At a Glance
Rating Breakdown
Performance Overview
Scores out of 5, based on our editorial analysis
About SOS Capital
Founded in 2017 and headquartered in New York City, SOS Capital is a direct MCA funder that has deployed over $150 million by optimizing every aspect of its operation for speed. The company targets a 2-hour approval timeline from complete application to decision, and offers same-day wire transfers for funded deals, which is a capability that most MCA funders do not provide (standard ACH deposits take 24 hours). Factor rates range from 1.22 on clean first-position emergency deals to 1.49 on higher-risk or second-position funding. Advance amounts start at just $3K (one of the lowest minimums in the industry) and cap at $300K. Repayment is daily ACH over 3-12 month terms, with payments typically calibrated to 12-18% of average daily deposits. SOS Capital's speed advantage comes from three operational design choices. First, their underwriting model is deliberately simplified compared to funders that perform deep financial analysis: they focus on average daily balance, deposit count, and recent NSF frequency, with a target of reaching a yes/no decision within 120 minutes. Second, their contract and verification process takes under 30 minutes for returning customers and under 60 minutes for new ones. Third, they maintain established wire transfer relationships that allow them to initiate same-day outgoing wires up until 4:30 PM Eastern, rather than relying solely on ACH which settles next business day. The wire transfer capability is the real differentiator for genuine emergencies. SOS Capital requires personal guarantees, files UCC-1 liens, and deducts origination fees of 2-4% from advance proceeds. They do not offer payment restructuring or deferrals. Their target customer is not a business looking for the cheapest capital but one facing a time-critical situation where the cost of not having capital today (lost contract, missed payroll, business closure) exceeds the premium cost of emergency funding. SOS's emergency positioning is both their strength and their risk. Funding in hours rather than days has genuine value when the alternative is business closure, lost contracts, or employee layoffs. But the premium pricing of 1.22-1.50 factor rates means businesses using SOS for non-emergency needs are overpaying for speed they do not need. Ask yourself one question: will my situation actually be worse in 3 days if I wait for a better-priced funder? Yes means SOS's speed premium is justified. No means take the extra days and compare offers from Credibly, OnDeck, or Accord, all of which price lower for non-emergency scenarios.
Key Features
2-Hour Approval Target
SOS Capital's underwriting team targets approval decisions within 2 hours of receiving a complete application with bank statements. Their model is deliberately simplified to hit this target: they focus on average daily balance, deposit count (minimum 12-15 deposit days per month), and recent NSF frequency rather than performing the deep financial analysis that larger funders use. As a result, their advance amounts may be more conservative (lower multiples of monthly deposits) than funders who do deeper analysis, but the speed is the point. In practice, approximately 75% of complete applications receive a decision within the 2-hour window.
Same-Day Wire Transfers
This is SOS Capital's genuine differentiator. Most MCA funders deposit funds via ACH, which settles the next business day. SOS maintains banking relationships that allow same-day outgoing wire transfers up until 4:30 PM Eastern. For a business that applies at 10 AM, gets approved by noon, and signs the contract by 1 PM, the funds can be in their account by 3 PM the same day. Wire transfers are available on all advances above \$10K. There is no additional fee for wire transfer (it is included in the origination fee). This capability is critical for genuine emergencies where tomorrow is too late.
Low Minimum Requirements
SOS Capital's \$3K minimum advance is among the lowest in the MCA industry, where most funders start at \$5K-\$10K. They also have relatively low time-in-business requirements: 4 months versus the 6-12 months required by most funders. Monthly deposit minimums are approximately \$5K-\$7K. These lower thresholds make SOS accessible to very small businesses, sole proprietors, and newer businesses that do not yet qualify with larger funders. Factor rates on micro-advances (\$3K-\$10K) tend to be at the higher end of their range (1.35-1.49).
Emergency-Ready Operations
SOS Capital operates with extended hours (7 AM - 7 PM Eastern, Monday-Friday, with limited Saturday availability for urgent deals). Their contract processing takes under 60 minutes for new customers and under 30 minutes for returning ones. Verification is simplified: they verify bank account ownership and business existence but skip the lengthy third-party verifications that other funders use. The entire process from application to funded capital can complete in 4-6 hours for new customers and 2-3 hours for returning customers.
How It Works
Emergency Application
Complete the rapid online application in under 5 minutes. Upload or email your last 3 months of bank statements.
2-Hour Underwriting
SOS Capital's team reviews your application and bank statements with a target of delivering an approval decision within 2 hours.
Instant Offer Review
Receive your offer with factor rate, advance amount, total repayment, and daily payment clearly listed for quick decision-making.
Same-Day Funding
Accept the offer, sign electronically, and receive funds via same-day wire transfer or next-morning ACH deposit.
What They Do
- Merchant Cash Advance
- Emergency Business Funding
- Same-Day Working Capital
- Revenue-Based Financing
Debt Types They Take On
- Merchant Cash Advance
- Emergency Business Funding
- Short-Term Working Capital
- Revenue-Based Financing
Fee & Cost Structure
Regulatory & Trust
Review Summary
Notable Case Studies
HVAC Emergency Repair — $30K Same-Day Wire Transfer on a Friday
A commercial HVAC company in Scottsdale, AZ was called to a restaurant client's location at 11 AM on a Friday when the walk-in refrigeration unit failed completely. The replacement compressor and condenser unit cost \$28K from the distributor (who required payment before shipping), and the restaurant had a full weekend reservation book. The HVAC owner's business account had \$4K available. Monthly deposits averaged \$35K with 20+ deposit days.
Staffing Agency Payroll Bridge — $70K in 4 Hours
A staffing agency in Queens, NY placing 45 temporary workers at construction and warehouse sites had a major client delay a \$92K invoice by 10 days due to their own internal AP processing issues. Payroll of \$65K was due in 48 hours (Thursday), and the agency's account had \$8K. Missing payroll would mean losing the entire temporary workforce and likely the client contract. Monthly deposits averaged \$180K.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Fastest approval-to-funding in the MCA space: 2-hour approval target and same-day wire transfer capability (up until 4:30 PM Eastern), a clear differentiator from funders that rely on next-day ACH.
- Low \$3K minimum advance and 4-month time-in-business requirement make SOS one of the most accessible funders for very small businesses, sole proprietors, and newer operations.
- Extended operating hours (7 AM - 7 PM Eastern weekdays with limited Saturday availability) accommodate business owners dealing with time-zone differences or emergencies outside standard business hours.
- Returning customers can be funded in as little as 2-3 hours end-to-end because their file is already on record, which makes SOS a practical recurring capital source for businesses with periodic emergency needs.
- Simplified underwriting process that focuses on deposit consistency over credit analysis means businesses with low credit scores can qualify quickly, and the speed of rejection is also valuable since it allows businesses to move on to other options faster.
Cons
- Factor rates of 1.22-1.49 include a meaningful speed premium, and the effective APR on short-term emergency advances can exceed 150-200%, making SOS Capital one of the more expensive options when speed is not a genuine necessity.
- Daily ACH-only repayment with no restructuring or deferral options means businesses must sustain the daily payment from day one; there is no safety net for a temporary revenue dip.
- Maximum advance of \$300K is below larger funders like AFN (\$2M) or Rapid Finance (\$1M), limiting SOS's usefulness for businesses with emergency capital needs above that threshold.
- Simplified underwriting may produce more conservative advance amounts (lower multiples of monthly deposits) than funders who do deeper analysis, meaning businesses that are not in a genuine time emergency may get better terms by spending the extra day or two with a standard-speed funder.
User Reviews (26)
disappointed
Funded $80,000 for payroll. Rate was higher than quoted, customer service disappeared after signing.
no complaints
Finally a company that doesn't jerk you around. $250K for my pawn shop, done in 2 days.
not bad
Pretty smooth process but the daily debit gets old. $250K for my catering company. Would still recommend.
eh
Not bad not good. $75K for AC unit. It is what it is I guess.
decent but expensive
Got $40K from SOS Capital. Factor rate 1.22 which is on the higher side. Funding was slower than promised.
whatever
Used SOS Capital for renovation. $120K funded in a few days. Not the cheapest not the worst. Just kinda fine?
absolute nightmare
I wish I could give ZERO stars. SOS Capital promised fast easy funding and delivered fast expensive MISERY. $12K for my daycare. When I asked about adjusting payments they said too bad.
straight up
My pest control company needed a slow month money and the bank said no. SOS Capital said yes, $50K at 1.45. Carlos walked me thru everything.
exactly as advertised
would recommend
ruined my cash flow
TERRIBLE. Applied for $12K, they approved less at a HIGHER rate. Then the daily debits started and my pizza shop went from struggling to broke. Factor rate 1.35 is robbery. PLEASE look at other options.
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Important Merchant Cash Advance 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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