Head to head
Close Brothers vs Funding Circle: Which UK Business Finance Provider in 2026?
Side by side: what each lender offers UK limited companies and LLPs, and what each one publishes.
Free · 2 mins
Start here · What do you need?
What Close Brothers offers: asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans. Ticket range: asset-based lending £1m to £65m; commercial mortgages £500k to £5m (its own figures); hire purchase and leasing ranges not published. Rate: bespoke, quoted at offer. What Funding Circle offers: term loan. Ticket range: £10k to £750k (its own figure). Rate: from 6.9% per year. Close Brothers suits established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance. Funding Circle suits established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit. The table below compares ticket range and typical rate.
Source: FundBiz methodology. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).
Close Brothers, at a glance
- Product
- Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans
- FundBiz editorial view
- Best for established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance
Funding Circle, at a glance
- Product
- Term loan
- FundBiz editorial view
- Best for established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit
Side-by-side
Full profiles: Close Brothers · Funding Circle
| Compared on | Close Brothers | Funding Circle |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans | Term loan |
| Ticket range | Asset-based lending £1m to £65m; commercial mortgages £500k to £5m (its own figures); hire purchase and leasing ranges not published | £10k to £750k (its own figure) |
| Typical rate | Bespoke, quoted at offer | From 6.9% per year |
| Decision time | Not published | Decision in as little as 5 minutes, funds typically within 48 hours (its own figures) |
| Lender's own soft search at quote | Not published | Yes, says the lender |
Sources: Close Brothers's own site · Funding Circle's own site. Figures change; confirm with the lender before you rely on one.
FundBiz enquiries are for limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners. Some lenders on this page also accept other business types; we do not arrange those and do not recommend a lender on that basis.
When Close Brothers may fit
- Part of a banking group founded in 1878.
- Multiple product lines under one underwriter (asset, invoice, commercial loans).
- A PRA-authorised bank.
Best for
Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance, Intermediary-introduced deals.
Watch outs
- Distributed through intermediaries, not self-serve.
- Headline rates not published; quoted at offer.
- No published decision time, and no online application.
Lender figures and criteria: Close Brothers's own site; full notes in our Close Brothers review.
When Funding Circle may fit
- 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.
Best for
Established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit, Working-capital term loans within its £10k to £750k range, Borrowers who want a recognised brand and a fast soft-search quote from the lender.
Watch outs
- 6.9% is a starting rate, so many borrowers will be offered a higher one.
- Personal guarantee is almost always required.
- Loans stop at £750k, so larger facilities need another lender, such as OakNorth.
Lender figures and criteria: Funding Circle's own site; full notes in our Funding Circle review.
FAQ
Close Brothers or Funding Circle: which is the better UK business finance provider in 2026?
Neither is better for every business. The 'When Close Brothers may fit' and 'When Funding Circle may fit' sections above say who each one suits, and the side-by-side table shows what each lender publishes. Check each lender's own criteria before you apply.
Which is weakest for what?
Close Brothers is a poor fit for invoice finance for firms turning over under £750k. Funding Circle is a poor fit for very new businesses, consider iwoca or Start Up Loans Company. If either of those describes your business, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative, or read our other lender reviews.
Can FundBiz help with Close Brothers or Funding Circle?
FundBiz is not a lender and is independent of both. This comparison and our lender reviews are editorial research to help you decide which to approach. FundBiz doesn't pass your enquiry to either lender. If you send an enquiry through FundBiz, we pass it to one of the finance partners we work with, who will contact you about your options.
Who can send an enquiry through FundBiz?
The FundBiz enquiry form is for limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners. Eligibility for Close Brothers and Funding Circle is set by each lender, and trading history requirements vary, so check each lender's own criteria.
How we ranked these lenders
Every lender is scored on the same four FundBiz criteria: pricing transparency, eligibility clarity, decision speed and treatment of declined applicants. Scores are our own desk-research assessment built from the FCA Register, Companies House filings and each lender's published product sheets, not customer reviews and not hands-on product testing. Each comparison shows the date it was last updated. Inclusion is never paid for, and FundBiz receives no commission from lenders. FundBiz is paid a fixed fee by one of the finance partners we work with for each enquiry we pass on. See our full methodology.
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