Funding Circle
Mainstream lender for term loans between £10k and £750k. It suits established Ltd companies with a trading record and clean credit that want a fixed-repayment term loan rather than a flexi or MCA. Funding Circle says limited companies and LLPs can get a decision without affecting their credit score. A common choice for working-capital tickets between £25k and £250k.
Quick verdict
- Product: Term loan.
- Ticket band: £10k to £750k.
- Pricing: From 6.9% per year.
- Funding Circle says it uses a soft search at quote stage, which other lenders cannot see on your credit file.
At a glance
Funding Circle, at a glance
- Legal entity
- Funding Circle Ltd
- Companies House
- 06968588
- Founded
- 2010
- Product
- Term loan
- Ticket range
- £10k to £750k
- Decision time
- As little as 5 minutes
- Ltd-only
- No, the lender also accepts other structures
Where Funding Circle is strong
- Funding Circle says limited companies and LLPs can get a decision without affecting their credit score.
- A 30-second eligibility check before applying, on Funding Circle's own site.
- Decision in as little as 5 minutes on Funding Circle's own figures, fast enough that a clean case rarely needs a slower bank.
- Established brand, useful when applicants want a name they recognise.
Watch-outs, and when another lender may suit better
- Headline 6.9% rate is for top-tier files only, so most borrowers should expect to pay more.
- Personal guarantee is almost always required.
- Less competitive on £100k+ tickets than Allica or OakNorth.
- Sub-12-month trading and recent CCJs auto-decline; iwoca, Capify or 365 Business Finance may consider those cases.
Best fit applicants
- Established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit
- Working-capital term loans between £25k and £250k
- Borrowers who want a recognised brand and a fast soft-search quote from the lender
Where Funding Circle is the wrong fit
- Sub-12-month trading, consider iwoca or Start Up Loans Company
- Files with recent CCJs or missed payments, consider Capify, 365 Business Finance or Bizcap
- £750k+ tickets, consider Allica or OakNorth
If declined by Funding Circle
If your application to Funding Circle is declined, ask the lender for the reason in writing. Some alternatives are named in the watch-outs section above. See also our Funding Circle decline guide for what to do next, and our side-by-side guide to Funding Circle alternatives for the closest UK specialty finance providers.
Other lenders we list
- 365 Business Finance, Merchant cash advance (revenue-based finance)
- Aldermore, Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages
- Allica Bank, SME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage
- Bizcap, Specialist post-decline / fast cash
How we rate Funding Circle
This review is FundBiz's own editorial assessment, scored against a published framework. See our methodology for how we rate each lender.
FAQ
What can I borrow through Funding Circle?
Funding Circle offers term loan. Ticket range: £10k to £750k. Typical rate: From 6.9% per year.
How long does Funding Circle take to decide?
As little as 5 minutes Funding Circle says checking eligibility uses a soft search, so it does not affect your credit score.
Who is Funding Circle the best fit for?
First on the list: Established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit. The full list is under Best fit applicants above.
When might another lender suit better than Funding Circle?
First on the list: Sub-12-month trading, consider iwoca or Start Up Loans Company. The other cases are under Where Funding Circle is the wrong fit above.
Send an enquiry
Tell us what you need in 2 minutes. FundBiz is not a lender and does not run a credit check. We pass your enquiry to a business finance broker, who will contact you about your options. For limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners.
Send an enquiry →Official site: Funding Circle
Last updated: . By Adam Parker. FundBiz is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman.