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Plain explanations of UK business finance: how each product works, what it really costs, and what lenders look at. Written to be checked, not to sell you anything.

Edited by Sam Allcock · Reviewed 13 Oct 2026

• Small business loansHow UK small business loans work, what lenders look at, the costs to check beyond the rate, and a sourced comparison of what lenders publish.
• Start-up business loansBorrowing to start or grow a young UK business: the government-backed Start Up Loan, what other lenders require, and how to make a stronger application.
• Unsecured business loansWhat an unsecured business loan is, why it usually still needs a personal guarantee, how it is priced against a secured loan, and a sourced lender comparison.
• How to compare business loansA method for comparing UK business loan offers: APR versus total repayable, fees, security, flexibility, plus illustrative repayments at each lender's published rate.

• Business credit card APR explainedWhat a business credit card's purchase rate, representative APR and interest-free days mean, with a worked repayment example and every figure taken from the issuer's own page.
• Business credit cards and personal guaranteesDo you need a personal guarantee for a UK business credit card, and can a limited company avoid one? Only what each issuer publishes, with sources.
• Fees on business credit cardsThe annual, foreign transaction, cash withdrawal and late payment fees on UK business credit cards, side by side from each issuer's own page.
• Business credit card vs business loan vs overdraftHow a business credit card, a business loan and an overdraft differ in cost, flexibility and risk, with sourced UK rates for cards and loans.
• Business credit cards and your personal credit scoreWhat issuers say about credit checks, soft searches and personal guarantees when you apply for a UK business credit card, and how to find out what actually happens to your file.
• Business credit cards for new businesses and weaker creditWhat UK business credit card issuers publish about trading history, turnover and credit history requirements, and why no card page promises approval.

• VAT loansWhat a VAT loan is, when it makes sense, the HMRC Time to Pay alternative, and the costs to compare before you borrow to pay a VAT bill.
• Working capital financeWhat working capital is, why profitable businesses still run short of cash, and how loans, overdrafts, invoice finance and merchant cash advances compare.
• Invoice factoringHow invoice factoring works in the UK, the fees involved, recourse versus non-recourse, and how factoring differs from invoice discounting.

• Development financeHow UK property development finance works: loan to cost and to gross development value, staged drawdowns, rolled-up interest, fees, and sourced lender figures.

• Business loan calculatorMonthly repayment, total repayable and interest, with a full repayment schedule.
• Invoice finance calculatorThe cash you get upfront, the fees, and what is left when your customer pays.
• Asset finance calculatorMonthly payment with a deposit and balloon, the total cost, and the APR behind a flat rate.
• Business credit card calculatorHow long a card balance takes to clear, the total interest, and what paying only a minimum costs.

• Business loansTerm loans, secured and unsecured, from high-street banks and alternative lenders. Borrow a lump sum and repay it over a fixed term.+3 moreSourced comparison
• Asset financeSpread the cost of equipment, vehicles and machinery, with the asset itself usually the security. Hire purchase, leasing and refinancing.+4 moreSourced comparison
• Invoice financeRelease cash tied up in unpaid invoices rather than waiting 30, 60 or 90 days to be paid. Factoring and invoice discounting.+4 moreSourced comparison
• Merchant cash advanceAn advance repaid as a fixed percentage of your card takings, so repayments rise and fall with sales. Priced as a factor rate or fixed fee, not an APR.Sourced comparison
• Commercial mortgagesBuy premises or refinance property your business already owns, over the long term and secured on the property.+2 moreSourced comparison
• Bridging & development financeShort-term, property-backed finance for a purchase, a refurbishment or a build, priced by the month rather than the year.+2 moreSourced comparison
• Business credit cardsA revolving limit for everyday spending and cash flow, with interest-free days if you pay in full. Credit cards and charge cards, compared on fees, rates and eligibility.+6 moreSourced comparison