It is reasonable to want to compare us with the wider market before you borrow. This guide lays out how several common types of business borrowing are priced, using each provider's own published figures, shown neutrally as Provider A–D. It is deliberately even-handed: in several cases the alternatives are cheaper per pound, and we say so.
How to read this
These are different products for different needs and amounts, so this is not a like-for-like swap. The fair way to line them up is the method in how to compare the total cost of credit — total cost in pounds for your real term, and cost per £100 per 30 days across sizes. Provider figures are quoted from each provider's own website and were accurate when sourced; rates change, so always verify with the provider.
The market, in each provider's own words
| Option | How it is priced, and typical size |
|---|---|
| Provider A — flexible business loan | "From 1.5% per 30 days"; representative APR around 49%. Typically £1,000–£1,000,000 over up to two years. A draw-down facility for larger sums. |
| Provider B — marketplace term loan | "From 6.9% per year", plus a one-off completion fee. Typically £10,000–£750,000 over up to six years. Eligibility tends to need around two years' trading. |
| Provider C — merchant cash advance | No APR published — one fixed cost agreed upfront, repaid via a share (often 5–15%) of your card takings. Typically £10,000–£500,000 over roughly 6–10 months. |
| Provider D — high-street bank loan | Representative APR around 5.25% (rates vary by amount and circumstances). Typically £1,000–£100,000 over one to seven years. |
Where Credicorp sits
Credicorp is built for the small, short end that these mostly do not serve: amounts from £50, for a few days or weeks. On a normalised per-pound basis, micro short-term credit is more expensive than a large multi-year loan — that is honest maths, not a flaw. What we add is a hard 100% total-cost cap, no personal guarantee, and every figure shown before you sign. For our exact numbers on a specific amount and term, use the calculator on our main site rather than a "from" rate.
If you need more than a few hundred pounds, or for longer than a few weeks, one of the providers above is usually cheaper per pound, and we would rather tell you that than sell you the wrong product. Short-term micro-credit is for a genuine short-term gap — not a substitute for a larger facility.
Sources
Competitor figures are quoted from each provider's own website: iwoca (Flexi-Loan), Funding Circle (Business Loan), 365 Finance (Merchant Cash Advance) and NatWest (Small Business Loan). Figures change — please check the current rate with the provider before deciding. For the full sourced comparison and an interactive chart, see the borrowing-options comparison on credicorp.co.uk.
Business lending to a company is outside FCA consumer-credit regulation under Article 60B FSMA RAO 2001 and is not covered by the Financial Ombudsman Service or the FSCS; weigh the protections alongside the price.
See also: A simple framework for comparing business finance options, APR vs total cost: which number should you trust?, Asset finance vs a business loan: how to compare them.