Alternatives to iwoca

4 UK specialty finance alternatives to iwoca, compared on product type, ticket band, rate, decision time and eligibility.

iwoca vs the 4 alternatives

iwoca compared with 4 alternatives, last reviewed 2026-05-10
iwoca Funding Circle Capify Liberis Allica Bank
Product Flexi-loan / line of creditTerm loanMerchant cash advance + term loanMerchant cash advance and BNPL for SMBsSME term loan + commercial mortgage
Ticket £1k to £500k£10k to £500k£3.5k to £500k£1k to £1m£150k to £5m
Rate From 2% per month6.9% to 26.9% APRFactor rate 1.15 to 1.45Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40From 7.99% APR
Decision Same day to 24 hours1 to 3 business daysSame daySame day to 48 hours5 to 10 business days
Soft search YesYesYesYesNo
Rating 4.44.34.04.04.4

Funding Circle

1 to 3 business days · 6.9% to 26.9% APR

Panel anchor for unsecured term loans between £10k and £500k. We route established Ltd companies with 2+ years trading and clean credit here first when the applicant wants a fixed-repayment term loan rather than a flexi

Best for: Established Ltds with 2+ years trading and clean credit, Working-capital term loans between £25k and £250k.

Capify

Same day · Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45

Panel MCA specialist we route to for hospitality, retail and salon Ltds with strong card-machine flow, including post-decline files where credit history blocks a Funding Circle or iwoca term loan. Comfortable with sub-12

Best for: Hospitality, retail and salon Ltds with strong card-machine flow, Post-decline files where mainstream term lenders blocked on credit history.

Liberis

Same day to 48 hours · Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40

Panel embedded-finance specialist we route to when the applicant already has a relationship with a partner platform (Worldpay, Barclaycard, Klarna, Sage). The application is often pre-approved through that platform rathe

Best for: Existing Worldpay, Barclaycard, Klarna or Sage users with strong card flow, Ecommerce Ltds wanting embedded-finance journeys.

Allica Bank

5 to 10 business days · From 7.99% APR

Panel challenger bank we route to for £150k to £5m term-loan and commercial mortgage applicants. We send established Ltd companies here when the deal is in the band the high street has abandoned and the applicant wants r

Best for: Established Ltd companies with £250k to £5m tickets, Asset-backed and commercial-mortgage applicants wanting real bank underwriting.

Frequently asked questions

What are the main alternatives to iwoca?

The closest UK specialty finance alternatives are Funding Circle, Capify, Liberis and Allica Bank. Each is compared above on product type, ticket band, typical rate, decision time and eligibility so you can match a lender to your deal size and trading profile.

How does iwoca compare on ticket size and rate?

iwoca offers flexi-loan / line of credit from £1k to £500k at a typical From 2% per month. The alternatives in the table span different ticket bands and rate ranges, so the right fit depends on how much you need and your trading profile.

How quickly does iwoca make a decision?

iwoca typically reaches a decision in Same day to 24 hours. Decision times for the alternatives are listed in the comparison table; faster is not always cheaper, so weigh speed against rate and ticket fit.

Does iwoca do a soft-search quote?

iwoca runs a soft-search quote, so checking eligibility leaves no mark on your credit file. Among the alternatives, Funding Circle, Capify, Liberis offer a soft-search quote.

Check eligibility for our specialty panel

Limited companies, LLPs and partnerships of 4+ only. Specialty UK finance for MCA, asset finance, commercial mortgage, bridging, VAT and post-decline.

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Last reviewed: 2026-05-10. Editorial by Oliver Mackman.