eLease specializes in restaurant equipment leasing (FMV, $1 buyout, EFA structures). Strengths: deep restaurant-vertical knowledge, lease-specific structures often better than loan options for tech-aging equipment (POS, espresso). Weaknesses: lease structure isn't right for all equipment, $250K typical cap, slightly higher effective APR than equivalent loans.
Direct lenders (National Funding, Beacon, Balboa, Crest, Smarter Finance USA) are fastest and offer the most control. Marketplaces (Lendio) are best for borderline credit profiles or first-time applicants who want to compare many offers at once. Specialty lenders (Beacon Funding, eLease) win on restaurant-vertical equipment with unusual specs. SBA-preferred banks win on rate but lose on speed.
Need it fast (same day): National Funding, Balboa Capital. Need lowest rate: SBA 7(a) through preferred lender. Restaurant-vertical specialty: Beacon Funding, eLease. Largest loan size: Crest Capital, SBA 7(a). Sub-650 credit: National Funding, Smarter Finance USA, vendor financing. First-year operator: Beacon Funding, Crest Capital, SBA microloan.
Top 5 across every lender: (1) revenue too low for loan size, (2) under 12 months in business, (3) personal credit under 580, (4) industry concentration limit reached at the lender, (5) debt-service coverage ratio under 1.25x. Decline at one lender doesn't mean decline at all — rotate through 2-3 lenders before giving up.
| Lender | APR Range | Max Loan | Min Credit | Speed | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Funding | 5.99%–35% | $500K | 600 | 24 hours | Speed, sub-prime credit |
| Beacon Funding | 6.99%–18% | $250K | 620 | 1–3 days | Restaurant vertical, first-year operators |
| Balboa Capital | 5.99%–24% | $250K | 620 | Same day | Quick decisions, established operators |
| Crest Capital | 6.50%–20% | $1M+ | 650 | 1–2 days | Larger deals, prime credit |
| Smarter Finance USA | 7.99%–22% | $250K | 600 | 1–3 days | Used equipment terms |
| Lendio (marketplace) | Varies | $5M | 550+ | 1–2 weeks | Comparison shopping, borderline credit |
| SBA 7(a) (Live Oak/etc) | 8.5%–11.5% | $5M | 650 | 4–8 weeks | Cheapest, planned investments |
Marketplaces are great for borderline credit (sub-650) where direct lender approval is uncertain. For 680+ credit, going direct usually saves 1-2% APR by avoiding marketplace fees.
3 is the sweet spot. Each application takes 8-15 minutes and most do soft credit pulls (no FICO impact). 1 application gives you no comparison; 5+ creates underwriting noise that can flag your file.
Most equipment financing pre-qualifications use soft pulls — no FICO impact. Hard pulls happen only when you formally accept an offer. Keep all applications within a 14-day window so the credit bureaus treat them as one inquiry.
Yes — get 2-3 written offers and use the lowest as leverage. Most lenders match within 1-2% if you have a competing written offer. Larger down payment (25%+) often unlocks another 2-4% APR reduction.
On a $50K equipment loan over 60 months, a 5% APR difference (e.g., 9% vs 14%) = roughly $7,800 in extra total interest. The difference between best and worst lender for the same applicant is often 4-8%.
Compare offers from multiple equipment lenders in one application.
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