Equipment Financing: 8 Best Lenders in 2024

Lenders offer equipment financing to help you acquire or upgrade machinery. Startups and Businesses with bad credit may also find options for financing.

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How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
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Best equipment loans in 2024

Written by Jill A. Chafin | Edited by Kurt Adams and Janet Schaaf | December 28, 2023
How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
LenderBest forMax. loan amountStarting interest ratesApprox. time to fundingMin. credit score
High revenue businesses$150,000Not disclosed24 hours600Get business loan offers
Commercial vehicles$1,000,000Not disclosed24 hours640 or higher is preferredGet business loan offers
Taycor Financial lender logoStartups$2,000,0003.49%24 hours550Get business loan offers
Fast funding$500,0005.49%24 hoursNot disclosedGet business loan offers
Online term loan$500,00011.29%2 days660Get business loan offers
Bank Of AmericaTraditional bankStarting at $25,000 (no max.)7.50%10 business daysNot disclosedGet business loan offers
Bad credit$1,500,000Factor rates from 1.10 to 1.4024 hours500Get business loan offers
SBA loan$5,000,000Prime + 2.75%5 to 10 business days680Get business loan offers

Learn more about how we chose our picks.

Top lenders for equipment financing

National Funding: Best equipment loans for high revenue businesses

Max. amount$150,000
Term length24 to 60 months
Starting interest rateNot disclosed
Min. credit score600
Min. time in business6 months

Commercial Fleet Financing: Best equipment loans for commercial vehicles

Max. amount$1,000,000
Term lengthFlexible
Starting interest rateNot disclosed
Min. credit score640 or higher is preferred
Min. time in businessNot disclosed

Taycor Financial: Best equipment loans for startups

Max. amount$2,000,000
Term length12 to 84 months
Starting interest rate3.49% to 28.00%
Min. credit score550
Min. time in businessNone

First Citizens Bank (NC) Equipment Finance: Best equipment loans for fast funding

Max. amount$500,000
Term length6 to 72 months
Starting interest rate5.49%
Min. credit scoreNot disclosed
Min. time in businessNot disclosed

Funding Circle: Best equipment loans for online term loan

Max. amount$500,000
Term length6 to 84 months
Starting interest rate11.29%
Min. credit score660
Min. time in business2 years

Bank of America: Best equipment loans for traditional bank

Max. amountStarting at $25,000 (no published maximum)
Term lengthUp to 60 months
Starting interest rate7.50%
Min. credit scoreNot disclosed
Min. time in business2 years

Fora Financial: Best equipment loans for bad credit

Max. amount$1,500,000
Term length4 to 15 months
Starting interest rateFactor rates from 1.10 to 1.40
Min. credit score500
Min. time in business6 months

SBA 7(a) loan: Best for SBA loan for equipment financing

Max. amount$5,000,000
Term length120 months
Starting interest ratePrime + 2.75%
Min. credit scoreTypically 680
Min. time in businessTypically 2 years
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How equipment financing and equipment loans work

Equipment financing is a business term loan that enables companies to purchase equipment needed to operate their businesses — such as computers, vehicles or large machinery. An equipment loan is a type of asset-based financing, meaning the equipment acts as collateral in a secured business loan.

Rates and terms

Equipment loans for small businesses typically come with a fixed term — generally around five years, though specific lenders may offer shorter or longer timeframes.You’ll need to make regular payments on an equipment loan, usually in monthly installments of the principal plus the business loan interest rate, which can be as high as 28%. Some lenders require a down payment, which can help reduce your balance and even shorten the loan’s term.

Where to get equipment financing

You have several options when looking to finance equipment for your business.

Alternative lenders

Online lenders that provide alternative business loans utilize a streamlined process to analyze your business’s revenue, assets and general creditworthiness. Because of this, they may offer more lenient credit requirements, higher loan amounts and faster funding times. However, these loans tend to come with shorter terms and higher interest rates.

Banks and credit unions

Most traditional financial institutions offer equipment loans with favorable terms and rates but generally have stricter Why we like it. For example, you’ll need an excellent credit score, several years in business and a high annual revenue to qualify.

The U.S. Small Business Administration

Another option is to work with an SBA lender. An SBA loan generally has longer terms along with capped interest rates. Furthermore, you can use existing equipment plus the equipment you want to purchase as collateral to secure the loan. However, you typically need a solid credit score and a reliable income stream to qualify.

Equipment financing vs. equipment leasing

You can rent equipment with no or low upfront costs with equipment leasing. While leasing seems cheaper than an equipment loan since you don’t need to provide a down payment, you’ll likely pay more in the long run.

Also, you won’t be able to claim depreciation deductions with an equipment lease since you won’t officially own the equipment.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?
LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.

How Does LendingTree Get Paid?

LendingTree is compensated by companies on this site and this compensation may impact how and where offers appear on this site (such as the order). LendingTree does not include all lenders, savings products, or loan options available in the marketplace.
Equipment financingEquipment leasing
Payment termsEquipment loans cover the costs of equipment in exchange for periodic repayments over a specified termThe borrower makes periodic payments to rent equipment over a specified term
OwnershipBorrower owns the equipmentLender owns the equipment
Down paymentTypically requiredNot typically required
CostsCosts less in the long termCosts more in the long term
DepreciationTax deductibleNot typically tax deductible

Capital lease vs. operating lease

  • A capital lease allows you to rent equipment with the option to buy at the end of the lease term. On the downside, you can’t cancel a capital lease.
  • An operating lease is similar to a conventional rental agreement: You make regular payments but will never own the equipment. However, as the lessee, you can usually cancel the lease with prior notice.

Is it better to take out a loan to buy equipment?

If you need equipment for a short time and can’t afford the down payment, then equipment leasing might be a better option than taking out an equipment loan. In addition, leasing equipment lowers your risk of owning obsolete equipment if you’re in an industry where equipment changes or updates often, like an IT firm.

Taking out an equipment loan might be more expensive upfront because of the down payment. However, if the equipment has a long lifespan, then the overall cost of an equipment loan could be worth the initial investment.

Pros and cons of equipment financing

Pros
  • Fast funding: Online lenders offer fast equipment loans (typically within two business days).
  • Interest rate: Since equipment loans are secure, you’ll benefit from comparatively lower business loan interest rates.
  • Monthly payments: You can spread your cost over time with fixed monthly payments.
  • More cash flow: Equipment loans allow you to have more cash on hand.
Cons
  • Down payments: Equipment loans may require large down payments (typically 20%).
  • Credit score requirements: Minimum credit score requirements are generally in the 600s, although some go as low as 500.
  • Extends equipment lifetime: Loan terms increase the life of the equipment, which may become obsolete.
  • Lien or personal guarantee: With equipment loans, lenders typically require a lien and personal guarantee in addition to collateral.

How to qualify for equipment financing

To qualify for equipment financing, lenders will typically look at the following:

  • Personal credit score: Lenders will examine your personal credit score to determine eligibility. Many online lenders, including Commercial Fleet Financing, have minimum credit score requirements in the 600s.
  • Time in business: Some lenders have a minimum time in business requirement of two years, but certain online lenders only require six months or less in operation. For example, Taycor Financial has no minimum time in business requirements.
  • Annual revenue: Traditional banks may require minimum annual revenues, which vary greatly. For example, Funding Circle requires $50,000, whereas Bank of America requires $250,000.

Required documents

When applying for equipment financing, the lender may require the following:

  • Equipment quote
  • Recent bank statements
  • Business plan
  • Personal and business tax returns
  • Personal credit score
  • Driver’s license

Tips for getting an equipment loan

How we chose our picks

To appear on our list of best equipment financing companies, lenders needed to meet the following criteria:

  • Either a minimum credit score requirement lower than 680 or no credit score requirement
  • Flexible repayment terms with no prepayment penalties
  • Funds available within 10 days or less of approval

Frequently asked questions

An equipment loan is designed to help you purchase or repair machinery and equipment for your business. Additionally, you can use other types of small business loans to finance equipment.

Equipment loans generally require regular payments with accruing interest. Payment plans vary by lender and loan type but can include daily, weekly, monthly, seasonal or deferred options.

Yes, some equipment lenders only require six months in business to qualify for equipment financing — and some don’t have any time-in-business requirements. This allows startups to finance any necessary equipment within their first year of business.

While some lenders accept minimum credit scores as low as 500, having a credit score of 670 or higher could help you secure lower interest rates and better terms.

Unfortunately, no-credit-check business loans aren’t an option. However, because the equipment acts as collateral to secure the loan, it’s generally easier to qualify for an equipment loan versus a traditional business loan, as the latter may have stricter business lending requirements. Because of this, borrowers with poor or bad credit may have better luck applying for small business equipment loans.

Equipment financing rates typically range from 3.49% to 28% or higher. Your specific interest rate for an equipment loan will depend on several factors, such as credit score, annual revenue, time in business and your type of industry.

However, every lender differs and will weigh your criteria differently.

Some loans for equipment have generous term lengths of up to ten years. Others may be as short as six months. Just keep in mind that a longer loan term will mean paying more interest over the life of the loan.