At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
Performance Overview
Scores out of 5, based on our editorial analysis
About Credibly
Credibly, formerly RetailCapital until the 2016 rebrand, occupies a unique position in the alternative lending market because it is one of the very few MCA-originating companies that is also an approved SBA lender. This is significant: if you apply for an MCA through Credibly and their underwriting determines you qualify for an SBA 7(a) loan at 7-10% APR with a 10-25 year term, they can originate that loan directly rather than defaulting you into a 40-150% effective APR merchant cash advance. Not every broker or lender surfaces the cheaper option — some earn higher commissions on MCAs and have no incentive to mention SBA eligibility. Ask Credibly specifically about SBA qualification during your application. The $600K maximum advance and 500 credit score minimum create an unusually wide range of borrower profiles. At one end, you have strong businesses with 700+ credit scores and $50K+ monthly revenue that could probably get a bank loan; at the other, you have distressed businesses with 500 credit scores and thin margins. The factor rates reflect this spectrum: 1.09 for the strongest borrowers and up to 1.45 for the riskiest. Knowing where you fall on that spectrum before accepting an offer is critical — a 1.09 factor rate on $200K costs $18,000 in total fees, while 1.45 costs $90,000. That is a $72,000 difference driven entirely by your risk profile. Credibly's underwriting team has historically been more willing to fund businesses in industries that many MCA providers blacklist: firearms dealers, CBD retailers, auto repair shops, and certain construction trades. If you have been declined by 2-3 other providers specifically because of your industry classification (SIC/NAICS code), Credibly is worth a direct application. Their Southfield, Michigan headquarters keeps operating costs lower than NYC or SF competitors, which they claim allows them to offer moderately more competitive factor rates at the same risk level.
Key Features
SBA Loan Origination Capability
Credibly is an approved SBA lender, meaning they can originate government-backed 7(a) loans at 7-10% APR with terms up to 25 years. If you apply for an MCA and qualify for SBA financing, they can pivot your application — something that pure MCA companies cannot do. This alone can save a qualifying business tens of thousands of dollars in financing costs.
Multi-Product Underwriting
Rather than forcing every applicant into the same MCA product, Credibly underwrites across MCAs, term loans, lines of credit, and SBA loans simultaneously. Your single application is evaluated against all products, and you receive offers for every product you qualify for. This lets you compare an MCA at 1.25 factor rate against a term loan at 18% APR and make an informed choice.
Industry-Agnostic Funding
Credibly funds business categories that many competitors decline outright — auto repair, construction subcontractors, CBD retailers, firearms dealers, and other "high-risk" verticals. If your NAICS code has gotten you declined elsewhere, Credibly's broader risk appetite may be the difference between getting funded and not.
Flexible Repayment Structures
Daily and weekly ACH options are both available, and Credibly offers revenue-based repayment on some products where your daily payment adjusts with your actual deposits. Daily fixed is cheapest, weekly fixed is easiest on cash flow, and revenue-based is best for businesses with significant sales volatility.
How It Works
Submit Single Application
Complete one application that is evaluated against all of Credibly's products simultaneously — MCA, term loan, line of credit, and SBA loan. This multi-product underwriting means you do not need to apply separately for each product type. The application takes approximately 15 minutes.
Provide 3-6 Months of Statements
Upload your most recent 3-6 months of business bank statements. Credibly's team analyzes average daily balance, deposit consistency, existing debt service (NSFs and overdrafts are red flags), and monthly revenue trends. Cleaner bank statements yield better factor rates.
Receive Multi-Product Offers
Within 24 hours, you receive offers for every product you qualify for. A typical strong applicant might receive an MCA offer at 1.15 factor rate AND a term loan offer at 15% APR — allowing side-by-side comparison. If you qualify for SBA, that offer is included as well.
Compare and Accept
Review each offer's total cost, repayment schedule, and impact on cash flow. Credibly's funding advisors can walk you through the math on each product. This comparison step is where you can save the most money — the difference between products can be tens of thousands of dollars.
Receive Funds
MCA and term loan funds typically arrive within 1-2 business days of acceptance. SBA loans take 2-4 weeks due to government processing requirements. If you need capital urgently, accept the MCA or term loan now and refinance into an SBA loan later if you qualify.
What They Do
- Merchant Cash Advance
- Working Capital Loans
- SBA 7(a) Loans
- Business Lines of Credit
- Equipment Financing
Debt Types They Take On
- Future Business Revenue
- Credit Card Receivables
- SBA-Guaranteed Debt
- Equipment-Secured Financing
Fee & Cost Structure
Regulatory & Trust
Review Summary
Notable Case Studies
Auto Body Shop Pivoting from MCA to SBA
Detroit-area auto body shop owner with $45K/month revenue applied for a $150K MCA to expand into a second bay. Credibly's underwriting identified that the business qualified for an SBA 7(a) loan due to 3+ years in operation and 660 credit score.
CBD Retailer Declined Everywhere Else
CBD product retailer in Colorado doing $28K/month in revenue was declined by 4 MCA providers due to industry classification. Traditional banks would not consider the application.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- SBA loan origination capability can save qualifying businesses tens of thousands versus MCA pricing
- Multi-product underwriting evaluates you for every available product from a single application
- $600K maximum advance is higher than most MCA-only providers
- Funds industries that many competitors blacklist — auto, construction, CBD, firearms
- Both daily and weekly repayment options available with revenue-based alternatives
Cons
- Factor rates at the high end (1.45) are expensive — a $200K advance costs $90K in fees at that rate
- The 2016 rebrand from RetailCapital means older reviews are harder to find — search both names for the full picture
- $15K/month minimum revenue excludes early-stage businesses and sole proprietors under that threshold
- SBA loan option, while valuable, takes 2-4 weeks versus 1-2 days for MCA — not helpful for urgent capital needs
User Reviews (13)
factor rate range of 1.09-1.45 is enormous
Credibly advertises rates "starting at 1.09." My bakery got quoted 1.28. The range is so wide that the advertised low-end is meaningless for most borrowers. At 1.09 on $100K: $9K in fees. At 1.45: $45K in fees. That's a $36K spread. Unless you have 700+ credit and $50K+ monthly revenue, don't expect to see 1.09. $30K at 1.28 for me.
the multi-product comparison actually helped me make a better decision
Got an MCA offer at 1.18 and a term loan offer at 16% APR on the same $25K deal. Credibly's advisor walked me through the total cost math on both. MCA: $29,500 over 8 months. Term loan: $27,850 over 12 months. Chose the term loan -- way cheaper AND lower monthly payments. Having both options from one application is really useful.
multi-product underwriting means one application covers everything
Submitted one application. Got THREE offers back: MCA at 1.15, term loan at 18% APR, and SBA 7(a) at 9%. Side-by-side comparison of all three products from one application. I could see exactly how much each option costs and pick the best one. $150K through the SBA loan. No other funder gives you this kind of transparent product comparison.
the 1.45 rate for lower credit scores is seriously painful
My credit score is 530. Credibly still approved me (which is good) but at 1.42 factor rate (which is brutal). $50K advance means $71K total repayment. $21K in fees. Over 8 months that's an effective APR of about 150%. Yes they funded me when others wouldn't but the cost is enormous. If your credit is below 600, get a competing quote before accepting Credibly's rate.
the only MCA provider that would fund a gun shop
I own a licensed firearms dealer. Banks won't touch me. Every MCA provider I contacted said no based on the NAICS code alone. Credibly funded $60K at 1.26 without any special requirements beyond normal documentation. They treat firearms retail like any other legal retail business. $60K at 1.26. If you're in a stigmatized industry, Credibly is your best option.
they told me I qualified for SBA instead of MCA and saved me a good chunk
Applied for a $200K MCA. Credibly's underwriting flagged me as SBA-eligible because I had 3+ years in business and 660 credit score. MCA offer: 1.30 factor rate, $260K total repayment. SBA 7(a) offer: 8.5% APR, $200K with $38K interest over 10 years. I took the SBA loan. saved a decent chunk the MCA. No other MCA company would have told me to take a cheaper product.
the SBA option sounds great but most borrowers wont qualify
Credibly markets the SBA lending capability heavily. Reality check: SBA requires 3+ years in business, 650+ credit, clean tax returns, and a solid business plan. Most businesses applying for MCA capital don't meet those requirements -- that's WHY they're applying for an MCA. The SBA option is a great differentiator for the 20% who qualify. The other 80% will just get an MCA.
the SBA option is amazing but takes 3 weeks
Credibly offered me both an MCA at 1.20 and an SBA loan at 8.5% on a $100K deal. SBA saves $12K in total cost. BUT the SBA took 3 weeks to fund while the MCA would have funded in 2 days. If you need money NOW, the SBA option is useless. If you can wait, it saves a fortune. I waited. Saved $12K. But those 3 weeks were stressful.
$15K monthly minimum revenue excludes small food operations
Credibly requires $15K/month minimum revenue. My food truck does $11K/month in winter. Got declined for a winter advance and had to wait until spring when revenue crossed $15K. The threshold is reasonable for mid-sized businesses but excludes a lot of legitimate small businesses during their slow seasons. Spring approval: $30K at 1.24.
they funded my CBD business when 4 other MCA companies declined
CBD retail. Four MCA providers said no because of the industry code. Credibly didn't even hesitate. $75K at 1.28 factor rate. They fund industries that everyone else blacklists -- CBD, firearms, auto body, certain construction trades. If your SIC/NAICS code has gotten you declined elsewhere, Credibly is one of the only direct funders who'll touch it.
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Frequently Asked Questions
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Important MCA & Business Financing Disclaimers
- A merchant cash advance is not a loan. It is a purchase of future receivables at a discount. Factor rates, not APRs, are used to express the cost of capital. Effective APRs on merchant cash advances can range from 40% to over 350% depending on the term and factor rate.
- Repayment is typically collected daily or weekly via automatic ACH debits or a percentage of credit card sales. This means your repayment amount fluctuates with revenue but withdrawals occur every business day, which can strain cash flow during slow periods.
- Most MCA agreements require a personal guarantee from the business owner. In the event of default, the MCA provider may pursue the owner's personal assets, including bank accounts and property.
- MCA providers commonly file UCC-1 liens against your business assets. This lien may prevent you from obtaining additional financing until the advance is fully repaid and the lien is released.
- Merchant cash advances are not regulated by federal lending laws such as the Truth in Lending Act (TILA). State regulations vary widely, and some states have limited consumer protections for MCA products.
- Stacking multiple merchant cash advances (taking a second advance before the first is repaid) significantly increases the risk of default and can lead to aggressive collection actions including confessions of judgment in some jurisdictions.
- Zogby does not provide merchant cash advances or business financing. We are an independent comparison service. We do not fund advances, process applications, or guarantee approval on your behalf.
This page is informational, not financial or legal advice. Talk to a qualified professional before making any big money decisions.
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