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Last updated: May 2026How we rate

Best SBA Loan Lenders

Government-backed financing at competitive rates.

The SBA doesn't lend directly — it guarantees a portion of bank loans, which lets banks offer longer terms (up to 25 years on 504 real estate) and lower down payments than conventional business loans. The lenders below are SBA Preferred Lenders, which means they can underwrite and approve SBA loans without sending each application to the SBA for review.

Are you eligible for a better rate?

1
Alpha Lending logo
Best for Overall pick
Alpha Lending539 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Alpha Lending is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 5.99%–24.99% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
7.6
Good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

5.99%–24.99% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

580+ credit

2
Beta Financial logo
Best for Lowest APR
Beta Financial951 reviews by Trustpilot
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Editorial review of Beta Financial is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 6.24%–24.49% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
7.8
Good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

6.24%–24.49% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

600+ credit

3
Gamma Bank logo
Best for Fast funding
Gamma Bank1,363 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Gamma Bank is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 6.49%–23.99% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
8.0
Very good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

6.49%–23.99% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

620+ credit

4
Delta CU logo
Best for Bad credit
Delta CU1,775 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Delta CU is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 6.74%–23.49% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
8.2
Very good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

6.74%–23.49% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

640+ credit

5
Epsilon Direct logo
Best for Large loans
Epsilon Direct2,187 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Epsilon Direct is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 6.99%–22.99% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
8.4
Very good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

6.99%–22.99% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

580+ credit

6
Zeta Capital logo
Best for Customer service
Zeta Capital2,599 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Zeta Capital is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 7.24%–22.49% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
8.6
Very good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

7.24%–22.49% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

600+ credit

7
Eta Lending logo
Best for Soft credit pull
Eta Lending3,011 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Eta Lending is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 7.49%–21.99% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
8.8
Very good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

7.49%–21.99% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

620+ credit

8
Theta Loans logo
Best for No origination fee
Theta Loans3,423 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Theta Loans is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 7.74%–21.49% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
9.0
Excellent
See my rate
More Details:

APR

7.74%–21.49% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

640+ credit

9
Iota Mortgage logo
Best for Repeat borrowers
Iota Mortgage3,835 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Iota Mortgage is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 7.99%–20.99% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
7.6
Good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

7.99%–20.99% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

580+ credit

10
Kappa Trust logo
Best for Branch network
Kappa Trust4,247 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Kappa Trust is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 8.24%–20.49% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
7.8
Good
See my rate
More Details:

APR

8.24%–20.49% APR

Loan amount

$1,000 to $100,000

Term

12–84 mo

Min credit

600+ credit

Our Top Choice

Most Popular on comparebankloans
Alpha Lending logo
Best for Overall pick
Alpha Lending539 reviews by Trustpilot
Apply online in minutes

Editorial review of Alpha Lending is in progress. Final scoring and methodology notes ship with the next content release.

  • APR: 5.99%–24.99% APR
  • Loan amount: $1,000 to $100,000
7.6
Good
See my rate

Frequently asked questions

  • What's the difference between SBA 7(a) and 504?
    7(a) is the flexible workhorse: up to $5M for almost any business purpose. 504 is for fixed-asset purchases (real estate or major equipment) at up to $5.5M with long terms (10-25 years).
  • How long does SBA approval take?
    30-90 days for most 7(a) loans through SBA Preferred Lenders. SBA Express can be 36 hours but caps at $500k. Non-preferred lenders take 60-120 days.
  • What does the SBA guaranty cost?
    Guaranty fees range 0% (loans ≤$150k) to 3.75% (loans >$1M). The fee is typically financed into the loan, so you don't pay it out of pocket.
  • Can I use an SBA loan to buy a business?
    Yes — 7(a) is the standard SBA program for business acquisitions. The seller's existing financials plus your business plan determine approval. Down payment usually 10-20% of acquisition price.