How long do you have to be in business to get a loan?
You can get a business loan with as little as 3-6 months in business, from the right lender. Alternative lenders routinely fund companies that young, provided revenue is around $10K+ per month. Banks are a different story: most want 2+ years of history before pricing you at their roughly 7% median rates, and SBA approvals are strongest at the 2-year mark too. So the real question isn't "am I old enough?": it's "which lenders fund businesses my age, and at what cost?" Quordx Capital answers that in one application instead of twenty.
Part of our guide to Business Loans.
Last updated · Reviewed by Cody Dreis
50+ Lenders|Funding in as little as 24 hours
Time-in-Business Thresholds, Lender by Lender
0-3 months: The hardest window. Realistic options are business credit cards (underwritten on your personal credit), equipment financing with a down payment, and SBA startup loans for well-prepared founders with ~10% down and 650+ credit.
3-6 months: Alternative lending opens. Working capital loans, revenue-based products, and some lines of credit become available if monthly deposits run ~$10K+. Pricing is higher than bank rates: that's the toll for youth.
2+ years: Bank term loans, bank lines of credit (median ~7.2% fixed), and full-strength SBA eligibility. Time in business stops being the constraint; credit and cash flow take over.
A useful rule: each milestone you cross doesn't just add options. It cuts your cost of capital.
Options by Business Age
Working capital loans: available from ~3-6 months in business with $10K+ monthly revenue. Best for young businesses needing operational cash.
Equipment financing: open to newer businesses because the asset is collateral. Best for funding gear at any age.
Business lines of credit: online LOCs reachable earlier; bank LOCs at 2+ years. Best for flexible, recurring needs.
SBA loans: strongest with 2+ years of history, though startups can qualify with a plan and down payment. Best for the lowest long-term cost.
Estimate your funding
Answer a few questions about your business to see a likely range.
How Quordx Capital Works
Enter your business details once, the application takes roughly 10 minutes, and our AI matches your time in business, revenue, and credit against 50+ vetted lenders. You get 3-7 matches ranked by approval likelihood, so you're never applying to a lender whose minimum you don't meet. Decisions usually arrive in 24-48 hours; funding follows in 3-7 business days.
What to Expect
If you're under 6 months in business, expect fewer matches and honest pricing context, not a hard sell on the one expensive product you'd qualify for. If you're close to a threshold that changes your options, we'll tell you whether waiting is worth it. The whole process is free to you, with no obligation at any step.
Apply for Funding
No obligation · Initial inquiry doesn't impact credit · Takes about 10 minutes
Written by
Cody Dreis
Founder, Quordx Capital
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Quordx Capital is a business funding broker, not a lender. Lenders make every credit decision and set the rate, fees and terms, and not every business qualifies. Quordx may be paid by a lender when a deal funds. Full disclosures