to fill out the required fields, including three business reference and one bank reference.
- Upload your documents.
- Read the terms and conditions before signing the application and hittingGetFunded.
A United Capital Source representative should get in touch with you with an offer, typically around four hours after you submit your application. If you accept, they’ll walk you through the rest of the application process. Once you sign your loan documents, it typically takes between two and four business days to get your funds.
Step-by-step application with screenshots
What documents do I need to apply?
United Capital Source requires business owners to submit the following documentation with their online application:
- Driver’s license
- Business bank statements
- Voided business check
- Business tax returns
- Credit card processing statements
I got the United Capital Source business loan. Now what?
Once your business receives its funds, it’s time to start paying back the loan. United Capital Source has programs where borrowers pay back their loan in monthly, bi-weekly, weekly or even daily repayments, which are common for merchant cash advances.
Whichever option your business uses, regularly check your business bank account and your loan balance. If you have any questions about repayments or notice something off, reach out to customer service as soon as possible by calling 855-933-8638. And if you’re paying interest, your business might want to repay its loan early if it can — United Capital Source doesn’t charge any prepayment penalties.
Bottom line
This alternative lender could be particularly helpful to small and midsize businesses that have struggled to get funds in the past. Its website is straightforward, rates are competitive, there are no fees to apply and online reviews are overwhelmingly positive. It’s not for everyone, however — it doesn’t fund businesses under six months old or without a bank account. Check out our guide for cannabis financing to find more cannabis-friendly lenders. Or visit our business loans page to learn more about your options.
Frequently asked questions
Images: United Capital Source
Business loan ratings
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- Min credit score: 550
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