Should you pay off your business loan early?

One of the most notorious features of personal and business loans is an early repayment or prepayment fee. This is when you are charged a fee if you decide to pay back your whole loan earlier than agreed.

Repaying ahead of schedule can save you money on interest and gets you out of debt sooner, but it also means less money for the lender than they expected. To compensate, some lenders impose strict early repayment fees if you pay back sooner than you need to. Discharge fees may also come up when you finish paying back the loan and the account is closed earlier than expected.

If there’s a chance you might pay back your loan sooner than is stipulated in its terms and conditions, you may want to check to make sure there are no prepayment or discharge fees involved.

Is early repayment worth the fees?

Generally speaking, if your lender has no prepayment fees and no discharge fees, you can save money by paying the entire business loan back sooner. If your lender does have early repayment or discharge fees, then it might still be possible to save money with early repayments or it could end up costing you even more. It would depend on how much you have left on the loan and what the penalty fee is.

Here’s how to calculate if it’s worth it:

1. Determine how much you could save with early repayment. Add up the total amount you will spend on interest over the rest of the loan period and factor in any ongoing fees. This is the total amount you might save if you were to repay it all today.
2. Subtract any prepayment or early discharge fees from the amount you can save. Pay close attention to the type of fee it is (percentage or flat) and do not assume that all lenders have similar costs.
3. The amount you are left with is the value you will save if you pay off your loan early. If the figure is negative, it means that repaying your loan early will actually cost you more than it will save you.

Business loan options in Canada

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Name	Product	Interest Rate	Loan Amount	Loan Term	Minimum Revenue	Minimum Time in Business	Loans Offered
OnDeck Business Loan		8.00% – 29.00%	$5,000 - $300,000	6 - 18 months	$100,000/year	6+ months	Secured Term, Line of Credit, Merchant Cash Advance	To be eligible, you must have been in business for at least 6 months with a minimum annual gross revenue of $100,000. OnDeck offers fast and simple financing. Apply in less than 10 minutes with your basic business information and see your loan offers without hurting your credit score. Get approved within 1 business day, and choose your term, amount and payback schedule once approved.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Merchant Growth Business Loan		12.99% - 39.99%	$5,000 - $500,000	3 - 12 months	$10,000 /month	6 months	Unsecured Term, Line of Credit, Merchant Cash Advance	To be eligible, you must have been in business for at least 6 months and have a minimum of $10,000 in monthly sales. Merchant Growth offers financing tailored to business needs. It specializes in providing capital based on future cash flows, but it also offers fixed solutions. Fill out an application within 5 minutes and get your funds within 24 hours.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...
Loans Canada Business Loan		6.60% - 29.00%	$4,000 - $500,000	3 - 60 months	over $10,000/month	100 days	Unsecured Term	To be eligible, you must have been in business for at least 100 days, have a Canadian business bank account and show a minimum of $10,000 in monthly deposits ($120,000/year). Loans Canada connects Canadian small business owners to lenders offering financing up to $500,000. Complete one simple online application and get matched with your loan options.	Go to site More Info	Compare	loading Fetching your data...

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How to maximize your chances of saving money:

• If you want the option of repaying a loan early, it can be worth looking for a lender that doesn’t charge prepayment fees. Don’t forget to compare benefits and interest rates too.
• Use an online calculator to see how certain repayment options can help you save more money. Ideally your chosen repayment plan will be perfect, but choosing a provider without early repayment or discharge fees is a good way of planning for the best.

Pros and cons of repaying your loan early

It might seem like a good idea to pay back your business loan early, but even if there are no prepayment or discharge fees, it might not be in your best interest.

Bottom line

Early repayment isn’t always the right option and providers without prepayment fees are not always an ideal choice. However, it is an important factor to consider when comparing business loans. Even if you choose not to use the benefit, simply having the option of paying a loan back early without worrying about hidden costs could be good for peace of mind.