Allica Bank vs Capify: Which UK Business Finance Provider in 2026?
Allica Bank edges this matchup in our 2026 UK panel review, scoring 4.4 of 5 against Capify on 4.0. Allica Bank runs sme term loan + commercial mortgage at £150k to £5m on from 7.99% apr; Capify runs merchant cash advance + term loan at £3.5k to £500k on factor rate 1.15 to 1.45. That said, the right answer depends on ticket size, trading history and sector. Capify beats Allica Bank for hospitality, retail and salon ltds with strong card-machine flow. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "when X wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.
Side-by-side
| Allica Bank | Capify | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | SME term loan + commercial mortgage | Merchant cash advance + term loan |
| Ticket range | £150k to £5m | £3.5k to £500k |
| Typical rate | From 7.99% APR | Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45 |
| Decision time | 5 to 10 business days | Same day |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | Yes |
| Ltd-only? | Yes | No |
| FCA regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | Established Ltd companies with £250k to £5m tickets; Asset-backed and commercial-mortgage applicants wanting real bank underwriting; Applicants who can wait 5 to 10 business days for a decision | Hospitality, retail and salon Ltds with strong card-machine flow; Post-decline files where mainstream term lenders blocked on credit history; Sub-12-month trading Ltds with 6+ months of card history |
| Overall rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-10 | 2026-05-10 |
When Allica Bank wins
- Genuine PRA-regulated bank with FSCS protection on linked deposit accounts, which we lean on for risk-averse applicants.
- Rate transparency is among the cleanest on our panel, which makes the matcher quote credible.
- First-choice lender on our panel for £250k+ tickets where Funding Circle and OakNorth are the alternative routes.
- Real underwriter on the case, so files with complexity that need a human get one.
Best for
Established Ltd companies with £250k to £5m tickets, Asset-backed and commercial-mortgage applicants wanting real bank underwriting, Applicants who can wait 5 to 10 business days for a decision.
Watch outs
- Slower than fintech alternatives, so we send time-critical applicants elsewhere.
- Hard credit search at full application stage, so we confirm applicant intent before pushing the file across.
- Below £150k they will not engage, so we route sub-£150k Ltd applicants to Allica alternatives like Funding Circle, Aldermore or iwoca.
When Capify wins
- Repayments scale with daily card sales, which we match to seasonal applicants who cannot service a fixed monthly burden.
- More accommodating on credit history than mainstream term-loan lenders, which is why declined-by-Funding-Circle files often route here first.
- Same-day decisions and funding, which matters for HMRC pressure and supplier-pay deadlines.
- Specialism in hospitality and retail, so SIC-code routing in the matcher leans heavily on Capify for those verticals.
Best for
Hospitality, retail and salon Ltds with strong card-machine flow, Post-decline files where mainstream term lenders blocked on credit history, Sub-12-month trading Ltds with 6+ months of card history.
Watch outs
- Factor rate disguises true APR, which we translate at matcher stage so the applicant sees the all-in cost.
- Tied to card-machine sales, so B2B service Ltds with no card terminal route to invoice finance or asset finance instead.
- Daily repayment model can pinch cashflow for seasonal businesses, route to a Funding Circle term loan if monthly is essential.
FAQ
Allica Bank or Capify: which is the better UK business finance provider in 2026?
Allica Bank scores higher overall in our 2026 UK panel review at 4.4 of 5 versus 4.0 for Capify. That said, the right answer depends on what your file looks like. Allica Bank is the stronger pick for established ltd companies with £250k to £5m tickets, while Capify is the stronger pick for hospitality, retail and salon ltds with strong card-machine flow. If your file sits in one of those buckets, ignore the headline rating and pick the right fit.
What does each product look like, Allica Bank vs Capify?
Allica Bank offers sme term loan + commercial mortgage between £150k to £5m at from 7.99% apr, with a 5 to 10 business days decision window. Capify offers merchant cash advance + term loan between £3.5k to £500k at factor rate 1.15 to 1.45, with a same day decision window. Allica Bank runs a hard credit search at full application. Capify uses a soft search at quote. Verify live commercials before signing because lender pricing moves and bespoke rates are common above £100k tickets.
Which is weakest for what?
Allica Bank is the wrong answer for sub-£150k tickets, route to funding circle, iwoca or aldermore. Capify is the wrong answer for b2b ltds with no card flow, route to invoice finance or asset finance. If either of those describes your file, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative route, or run the eligibility checker and the matcher will surface the right shortlist from the FundBiz specialty panel.
Can FundBiz help me choose between Allica Bank and Capify?
Yes. We are independent of either lender. The FundBiz specialty panel covers MCA, asset finance, commercial mortgage, bridging, VAT loan, R&D advance and post-decline routes. Tell us ticket size, trading history, sector and any prior declines. We match you against the panel lenders most likely to approve, and if your file needs a post-decline route we surface that explicitly rather than burning credit-file footprint with repeated mainstream applications.
Am I eligible to apply via FundBiz?
FundBiz works with limited companies, LLPs and partnerships of 4 or more partners. Sole traders and partnerships under 4 partners are out of scope and routed elsewhere. Both Allica Bank and Capify sit on our panel for the entity types we serve. Trading history requirements vary by lender, so the matcher pre-screens before sending the file across.
Related comparisons
Other UK specialty finance head-to-heads involving Allica Bank or Capify:
Check eligibility in two minutes
Tell us ticket size, trading history and sector. We match you against the FundBiz specialty panel: MCA, asset finance, commercial mortgage, bridging, VAT loan, R&D advance and post-decline routes. Limited companies, LLPs and partnerships of 4+.
Check eligibility →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-05-10. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).