We evaluated close to 90 small business loan products to find the best financing options. Our top picks offer transparency, flexibility and borrower-friendly features.
Randa Kriss
Sally Lauckner
Last Updated on Mar 4, 2026
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SBA 7(a) loans offer favorable rates and terms. These government-guaranteed loans can be used for large and long-term funding purposes.
$5,000,000
Fundbox can offer working capital to businesses that are still growing their revenue. You may be able to qualify with $30,000 in annual revenue.
Bluevine offers a simple application and a streamlined underwriting process. The lender can give you a decision within minutes and provide funding in as fast as 24 hours.
Headway Capital can provide new entrepreneurs with a flexible business line of credit. You only need a minimum of six months in business to qualify.
Bank business loans, like Wells Fargo’s BusinessLine® Line of Credit, typically offer the lowest interest rates and most competitive repayment terms. This bank credit line is a good option for affordable working capital for established businesses.
It can be more difficult to get a business loan with bad credit, but Fora Financial is willing to work with borrowers who have a personal credit score of 570 or higher.
iBusiness Funding offers repayment terms up to five years which can give you more time to pay and lower monthly payments than shorter-term loans. This online lender can also issue funding more quickly than conventional business lenders.
National Funding can help you purchase new or used equipment and machinery for your business. Since the equipment itself serves as collateral, these equipment loans can be easier to qualify for than other types of small business loans.
How we chose the best small business loans
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Small business lending outlook
Types of small business loans
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Frequently asked questions
NerdWallet’s editorial team evaluates small business loans based on six major categories.
They include:
Small business loans need to earn at least 4 stars to make our list.
NerdWallet has a full-time team of small-business writers and editors. Here’s how we monitor this page and the overall business loan space:
Green card holders are no longer eligible for SBA loans
As of March 1, lawful permanent residents, commonly referred to as green card holders, are no longer eligible for SBA 7(a) or 504 loans under a new U.S. Small Business Administration rule that requires 100% U.S. citizen or national ownership.
The rule change does not impact existing SBA loan borrowers. Prospective borrowers, however, will need to be U.S. citizens or nationals to qualify.
If you’re a green card holder who no longer qualifies for an SBA loan, you might start your financing search with your local bank or consider using an online loan marketplace. An online loan marketplace allows you to compare multiple options through one application.
Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s tariffs, but path forward remains unclear
On Friday, Feb. 20, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the legal rationale for most of President Trump’s second-term tariffs exceeded the authority granted under federal trade law, making them unconstitutional. In response, the president announced a new 10% global tariff under a different legal authority. The following day, that tariff was increased to 15%.
Although the Court’s decision has been viewed by many small-business advocates as a positive development, the path forward remains unclear. The federal government could ultimately owe billions of dollars in tariff refunds, but the timeline and process for issuing those refunds are uncertain. The ruling may also face additional legal challenges, and policy changes or appeals could delay or reshape how any repayments are handled.
For now, you may not see immediate changes at the port or in your costs. If your business has paid significant tariffs, consider organising documentation of duty payments and speaking with an accountant, trade attorney or your local Small Business Development Centre about potential refund procedures and financial planning.
