Rapid Finance
Rapid Finance is a privately held, Bethesda-based alternative small business lender providing working capital solutions—including term loans, merchant cash advances, lines of credit, SBA loans, and invoice factoring—to over 30,000 US small businesses, backed by Rockbridge Growth Equity.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2005
- HeadquartersBethesda, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Rapid Finance does
Rapid Finance is a privately held, Bethesda, Maryland-based alternative small business lender founded in 2005 (rebranded from RapidAdvance in 2019) and backed by Rockbridge Growth Equity, part of Dan Gilbert's Rock Family of Companies. The company provides working capital to US small and mid-sized businesses across more than 30,000 funded clients, deploying over $3 billion in cumulative financing. It operates a digital lending platform with online application processing, automated underwriting, a Client Portal, and a Partner Portal, and serves as the fourth-largest online small-business lender in the United States.
Its product portfolio spans eight financing solutions: Small Business Loans ($5,001-$1M), Merchant Cash Advances (up to $500K), Business Lines of Credit ($5,001-$250K), Bridge Loans ($5,001-$1M), SBA Loans ($500-$5.5M), Invoice Factoring ($20K-$10M), Asset-Based Loans ($50K-$10M), and Commercial Real Estate Loans ($75K-$2M). Revenue is generated through interest charges, fixed fees, and discounted receivables across these products, with variable payment structures (daily, weekly, or monthly automatic withdrawals) tailored to cash flow. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer digital self-service, a Business Advisor sales team, a multi-vertical partner channel (brokers, equipment leasing, credit card processing, asset-based lending, factoring), and an Embedded Lending API (Rapid Enterprise) for financial institutions to white-label SMB financing with zero balance sheet exposure.
Rapid Finance firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Rapid Finance
- Legal name
- Rapid Finance (operated by Small Business Financial Solutions, LLC, Rapid Financial Services, LLC, and Commercial Servicing Company, LLC)
- Website
- https://rapidfinance.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2005
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Rapid Finance is a privately held, Bethesda-based alternative small business lender providing working capital solutions—including term loans, merchant cash advances, lines of credit, SBA loans, and invoice factoring—to over 30,000 US small businesses, backed by Rockbridge Growth Equity.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Rapid Finance industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Alternative Small Business Lending
- NAICS
- Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522), Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (52231)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Loan Brokers (6163)
- akta.pro primary industry
- SME Lending & Working Capital Platforms (FSAGAJAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB), Equipment & Asset Finance (SME) (FSAKAGAF), SBA/Government-Backed & Development Finance Loans (FSAKAGAI), Private Credit / Direct Lending (FSAAAHAG)
Keywords
Where Rapid Finance is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethesda
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Rapid Finance business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Small Business Loans: Term loans from $5,001 to $1 million with fixed payments. Revenue generated through interest charges or fixed fees. Terms range from 3 to 60 months with automatic daily, weekly, or monthly payments.
- Merchant Cash Advance: Advances from $5,000 to $500,000 where the company purchases future receivables at a discounted price. Revenue generated through the discount/fees on purchased receivables. Payments are variable based on credit card sales or other receivables.
- Business Line of Credit: Revolving credit from $5,001 to $250,000 with access via ACH or Rapid Access Card. Revenue from interest charges or fixed fees on drawn amounts. Payments are automatic daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Invoice Factoring: Advances from $20,000 to $10 million on outstanding invoices. The company purchases invoices at a discounted price, collecting payments directly from customers or receiving forwarded payments until the advance is paid off.
- Asset-Based Loans: Loans from $50,000 to $10 million secured by business collateral (inventory, accounts receivable, equipment, property). Revenue from interest charges or fixed fees. Terms range from 6 to 36 months.
- SBA Loans: Government-backed loans from $500 to $5.5 million with terms up to 30 years. Revenue from interest charges. Partially guaranteed by the Small Business Administration.
- Commercial Real Estate Loans: Loans from $75,000 to $2 million for purchasing, developing, or renovating commercial properties. Secured by liens on the property. Revenue from interest charges.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Small Business Loans: $5,001 to $1 million, terms 3-60 months |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Merchant Cash Advance: $5,000 to $500,000, variable payments |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Line of Credit: $5,001 to $250,000, terms 3-18 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Bridge Loans: $5,001 to $1 million, terms 3-60 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | SBA Loans: $500 to $5.5 million, terms up to 30 years |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Invoice Factoring: $20,000 to $10 million, terms up to 18 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Asset-Based Loans: $50,000 to $10 million, terms 6-36 months |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | Commercial Real Estate Loans: $75,000 to $2 million, terms 5-20 years |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
Rapid Finance product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Rapid Finance is an alternative small business lender providing working capital solutions including term loans ($5,001–$1 million), merchant cash advances ($5,000–$500,000), business lines of credit ($5,001–$250,000), bridge loans, SBA loans ($500–$5.5 million), invoice factoring ($20,000–$10 million), asset-based loans, and commercial real estate loans to U.S. SMBs, with funding typically disbursed within hours of approval. It also offers an Embedded Lending API that enables financial institutions to deliver small business financing within their own digital platforms under a referral model.
Product overview
Rapid Finance is an alternative small business lender offering a comprehensive suite of financing solutions. The core product portfolio includes Small Business Loans, Merchant Cash Advances, Business Lines of Credit, Bridge Loans, SBA Loans, Invoice Factoring, Asset-Based Loans, and Commercial Real Estate Loans. The company operates through its Client Portal and Partner Portal platforms. Rapid Enterprise provides an Embedded Lending API for financial institutions seeking to white-label small business financing. The Rapid Access Prepaid Mastercard (issued by SoFi Bank) serves as an add-on for Line of Credit accounts. Founded in 2005 and rebranded in 2019, Rapid Finance has deployed over $3 billion across more than 30,000 small businesses.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Small Business Loans Fixed-payment term loans from $5,001 to $1 million with terms from 3 to 60 months and automatic daily, weekly, or monthly payments, designed for U.S. small businesses needing working capital within hours of approval.
- Merchant Cash Advance Advances from $5,000 to $500,000 against future credit card or other receivables, with variable payments tied to a percentage of business receivables; designed for U.S. small businesses with fluctuating revenues.
- Business Line of Credit Revolving credit from $5,001 to $250,000 with terms up to 18 months, accessed via ACH or the Rapid Access Prepaid Mastercard, with interest charges or fixed fees on drawn amounts and automatic payments.
- Bridge Loan Short-term loans from $5,001 to $1 million with terms from 3 to 60 months and automatic payments, for businesses needing capital while securing permanent financing.
- SBA Loan Small Business Administration-backed loans from $500 to $5.5 million with terms up to 30 years and monthly payments, partially guaranteed by the government.
- Invoice Factoring Advances from $20,000 to $10 million on outstanding 30-, 60-, or 90-day invoices, with the funder collecting payments directly from customers or receiving forwarded payments until repaid.
- Asset-Based Loans Loans from $50,000 to $10 million secured by business collateral such as inventory, accounts receivable, equipment, or property, with terms from 6 to 36 months and fixed daily, weekly, or monthly payments.
- Commercial Real Estate Loans Loans from $75,000 to $2 million for purchasing, developing, or renovating commercial properties, secured by liens on the property, with terms from 5 to 20 years and automatic monthly payments.
- Embedded Lending (Rapid Enterprise) API-based embedded lending solution enabling banks, credit unions, and other financial institutions to offer small business financing within their own digital platforms with zero balance sheet exposure while earning non-interest referral income.
- Rapid Access Prepaid Mastercard Prepaid Mastercard issued by SoFi Bank, N.A., linked to Rapid Finance Business Line of Credit accounts, providing near real-time access to LOC funds and accepted everywhere Mastercard is accepted.
Quantifiable outcome
- $3 billion+ in capital deployed across various industries
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Rapid Finance
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Rapid Finance technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature3 records
Rapid Finance partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- ThrivecoreRapid Finance acquired Thrive, a digital lending platform provider, at the American Banker's Small Business Banking conference in October 2022. The acquisition enhances Rapid Finance's technological capabilities and supports its focus on fast, simple, and trusted financing solutions for small businesses.
- Business Finance BrokerscoreNetwork of independent finance brokers who offer Rapid Finance products to their small business clients. Partners receive commission income, access to broad financing network, and support from dedicated Business Advisors. White-label offerings available.
- Equipment Leasing CompaniesminorEquipment leasing partners who complement their leasing offerings with Rapid Finance's merchant cash advances, term loans, and lines of credit to provide comprehensive financing solutions to their clients.
- Credit Card Processing CompaniesminorMerchant processing partners who refer clients to Rapid Finance for merchant cash advances. When merchants use Rapid Finance MCA, they commit to the processing partner's services, increasing merchant retention and protecting future residual income.
- Asset-Based Lending PartnersminorAsset-based lenders who partner with Rapid to offer bridge loans, merchant cash advances, term loans, and lines of credit to fill gaps in funding for their clients' needs.
- Factoring CompaniesminorAccounts receivable factoring partners who work with Rapid to bridge gaps between advance rates and 100% of receivables owed, including bonded and third-party medical A/R. Custom solutions include payroll advances and mobilization funding.
- Financial Institutions (Embedded Lending)coreBanks, credit unions, and other financial institutions partner with Rapid for embedded lending solutions. Institutions embed Rapid's API into their platforms to offer small business financing with zero balance sheet exposure while earning referral income.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Rapid Finance competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Stripe Capital: Embedded working capital and merchant cash advances to SMBs on Stripe; an emerging channel-based competitor that could erode Rapid's growth in tech-savvy SMB segments.
Direct peers
- BlueVine: Online SMB lender offering lines of credit, term loans, and invoice factoring; comparable digital-first GTM, SMB focus, and embedded checking-account product line.
- Fundbox: SMB working capital provider using invoice and receivables data; overlaps Rapid's invoice factoring and short-term working capital offerings for SMBs.
- CAN Capital: Long-standing alternative SMB lender focused on MCAs and working capital; one of Rapid's closest legacy competitors in the US non-bank SMB space.
- Credibly: Direct competitor offering working capital, MCAs, term loans, and lines of credit to SMBs; similar product breadth and customer profile to Rapid.
- Forward Financing: Revenue-based financing provider to SMBs; directly comparable in product (working capital against receivables) and customer segment.
- Biz2Credit: SMB lending marketplace matching borrowers to capital providers including SBA, term loans, and MCAs; overlaps Rapid's broker-channel and SBA offering.
- OnDeck (Enova International): Direct SMB online lender offering term loans and lines of credit to small businesses; similar product mix, similar target customer, and a benchmark for non-bank SMB lending economics in the US.
- Funding Circle: SMB lending platform offering term loans and lines of credit; comparable SMB target and digital origination model, with a marketplace twist.
Broad incumbents
- Square Capital (Block): Embedded SMB working capital offered to Square sellers; broader fintech ecosystem but competes for the same SMB working-capital dollar, particularly via merchant cash advance.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Rapid Finance social profiles
Digital presenceRapid Finance compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Rapid Finance financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Rapid Finance leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Rapid Finance subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Rapid Finance funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Rapid Finance M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A1 record
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Rapid Finance
What does Rapid Finance do?
Rapid Finance is an alternative small business lender providing working capital solutions including term loans ($5,001–$1 million), merchant cash advances ($5,000–$500,000), business lines of credit ($5,001–$250,000), bridge loans, SBA loans ($500–$5.5 million), invoice factoring ($20,000–$10 million), asset-based loans, and commercial real estate loans to U.S. SMBs, with funding typically disbursed within hours of approval. It also offers an Embedded Lending API that enables financial institutions to deliver small business financing within their own digital platforms under a referral model.
Is Rapid Finance a public or private company?
Rapid Finance is a private company. It is classified as private equity controlled and is currently operating.
When was Rapid Finance founded?
Rapid Finance was founded in 2005. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Rapid Finance based?
Rapid Finance is headquartered in Bethesda, United States, in the North America region.
How does Rapid Finance make money?
Seven revenue lines are on record. Small Business Loans are the primary driver. The others are merchant Cash Advance, business Line of Credit, invoice Factoring, asset-Based Loans, SBA Loans and commercial Real Estate Loans.
Who are Rapid Finance's main competitors?
Stripe Capital is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are BlueVine, Fundbox, CAN Capital, Credibly, Forward Financing, Biz2Credit, OnDeck (Enova International) and Funding Circle. Square Capital (Block) is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Rapid Finance have an API?
Yes. Rapid Finance offers an Embedded Lending API that enables partners to integrate lending capabilities into their existing digital platforms. The API allows financial institutions to deliver access to small business financing directly within their own digital experience with minimal development effort and no additional operating costs. Partners receive non-interest referral income for each client successfully funded through the Embedded Lending solution. Developer documentation is at enterprise.rapidfinance.com.
What industry is Rapid Finance in?
Rapid Finance's product category is Alternative Small Business Lending. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAGAJAA, SME Lending & Working Capital Platforms, with a secondary code of FSAKAGAB, SME Term Loans & Growth Capital. Its NAICS code is 522 and its SIC code is 6153.