Best $50K Business Loans With Bad Credit

You can get $50,000 for your business with bad credit, but almost always from funders that weigh your sales and deposits more than your score. Merchant Fund Express is our recommended funder: it considers profiles from FICO 500+ and often decides in 2 to 4 hours. Credibly publishes a 550 minimum, National Funding says most of its customers have 600 or higher, and an SBA microloan tops out at exactly $50,000 if you can wait.

What matters most for landing $50,000 with low credit isn't the score itself. It's whether your monthly sales justify that amount. Below you'll find the ranked list, a comparison table and a practical way to tell whether $50,000 is realistic for you today or whether you should start smaller.

How we chose

We don't hand out ratings or invented scores. We compare every option on the same criteria: speed of the decision, minimum time in business, minimum credit, whether it accepts an ITIN or owners without an SSN, required documents, amounts and whether it requires collateral. We only include facts each company publishes on its official site (checked October 20, 2026); if a fact couldn't be confirmed, we left it out. On this list we gave extra weight to the published credit minimum and whether $50,000 falls inside each option's range. Read the full method in how we rank business funding options.

The best $50,000 options with bad credit, ranked

1. Merchant Fund Express (recommended funder). $50,000 sits comfortably inside its $5,000 to $5,000,000 range. It considers profiles from FICO 500+ and bases approval on sales and deposits, not just credit; better credit and stronger cash flow usually bring better offers. Most cases don't require collateral, it accepts applicants with an ITIN (no SSN needed), and applying is free and doesn't affect your credit. Apply here to see whether your sales support $50,000.

2. Credibly. Its merchant cash advance runs from $5,000 to $600,000 and asks for 6 months in business, average monthly sales of $20,000 or more and a 550+ credit score. Its working capital loan runs from $25,000 to $600,000 and also generally asks for 550+. It uses a soft pull to review options.

3. National Funding. Lists $5,000 to $500,000 in business capital. It says most of its customers have a FICO score of 600 or higher and that it reviews the whole profile, not just the number. Its working capital loans are repaid daily or weekly over 4 to 24 months.

4. Accion Opportunity Fund. A mission-driven lender that lists loans of up to $250,000. If your credit took a hit but your story is solid, it's worth asking; we didn't find a published credit minimum on the page we reviewed.

5. SBA microloan. Up to $50,000, made by nonprofit community lenders, with a maximum term of 7 years. The average is about $13,000, so getting the maximum is not the norm. Each organization sets the credit it accepts.

6. Equipment financing. If the $50,000 is for a van, an oven or machinery, the equipment itself backs the deal and credit carries less weight. National Funding, for example, finances new or used equipment up to $150,000 with 2- to 5-year terms and monthly payments.

Comparison table

Do your sales support $50,000?

With low credit, the amount you're offered depends mostly on your monthly sales and how much you already owe. Before you apply, run this quick test:

1. Add up your deposits from the last 3 months and find the monthly average. Count only sales, not transfers between your own accounts or loan proceeds.
2. Check whether you already have an advance or loan with daily or weekly payments. Every payment you already make shrinks the room for a new one.
3. Look at your balances. Lots of negative days or overdrafts in the last month scare funders more than a 520 score.
4. Compare. If your monthly sales are well below $50,000, you'll likely be offered less. Borrowing a smaller amount, repaying it well and then renewing is often the shortest path to $50,000.

If a smaller amount makes more sense, see the best funding options under $50K.

Loan, advance or equipment: which structure fits

With low credit, the structure matters as much as the amount. Before you accept $50,000, decide what it's for and which payment pattern your business can handle:

• Short-term loan. You get the $50,000 upfront and make fixed payments for several months. It works for an expense with a date attached, like stocking inventory for the season or covering payroll while you wait on a contract payment. A fixed payment is easy to plan for, but it hits just as hard in a slow week.
• Merchant cash advance. The funder buys a portion of your future sales and collects it from your deposits or card sales. It's usually approved with lower credit and faster, and it generally costs more. If your sales drop, some contracts adjust the collection; ask exactly how yours works.
• Equipment financing. If the money is for a machine or a vehicle, the asset backs the financing and payments are usually monthly over a longer term. It's one of the best routes with low credit when the equipment produces income.

Before you sign, get these answers in writing:

1. What will I pay in total, and over how long?
2. Is the payment daily, weekly or monthly, and is it fixed or a percentage of my sales?
3. Are there origination or closing fees taken out of the amount I receive?
4. What happens if I pay early? Is there a discount or a penalty?
5. Do you require a personal guarantee or any asset as backing?

If someone can't answer these five questions clearly, they're not your funder. To see how an advance of this size works, read our guide to a $50K merchant cash advance.

Mistakes that cost you the approval

• Applying everywhere at once. With low credit, every hard inquiry hurts. Start with options that use a soft pull.
• Taking two advances at the same time. Stacking daily payments is the fastest way to choke your cash flow. If you already have one, read the best funding if you already have an MCA.
• Paying someone to "fix" your credit before you apply. Nobody can erase accurate information from your report. Pay on time and bring your card balances down instead.
• Believing in sure-thing approval. No serious funder promises approval without a review. If someone does and asks for an upfront fee, walk away.
• Not reading how you'll be charged. Ask whether the payment is fixed or a percentage of sales, whether it's daily or weekly, and what happens if you pay early.

How to improve your credit in the meantime

A low score isn't permanent. While you use bridge financing, work on these so you can ask for your next $50,000 on better terms:

• Pay everything on time, including the financing you just took. It's the fastest way to improve your history.
• Keep card balances low, for example below a third of the limit.
• Deposit all your sales into the business account so your full income shows.
• Build business credit with your EIN, supplier accounts that report and a business card you use responsibly.

That way, on your next application you might qualify for lower-cost options like a bank or an SBA loan, if your ownership meets the citizenship requirement in effect since March 2026. Leer en español.