In-Depth Analysis

Lendio Review for 2026

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Written By
G. Dautovic
Updated
May 08, 2026
Some or all of the products/services listed on this page are from our affiliate partners from which we receive commissions. This, however, does not influence the evaluations in our reviews. Learn more by reading our Advertiser Disclosure.

Lendio is a free online marketplace for small business loans. The platform connects customers to a network of more than 75 lenders and financial partners.

In just a few years, Lendio has helped small businesses secure more than $16 billion in funding.

LOAN AMOUNTS:
$500 - $5,000,000

APR range 3.00% to 60.00%+

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Fortunly Rating

Fortunly's Rating: Our editorial team determines the rating based on a set of evaluation criteria developed for each product and service category.

LOAN OPTIONS:
SBA loans, term loans, lines of credit, equipment financing, accounts receivable financing, merchant cash advances, startup loans, business acquisition loans, and commercial mortgages
FEES:
No origination fee
YEARS IN BUSINESS:
6 months minimum for most products
MIN. REVENUE:
$8,000 to $10,000 per month
LOAN TERM:
1 to 25 years
MIN. CREDIT SCORE:
500+
FUNDING TIME:
As fast as 24 hours
BBB RATING:
A+
AVAILABILITY:
All 50 states + DC
pros thumb up Strengths
  • Free to use
  • Quick application process
  • Dedicated funding manager for each client
  • Easy to use loan calculator tools
  • Funding for startups and established businesses
  • Soft credit check for initial matching
  • One application can surface multiple financing options
pros thumb up Weaknesses
  • Extra documentation required for some loans
  • Origination fees for some lenders
  • Qualification standards vary widely by lender and product

Lendio Overview

Founded in 2011, Lendio has built one of the best-known marketplaces for small business financing. The company says it has facilitated more than $16 billion in funding through a network of more than 75 lenders and financial partners.

This site works as an aggregator of lenders. When a business owner signs up and completes the short registration process, the site filters its lender network to identify possible matches for the borrower’s needs.

The loans here come in many shapes and sizes with a range of additional services that your business may require. The wide range of options can be a bit overwhelming for individuals who are just starting out.

But the user-friendly site offers comprehensive descriptions of each service, ensuring that securing funding for your company isn’t a terrifying task.

Lendio isn’t a direct money lender. It’s a business loan marketplace that serves as a middleman between small business owners and companies that offer financing. Instead of filling out a different application for every lender, borrowers can use one application to compare multiple options in one place.

Lendio is a free service with no hidden fees. However, some of the lenders do have origination fees or other costs. Luckily, it’s all pretty transparent, so you’ll know exactly how much you are expected to pay and why.

How Lendio Compares to Other Lenders

Lendio Logo
Lendio
APR Range:

3.00% - 60.00%+

Min. Credit Score:

500

Fundera Logo
Fundera
APR Range:

3% - 30%

Min. Credit Score:

500

Seek Business Capital Logo
Seek Business Capital
APR Range:

3%-25% (0% intro APR)

Min. Credit Score:

Varies by lender and loan type

Financing Options

The Lendio marketplace offers more than 10 types of financing. These include business credit cards, startup loans, and business acquisition loans in case your company is planning a big purchase or expansion.

Each of these services is clearly outlined with guidelines on what you can expect from the loan as well as what types of businesses are eligible.

All have different payback terms depending on the product and lender. Some short-term products can fund quickly, while SBA loans and other larger financing products can take much longer. The most popular is the business term loan, which is an ideal solution for many small businesses.

Business Term Loan

Lendio business term loans can reach up to $500,000 on the main term-loan page, with repayment terms that can extend up to five years and rates starting at 6%.

Your application for a business term loan starts with a short questionnaire where you’re expected to provide information about your business. That includes your credit score, revenue, and type of business.

The site will use your answers to match you with potential lenders, providing an option to further adjust your plan afterwards.

Business Line of Credit

Another popular option is a highly flexible financial safety net. Lendio’s main line-of-credit page currently advertises limits up to $250,000, with funding possible in as little as 24 hours for some borrowers.

Approval times and qualification requirements vary by lender, but lines of credit remain one of the best options for businesses that want quick access to flexible working capital.

Startup Loan

The lenders on this marketplace offer flexible terms for startup financing. Lendio currently markets startup loans in amounts up to $750,000, with repayment terms up to 25 years and rates starting at 0%.

Startup financing remains one of Lendio’s stronger differentiators because many competing marketplaces lean more heavily toward established businesses.

Business Acquisition Loan

Buying a business? Then this loan is perfect for you. Receiving your funds can take longer than with short-term products, but Lendio currently advertises business acquisition loans up to $5 million with terms up to 25 years and rates starting at 6.25%.

Equipment Financing

To grow a business you need tools and additional manpower. This is where equipment financing comes into play. Lendio currently advertises equipment financing up to $5 million, with terms up to 10 years and rates starting at 7.5%.

One major benefit of this type of loan is that the equipment itself can serve as collateral. Because of that, qualification can be easier than with some unsecured loan products.

Accounts Receivable Financing

Lendio also offers accounts recievable financing. The company currently offers up to 85% of the value of outstanding invoices, with factor rates starting at 3%.

Merchant Cash Advance

Another of Lendio’s financing types is the merchant cash advance. While this is more of a financial arrangement than a classic loan, it’s a great option for quick funds with flexible requirements.

Lendio currently describes merchant cash advances as going up to $2 million, with factor rates starting at 1.08.

Commercial Mortgage

Lendio currently lists commercial real estate financing with amounts up to $5 million, repayment terms up to 25 years, and rates starting at 6.25%.

Application Process

Applying for a small business loan at Lendio is a quick and straightforward process. The company says the online application takes 15 minutes or less.

The application can be submitted in just a few simple steps:

  • On the homepage, click Get Loan Offers.
  • Fill out all the business and personal information fields.
  • Upload business account statements for the past six months and any additional documents required for the selected loan.

Uncomfortable with online forms? You can apply over the phone if you prefer.

Information Needed to Apply

To complete your business loan application, you’ll be asked to submit:

  • Business and DBA name
  • Business phone number and address
  • Business start date
  • Business type and industry
  • Business tax ID number
  • Monthly revenue of your business
  • Owner’s Social Security number
  • Average monthly payroll and number of employees

Next, select the purpose for your loan from the following list:

  • Expansion
  • Working capital
  • Payroll
  • Purchasing a business
  • Purchasing a franchise
  • Equipment purchases
  • Real estate purchase
  • Buying out a partner
  • Starting a business
  • Finance accounts receivable

Note that your application for free business loans doesn’t affect your credit score. After you fill out the forms, Lendio will process your information. You’ll then be connected with a funding manager who will pair you with lenders compatible with your credit score and selected type of loan.

You’ll then be presented with the amount that you are eligible to borrow and the loan term. While lenders usually don’t require any additional documentation, be prepared for a potential origination fee. The fees depend on individual lenders, and Lendio’s agents will be there to guide you through the process.

In-Depth Presentation of Features

There is a great deal of variety of short-term and long-term financing as well as the amounts one can borrow through this site. The biggest strength of Lendio is not one universal loan range, but the breadth of its marketplace and the fact that borrowers can compare several kinds of products through one application.

Quick financing solutions aren’t really the main attraction here, especially with the high rates most lenders apply for such requests. Instead, Lendio is more focused on longer-term and more affordable loans for startups and established businesses.

We like how accommodating Lendio is. The platform gives users the option to browse and learn about lenders before creating an account, and there are no fees for using the service.

Quick financing solutions are part of the appeal, but they’re only one piece of the platform. Lendio is just as useful for borrowers looking for startup financing, business acquisition funding, equipment financing, or long-term commercial real estate options.

Loan Amount and APR Details

Depending on what type of business loan you’re looking for, you can expect a wide range of amounts. These start low for some products and go up into the millions for SBA loans, business acquisition loans, equipment financing, and commercial mortgages.

Because Lendio is a marketplace, there is no single clean loan range, APR, or minimum-credit-score rule that applies across the board. The more useful way to judge the platform is by the variety of products it supports and how quickly it can match borrowers with lenders.

There are no fees to use Lendio itself. The only extra fees you might run into are lender-side application, origination, or other financing fees. But you’ll be made aware of any costs before signing.

Another reason Lendio is a preferred marketplace for many borrowers is its payment-calculator and loan-comparison tools, which make it easier to estimate monthly costs before moving forward.

The terms under which a loan gets approved depend on your personal credit history, loan term, the financial health of your business, and the purpose of the loan.

A personal guarantee is common for many of the loans you request at Lendio. Some lenders will also require collateral in order to approve the loan. For most loan categories, however, the exact requirements are set by the funding partner, not by Lendio itself.

Eligible and Non-Eligible Businesses

The company does initially accept applicants from all industries and doesn’t say anything about refusing them on the basis of their business.

However, lenders have the final word, and they decide who they lend the money to. Lendio lists the industries that are least likely to get a loan through the platform:

  • Auto dealers
  • Gambling-related businesses
  • Hunting, fishing, and forestry organizations
  • Attorneys
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Mining companies
  • Commercial real estate
  • Insurance companies

Payment Terms

While rates depend on the term of your loan, payments are always made on a monthly basis. You can use the on-site calculator to plan your monthly payments in advance, preparing your budget before you even apply for the loan. Once you decide on a loan, you’ll be able to schedule payment dates with your dedicated Lendio assistant.

The minimum loan term is one year, while the maximum is 25 years. The exact terms and possible penalties or benefits depend entirely on the lender you choose through the platform.

Customer Support & User Satisfaction

Lendio offers customer support by a phone, and routes you to dedicated funding managers during your application process. The company itself is held in high regard, as it is accredited by BBB and holds a perfect A+ rating.

Customers are also highly satisfied with the quality of the service provided, as the company holds a near-perfect 4.8/5 rating on Trustpilot from more than 20 thousand individual reviews. Most users are praising the company for the ease of use, as well as quick response times and excellent customer support.

Our Verdict

All in all, Lendio is a highly sophisticated platform that automates the loan application process, helping small businesses get funding faster and with less paperwork.

Although some applicants won’t get approved, the company’s founders claim that their approval rates are higher when compared to more traditional loan providers. In addition, the affordable payment plans make Lendio a wise choice for any business owner looking for capital.

 

FAQ

Does Lendio charge borrowers a fee?

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No. Lendio is free to use. Any application, origination, or financing fees come from the lender you choose.

Does checking loan options through Lendio hurt your credit score?

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No. Lendio says the initial matching process uses a soft pull.

How long does the Lendio application take?

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The initial application you take with Lendio takes 15 minutes or less.