Not one we lead with. We can board this if you want it. It is not one we know inside out, so we would be setting it up rather than advising you on it — and we would tell you that before you signed anything. Talk it through with us.
Capital · Rapid Finance · via PayCompass
Rapid Finance
Term loans, lines of credit and advances — with the disqualifying terms shown up front.
- Restaurant
- Retail
- Home services
- Professional services
- Automotive
- B2B
- Any business
An independent assessment. Vigilant can place Rapid Finance, and is paid the same either way — which is why the drawbacks are on this page too.
What it is
Four products, and the differences matter more than the marketing does. A small business loan works like a traditional loan with funds available in as little as a day. A line of credit lets you draw only what you need and pay only on what you draw. A business cash advance is repaid as a percentage of future card sales, so it flexes with your volume. A bridge loan covers the gap while longer-term financing is approved, with a discount for early payoff.
Rapid Finance is A+ rated with the BBB, has funded over $1 billion, and reports 96% customer satisfaction. Approval is typically hours; funding can be as fast as one day.
The part we insist on showing you before you apply is the qualification grid: minimum time in business, minimum monthly sales, minimum FICO, lien and judgment limits, bankruptcy rules, competitor-payoff caps, and the prohibited-industry list — which includes firearms, auto dealers, nightclubs, property management, real estate, vape and several others. If you are on that list, you should know before a credit pull, not after.
Who it fits
Best for
Established businesses with a specific, time-boxed use for capital — equipment, a build-out, inventory ahead of season, bridging a receivable.
Probably not ideal for
Businesses in the prohibited industries, anyone under two years trading, and anyone using a loan to cover a structural cash-flow problem. Fix the receivables first — see Hyfin.
Key capabilities
- Small business loan
- Traditional-style term loan, approval in hours, funds in as little as one day.
- Line of credit
- Draw what you need and pay only on the drawn amount. A 4% draw fee applies.
- Business cash advance
- Repaid as a share of future card sales, so it moves with your volume rather than against it.
- Bridge loan
- Covers the gap while long-term financing is approved, with a discounted fee for early payment.
- Published qualification
- Minimum time in business, monthly sales, FICO, lien limits and the prohibited-industry list — all shown before you apply.
Strengths and tradeoffs
Strengths
- Fast decisions and funding, often within days rather than the weeks a bank takes.
- Options across term loans, lines of credit and merchant cash advances, so the instrument can fit the need.
- Will consider businesses a bank declines, based on trading performance rather than collateral.
- Repayment can be tied to card volume, which flexes with a seasonal business.
- Straightforward process with clear documentation.
Tradeoffs
- Speed and access cost money — the effective rate is well above bank lending, and should be calculated as an APR before signing.
- Merchant cash advances are not loans, and the factor rate makes the true cost easy to misread.
- Daily or weekly repayment can strain cash flow in a slow period.
- Stacking advances is a well-known route into serious trouble, and we will say so plainly.
- A personal guarantee is commonly required.
Pricing
Loans and advances from $5,001 to $600,000 depending on product; lines of credit to $55,000 with a 4% draw fee. Terms generally 4–18 months. Minimums: 2 years trading, $10,000 monthly sales, 600 FICO.
Pricing reflects what the vendor publishes or what we have seen quoted. Your actual terms depend on volume, card mix and what is negotiated — which is the part we do.
Vigilant's assessment
Useful when speed genuinely matters and the use of funds will earn more than the money costs. Always convert the factor rate into an annualised cost before you sign — and if you are already carrying an advance, talk to us before taking another.
How it compares
The honest capital comparison for a hospitality business: repay in cash, or repay in what you already make.
| Criterion | inKind Funding repaid in food & drink | Rapid Finance Conventional small business capital |
|---|---|---|
| What you repay in | Food and drink | Cash |
| Speed to funds | Days to weeks | Often days |
| Eligible businesses | Restaurants and bars | Almost any trading business |
| Cost to understand | Food cost on redeemed credit | Factor rate or APR plus fees |
| Repayment pressure | None fixed | Daily or weekly, fixed |
| Main risk | Giving away covers you needed anyway | Stacking, and cash-flow strain |
| Pick it when | You are a restaurant with capacity | You need cash quickly for a clear return |
Verdict. If you are a restaurant, price inKind first — it is often materially cheaper in real terms. If you are not, or you need cash rather than covers, Rapid Finance with the APR calculated honestly.
Ready
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