How sme money
works
One application. Multiple offers. Here is exactly what happens in between.
Why we exist
One form, not a dozen
Getting business finance shouldn't mean filling in a dozen application forms or taking the first deal your bank offers because ringing round feels like a full-time job. sme money exists to fix that. You tell us once what your business needs, and we put that in front of the right specialist with access to over 70 UK lenders.
Who does what
Before we walk through the steps
It's worth being clear about who does what. sme money is not a lender and not a broker. We compare your options and refer your details to a specialist broker partner suited to your requirements. That broker handles the formal advice and the application, and their panel of 70+ lenders is where your offers come from.
Our comparison and introduction service is 100% free to you. We receive a fee from the broker we introduce you to, only if you go on to secure funding.
The process
The sme money process
Work Out the Numbers
Use our free calculators to get a feel for what your business could borrow and what repayments might look like. No sign-up, no credit check, no obligation.
Timing
How long does it take?
It varies by product, and anyone who promises you a fixed timescale before seeing your details is guessing. As a rough guide, unsecured business loans and merchant cash advances are typically the quickest, often 24 to 48 hours from application to funds. Invoice finance facilities usually take a few days to set up. Asset finance and anything secured against property or equipment takes longer, because valuations and paperwork are involved. Your broker will give you a realistic timescale once they know what you need.
Pricing
What it costs you
Nothing. Our calculators, our comparison and our introduction service are all free to use, and there are no upfront fees. We are paid by the broker, and only if your funding completes. The broker will be transparent with you about the cost of any product they recommend, including rates and any fees, before you commit to anything.
Your credit file
What about your credit score?
Submitting your details to us does not affect your credit score. Lenders typically run a soft search first to give you an indicative decision, which also leaves no mark. A hard credit check usually only happens later, when you formally proceed with a specific lender, and your broker will tell you before that point is reached.
Business protection
Does it work the same for business insurance?
Almost. For protection products like Keyman Insurance, Relevant Life, Shareholder Protection and Group Life Cover, we introduce you to a specialist insurance brokerage rather than a finance broker. That brokerage compares cover across its panel of UK insurers and handles the advice and the application.
The same principles apply: free to you, one set of details, and a specialist doing the searching, with the regulated advice sitting with them rather than with us.
Get started
Ready to see your options?
Run the numbers with our free calculators, or submit your details and let us match you to the right specialist. One application, access to over 70 lenders, and nothing to pay us.
FAQs
Frequently asked questions
Neither. We compare your options and simply refer your details to a specialist broker partner suited to your requirements, who handles the advice and the application.
Nothing. Our calculators and introduction service are 100% free, and we never charge you an upfront fee. We receive a fee from the broker, only if you go on to secure funding.
No. Submitting your details to us has no impact on your credit score. A hard credit check typically only happens later, if you formally proceed with a specific lender, and you'll know before it does.
Your broker has access to over 70 UK lenders, but they approach the ones that genuinely fit your circumstances rather than blasting your details to everyone. Your information is treated confidentially throughout.
It depends on the product. Unsecured loans and merchant cash advances can complete in 24 to 48 hours, while secured products like asset finance take longer because of valuations. Your broker will give you a realistic timescale up front.
It varies by product and by business. As a guide, the products on our site range from around £10,000 of invoice finance to £1 million of asset finance, and the right figure for you depends on your turnover, trading history and what the money is for.
No. You can compare the offers, take your time, and walk away at any point before you sign, at no cost.
For the initial form, just the basics: what you need, roughly how much, and some details about your business. If you proceed, the broker will typically ask for things like recent bank statements and accounts, depending on the product.
Often, yes. With access to over 70 lenders, your broker can approach funders whose criteria suit your situation, though approval is never guaranteed and depends on the lender's own assessment.
No. Limited companies, sole traders and partnerships can all apply, though some products and lenders have their own eligibility criteria, which your broker will explain.
The specialist broker or brokerage we introduce you to. They are the ones authorised to advise you and arrange the product. We compare and introduce, we don't advise.
We use your details to make the introduction and pass them to the broker or brokerage we match you with, who will handle them under their own privacy policy. Full details are in our Terms and Conditions.