Best Emergency Business Loans in December 2025
These lenders provide funding quickly to cover unexpected and time-sensitive expenses
Best emergency business loan lenders: More details
What is an emergency business loan?
An emergency business loan is a form of small business loan that is meant to provide you with fast funding to cover unexpected expenses.
Many of these loans are offered by online lenders, who tend to have shorter funding timelines than more traditional financial institutions.
Notably, the federal government also provides its own form of emergency business funding. However, this funding is reserved for individuals whose businesses are located in federally declared disaster areas. FEMA funding approval can take up to 10 days after an inspection to receive a decision, and it may take longer to receive assistance.
Types of emergency business loans
If you need funding in a hurry, there are a few different financing options available to you:
Business term loans are the most common form of emergency funding. These loans give you access to the funds you need in one lump sum. Then you’ll repay that amount over time through a series of regular payments.
Short-term business loans and long-term business loans function similarly. In this case, the major difference is the length of their repayment schedules.
These loans are offered by both traditional banks and online lenders. Traditional banks tend to have stricter qualifying standards and longer funding times than their online counterparts. However, they also typically offer better interest rates.
In contrast, online lenders may be able to deposit funds into your account sooner, but you may pay more in interest charges over the life of the loan.
Like a credit card, a business line of credit allows you to borrow money for expenses up to a fixed amount. You’ll only pay interest on the amount that you borrow. Then, once you pay down your balance, you’ll be able to borrow against your credit limit once again.
In particular, working capital lines of credit may be a good choice for providing emergency funding. These lines of credit allow you the flexibility to cover many different types of operating expenses.
Invoice factoring allows you to sell your unpaid invoices to a third-party company in exchange for an advance payment on the amount due. When the invoice is paid in its entirety, the invoice factoring company will send you the remainder of your payment, minus any transaction fees.
Meanwhile, merchant cash advances (MCAs) allow you to take a lump sum advance payment against future sales. Typically, the payment represents a portion of your daily or weekly credit card sales. However, it’s important to note that while this method can be a way to access fast funding, it can be an expensive form of borrowing.
The SBA offers low-interest disaster loans to help businesses, nonprofits and homeowners recover from declared disasters. These loans can help pay for losses not covered by insurance or funding from FEMA, and may allow you to cover business expenses that could have been met if the disaster hadn’t occurred.
You must be in a declared disaster area and meet eligibility conditions to apply.
SBA Express loans allow certain lenders to use their own approval processes in exchange for a lower SBA guaranty percentage. This allows Express-qualified lenders to process, close, service and liquidate 7(a) loans without SBA review.
Lenders and borrowers can negotiate interest rates, and borrowers can apply for up to $500,000 in funding. Express loans can have a turnaround time of 36 hours, making it a good option for business owners who want an SBA-backed loan but need quick funding.
But that 36 hours only covers the SBA’s processing time, and doesn’t guarantee your lender will fund that quickly. Working with an SBA Preferred lender with a reputation for quick turnaround times can help you get funds quickly.
How to get an emergency business loan
The exact process you’ll follow to apply for a business loan can vary by lender. Here is a general overview of the process.
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Figure out how much you’ll need
First, you’ll want to get a sense of the total cost of your emergency to determine how much you’ll need to borrow. You can use our business loan calculator to estimate how well different loan amounts will fit into your budget, -
Determine your eligibility
Every lender sets its own business loan requirements. That said, loan approval is usually based on factors like your annual revenue, your overall time in business and your creditworthiness, which is determined by both your personal credit score and your business credit score. -
Gather the necessary documentation
Most lenders require you to provide supporting documentation before they will issue an approval decision. Gathering this information before you submit your application can help speed up the process significantly. While every lender is different, you’ll likely need to provide a business plan, personal and business bank statements, business tax returns and any applicable business licenses. -
Shop around for a loan
Once you have all your information in hand, gather loan offers from a few different lenders. Be sure to give each lender the same information so that you’re able to make an apples-to-apples comparison once you have the loan offers in hand. -
Apply for the loan
Submitting a business loan application is often a quick process. It’s usually automated and can often be done online. However, a loan officer will typically reach out to you for more information once they’ve had a chance to review your initial submission form.
How to compare emergency business loans
When you’re ready to compare loan offers, be sure to evaluate the following factors to find the loan option that works best for you.
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Interest rate
Business loan interest rates can vary widely between lenders and can significantly impact how much you’ll pay over the life of the loan. Lower interest rates are ideal, but compare the interest rate against all loan terms. -
Funding time
Short funding times can be especially important in emergency situations. As a result, you may want to choose a lender who promises fast approval and funding to get the financing you need quickly. -
Added fees
Some lenders charge added fees, like an origination fee or late payment fee, which can increase your overall cost of borrowing. Be sure to ask what fees each lender charges so that you know what to expect. -
Loan amount
While it’s imperative that your loan amount covers the total cost of your emergency, it’s also important to avoid borrowing more than you need. Striking this balance can help ensure that you’re able to repay the loan comfortably. -
Repayment terms
Regardless of how long you have to repay what you’ve borrowed, you’re going to want to make sure that the payments fit into your budget to avoid defaulting on the loan. -
Extra perks
Some lenders offer extra perks, like providing you with a dedicated account manager or offering a choice of repayment terms. Consider which perks are available to you, and which may matter in your experience.
Our in-depth catalog of small business lender reviews can help you compare viable options before you make your final decision.
Pros and cons of emergency business loans
PROS
- Can be used to help cover costs to get your business through an emergency.
- Many lenders offer same-day or next-day funding options.
- SBA disaster loan option is available for those who are in federally declared disaster areas.
CONS
- Interest rates can be high with some lenders.
- Collateral may be required for a secured business loan.
- Some lenders may have eligibility requirements that make funding inaccessible for startups.
Alternatives to emergency business loans
If an emergency business loan isn’t the right choice for you, consider one of these other financing options instead:
Business credit cards
If you need cash immediately, using a business credit card to cover your expenses may be an option. Eligibility criteria tend to be less stringent for cards than traditional business financing, plus it’s possible to earn perks, like business travel rewards, depending on which card you choose.
Still, credit card interest rates tend to be higher than the rates on traditional business loans, which means you may end up paying more if you’re unable to pay off your balance in full by the time your bill comes due.
Personal loans
If your business isn’t quite established yet and you’re unable to find a startup loan that’s a fit, you may want to consider a personal loan for your emergency financing. Since personal loans are not a form of business financing, they have different eligibility criteria that are based largely on your credit score and debt-to-income ratio.
As a result, it may be easier to qualify for a personal loan than a business loan. Still, it’s important to recognize that you, rather than your business, would be personally liable for repayment.
Family and friends
When you’re really in a bind and can’t qualify for more traditional forms of financing, it can be worth asking your loved ones to invest in your business. Many business crowdfunding platforms can assist with this venture. However, it’s important to note that many platforms charge a fee for using their service.
Frequently asked questions
Getting an emergency business loan involves following the same process you would when applying for any other type of business financing. You have to fill out an application, submit supporting documentation and wait for loan approval.
Fortunately, the approval process is automated for many online lenders, with funds disbursement sometimes as soon as the same business day.
The fastest way to get a business loan is to look for a lender who offers fast funding. If you don’t see what you need in the list above, our roundup of quick business loans may be of assistance.
It depends on the type of business loan you need. It’s possible to get business funding in 24 hours or less with same-day business loans. Online lenders are the most likely to offer this service, while banks and credit unions often take several days to grant loan approval.
SBA disaster loans have a quicker funding timeline than traditional SBA loans, but the process can take a few weeks.
Our methodology: How we chose the best emergency business loans
We reviewed the leading small business lenders to determine the overall six best emergency business loan loans. To make our list, lenders must meet the following criteria:
- Funding speed: We prioritize lenders based on their potential funding speed, favoring those with quick review, approval and funding processes.
- Rates and terms: We prioritize lenders with more competitive fixed rates, fewer fees and greater options for repayment terms, loan amounts and APR discounts.
- Repayment experience: For starters, we consider each lender’s reputation and business practices. We also favor lenders that report to all major credit bureaus, offer reliable customer service and provide any unique perks to customers, like free wealth coaching.
Best emergency business loan summary
- : Best emergency business loan for same-day funding
- : Best emergency business loan for startups
- : Best emergency business loans for borrowers with bad credit
- : Best emergency business loan for established businesses
- : Best SBA express loan for emergency funding
- : Best emergency business line of credit