OakNorth vs Time Finance: Which UK Business Finance Provider in 2026?
OakNorth edges this matchup in our 2026 UK panel review, scoring 4.2 of 5 against Time Finance on 4.0. OakNorth runs sme term loan + bridging at £500k to £50m+ on bespoke; Time Finance runs asset finance, invoice finance, vehicle finance at £10k to £2m on bespoke. That said, the right answer depends on ticket size, trading history and sector. Time Finance beats OakNorth for mid-ticket ltds combining asset finance, invoice finance and vehicle under one lender. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "when X wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.
Side-by-side
| OakNorth | Time Finance | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | SME term loan + bridging | Asset finance, invoice finance, vehicle finance |
| Ticket range | £500k to £50m+ | £10k to £2m |
| Typical rate | Bespoke | Bespoke |
| Decision time | 7 to 14 business days | 2 to 5 business days |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | Yes |
| Ltd-only? | Yes | No |
| FCA regulated | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | £500k+ tickets backed by clear acquisition, growth or property story; Established Ltds with strong financials and time for a proper underwrite; Commercial real estate and acquisition finance deals | Mid-ticket Ltds combining asset finance, invoice finance and vehicle under one lender; Transport, manufacturing and hospitality SIC codes; £25k to £500k asset-backed Ltds wanting a faster route than Aldermore |
| Overall rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.0 / 5 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-10 | 2026-05-10 |
When OakNorth wins
- PRA-regulated UK bank, useful when applicants want a deposit-taking institution behind the deal.
- Proprietary credit modelling means we can route some files OakNorth will engage with that mainstream banks would refuse.
- Significant facility size available, so £1m to £50m+ tickets stay on the panel rather than going off-panel.
- Strong record on commercial real estate and acquisition finance, which we lean on for property-backed and acquisition-led applicants.
Best for
£500k+ tickets backed by clear acquisition, growth or property story, Established Ltds with strong financials and time for a proper underwrite, Commercial real estate and acquisition finance deals.
Watch outs
- Not self-serve, so the matcher flags that a real banker has to engage and the applicant has to commit time.
- Headline rates not published, so the matcher cannot give an indicative rate before the conversation.
- Not interested below £500k, route smaller tickets to Allica, Aldermore or Funding Circle.
When Time Finance wins
- Multiple complementary product lines under one roof, so we can route a single file across asset, invoice and vehicle without re-introducing.
- Sector specialism in transport, manufacturing and hospitality, which the matcher uses on SIC-led routing.
- AIM-listed transparency on filings, useful for applicants who want a public-market institutional view.
- Faster than Aldermore or Shawbrook on bespoke asset deals, often inside 5 business days.
Best for
Mid-ticket Ltds combining asset finance, invoice finance and vehicle under one lender, Transport, manufacturing and hospitality SIC codes, £25k to £500k asset-backed Ltds wanting a faster route than Aldermore.
Watch outs
- Broker-distributed for most product flow, so the FundBiz introduction is the route rather than self-serve.
- Pricing varies materially by deal, so the matcher cannot quote a tight rate before the conversation.
- Smaller brand presence than Aldermore or Shawbrook, applicants who want the bigger name route there.
FAQ
OakNorth or Time Finance: which is the better UK business finance provider in 2026?
OakNorth scores higher overall in our 2026 UK panel review at 4.2 of 5 versus 4.0 for Time Finance. That said, the right answer depends on what your file looks like. OakNorth is the stronger pick for £500k+ tickets backed by clear acquisition, growth or property story, while Time Finance is the stronger pick for mid-ticket ltds combining asset finance, invoice finance and vehicle under one lender. If your file sits in one of those buckets, ignore the headline rating and pick the right fit.
What does each product look like, OakNorth vs Time Finance?
OakNorth offers sme term loan + bridging between £500k to £50m+ at bespoke, with a 7 to 14 business days decision window. Time Finance offers asset finance, invoice finance, vehicle finance between £10k to £2m at bespoke, with a 2 to 5 business days decision window. OakNorth runs a hard credit search at full application. Time Finance 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?
OakNorth is the wrong answer for sub-£500k tickets, route to allica, aldermore or funding circle. Time Finance is the wrong answer for sub-£10k self-serve tickets, route to iwoca or capify. 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 OakNorth and Time Finance?
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 OakNorth and Time Finance 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 OakNorth or Time Finance:
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).