Merchant cash advance for small businesses.
Working capital advanced against your future sales, remitted as a share of revenue. Decisions in 24–48 hours, approval based on what your business deposits, not just your credit score.
At a glance
- What it is
- A purchase of a portion of your future receivables. Not a loan.
- Amounts
- $10,000 to $1,000,000+, sized to monthly revenue*
- Cost
- A fixed total, set in dollars and agreed up front*
- Remittance
- Daily or weekly, as a share of sales, over 3–18 months
- Credit
- Revenue-based review. Lower scores considered.
- Speed
- Decision in 24–48 hours; funds in 24–72 hours after final approval*
Capital today, repaid from the sales you haven’t made yet.
A merchant cash advance (MCA) is not a loan. A funding partner purchases a fixed dollar amount of your future receivables at a discount, and deposits the purchase price in your business account. You then remit an agreed share of your revenue, daily or weekly, until the purchased amount has been delivered.
Because the remittance is tied to sales, the structure suits businesses with steady card or deposit volume and an immediate need: payroll, inventory, a tax bill, a season to stock for, or an opportunity with a short window. It is fast and accessible. It is also one of the more expensive forms of working capital, so it works best when the money earns more than it costs.
- Funds in your account within days, not weeks
- Approval weighted toward deposits and cash flow, not credit alone
- No collateral or personal assets pledged in most programs
- Any legitimate business purpose
MCA vs. a term loan
| Merchant cash advance | Bank term loan | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal form | Purchase of future receivables | Debt |
| Cost basis | Fixed total, stated in dollars | Interest rate (APR) |
| Repayment | Share of sales, daily or weekly | Fixed monthly payment |
| Term | 3–18 months | 1–10 years |
| Decision | 24–48 hours | 2–8 weeks |
| Credit weight | Low: revenue first | High: score, collateral, years |
| Best for | Speed, short-term needs, thin credit | Large, long-term, low-cost capital |
Four steps from application to deposit.
Apply online
Ten minutes. Basic business details plus your last 3–4 months of bank statements. No hard credit pull to see your options.*
Underwriting
Funding partners review deposits, average daily balance, NSF activity, time in business and any existing advances. Most decisions land in 24–48 hours.
Compare offers
Your advisor lays out each offer in plain dollars: advance amount, total remitted, daily or weekly remittance, and term.
Fund and remit
Sign, and funds are deposited, typically within 24–72 hours of final approval. Remittances begin on the agreed schedule via ACH.
Your cost is fixed in dollars before you sign.
MCA pricing is not an interest rate. The funding partner sets a fixed total that you will remit, states it in dollars, and writes it into the offer alongside the advance amount, the remittance amount and the schedule. The total does not change if you remit faster or slower, which is why it is worth comparing the dollar cost and the term together rather than either alone.
Two other terms show up in every agreement. The holdback (or specified percentage) is the share of revenue the remittance is based on. The remittance is the fixed daily or weekly ACH amount derived from it. Most agreements allow a reconciliation if your sales fall, so the remittance can be adjusted to match the agreed percentage. Ask your advisor how reconciliation works in the offer you are considering.
Pricing varies with risk. Longer time in business, stronger average balances, fewer negative days and no existing advances all bring the cost down. Partners also price in the position: a first-position advance costs less than a third.
- Advance amount
- The deposit to your account
- Total to remit
- Fixed in dollars on day one
- Remittance
- Daily or weekly amount, by ACH
- Term
- Estimated weeks or months to deliver
Also in writing: any origination or ACH fees, how reconciliation works if sales drop, and whether early delivery earns a discount.
How to compare offers: same advance and same term, the lower total wins. A shorter term at the same total costs the same in dollars but takes more from each week’s sales.
Before you accept: your advisor walks through every line in plain dollars. Nothing is left to work out from a rate.
Built for operating businesses with real deposits.
Each funding partner sets its own criteria, and your advisor matches your file to the partners most likely to approve it. These are the guidelines most of them share.
- 6+ months in business. Twelve months or more opens more partners and better pricing.
- $10,000+ in monthly deposits. Advance size is usually set at 80–150% of average monthly revenue.
- A business bank account with consistent deposits and few negative days.
- A US or Canadian business in an eligible industry.
- Credit scores in the 500s are considered. Score affects amount and rate more than the decision.
- Existing advances are not a bar. Second and third positions are common. More than that, ask about Reverse Consolidation.
What you’ll need
Have these ready and most files are decided within two business days.
- Last 3–4 months of business bank statements
- Most recent credit card processing statements, if you accept cards
- Government-issued photo ID for the owner
- Voided business check or bank letter
- For larger amounts: most recent tax return or profit and loss
Where a fast advance earns its keep.
Short-term needs with a clear return
An MCA is priced for speed. It pays off when the capital goes to something that produces revenue or avoids a larger cost within the term.
Industry guides: Trucking · Restaurants · Construction · Medical · Retail
Fast is not the same as right.
An advisor who only sells one product will always recommend it. Swyft Advance places four. Here is how we think about the choice.
- Choose an MCA when speed matters, the need is short-term, credit or time in business rules out a bank, and the return beats the cost.
- Choose a line of credit when the need is recurring and you want to pay only for what you draw.
- Choose equipment financing when the money buys a specific asset that will outlast the term.
- Choose Reverse Consolidation when you already carry two or more advances and the weekly payments are the problem, not the cause.
Before you sign any advance
- Know the total dollar cost and the remittance schedule.
- Confirm the remittance in dollars and the schedule, and how reconciliation works if sales drop.
- Check for origination, ACH or early-payoff fees, and whether early delivery earns a discount.
- Understand what happens on a missed remittance before it happens.
- Ask whether the agreement includes a personal guarantee or confession of judgment. Some states restrict these.
Your Swyft advisor walks through each of these on every offer. If an offer does not make sense for the business, we say so.
Straight answers before you apply.
Is a merchant cash advance a loan?
No. A merchant cash advance is a purchase of a portion of your business’s future receivables. There is no interest rate; the total cost is fixed in dollars and agreed up front. Because it is not a loan, it is not governed by the same rules as bank lending, and the agreement itself sets your rights and obligations. Read it before you sign.
How much does a merchant cash advance cost?
The cost is a fixed dollar amount set by the funding partner and written into your offer: the advance amount, the total you will remit, and the daily or weekly remittance are all stated in dollars before you accept. The funding partner sets that cost based on your revenue, time in business, bank activity and existing obligations. There is no interest rate, and nothing changes after you sign.
How fast can I get funded?
Most complete applications receive a decision within 24–48 hours. Once you accept an offer and final approval is complete, funds are typically deposited within 24–72 hours. Timing depends on the funding partner and how quickly documents are provided.
Can I get a merchant cash advance with bad credit?
Often, yes. Funding partners look primarily at your deposits, cash flow and time in business. A low personal credit score usually affects the amount and the cost more than the decision itself. Approval is never guaranteed. See our guide to business funding with bad credit for what each credit band typically qualifies for.
What documents do I need?
Your last 3–4 months of business bank statements, your most recent credit card processing statements if you accept cards, a government ID and a voided business check. Larger amounts may require tax returns or a profit and loss statement.
What if I already have a merchant cash advance?
Many funding partners will consider a second or third position. If you already carry two or more advances and the combined payments are straining cash flow, Reverse Consolidation is usually the better fit: it reduces your weekly outflow rather than adding to it. Your advisor will tell you which one applies.
See your merchant cash advance options today.
Ten-minute application, no hard credit pull to check, a real advisor on every file.