The best line of credit for a landscaping business is one that lets you draw in March and April, when you're hiring and buying materials, and repay it in summer and fall, when you get paid. Merchant Fund Express, our recommended funder, fits if you need capital within days based on your deposits. Bluevine and OnDeck offer lines for businesses with a year or more and 625+ credit, and a bank or credit union is usually the cheapest if you have a track record. For machines, use equipment financing instead of the line.
Landscaping and lawn care run on a sharp cycle: you spend heavily before the money arrives, commercial clients pay in 30 or 60 days and, in many regions, winter cuts sales off. We compared the options using data from their official sites (checked October 2026).
Key takeaways
- A line of credit suits landscaping because you draw in spring and repay as the season's payments come in.
- Our recommended funder offers $5,000 to $5,000,000, often decides in 2 to 4 hours and considers credit from FICO 500.
- Bluevine asks for 12 months, $10,000 in monthly revenue, 625+ FICO and an LLC or corporation; it accepts an ITIN with an EIN.
- OnDeck asks for one year, $100,000 in annual sales, a 625 FICO and a business checking account.
- For mowers, tractors or trailers, equipment financing usually beats spending down your line.
- Ask whether the lender can reduce your line in winter, when your sales drop.
The best options, in order
- Merchant Fund Express (recommended funder). For the owner with signed contracts for the season who needs money now: the first weeks of payroll, mulch, plants, fuel or a machine repair. It offers $5,000 to $5,000,000, decisions often in 2 to 4 hours and credit from FICO 500. It reviews your sales and deposits and doesn't require collateral in most cases. Applying is free, doesn't affect your credit, and it offers Spanish-speaking support. It also accepts applicants with an ITIN (no SSN needed).
- Bluevine line of credit. Up to $250,000. It asks for $10,000 in monthly revenue, 625+ FICO, 12 months in business, an LLC or corporation, no bankruptcies and good standing with the state. It accepts an SSN or ITIN together with an EIN. Watch the monthly requirement: if you sell very little in winter, check how they count your revenue.
- OnDeck line of credit. Its published minimums are one year in business, a business checking account, $100,000 in annual sales and a 625 personal FICO. It can fund the same day if you close early on a business day. It doesn't lend in North Dakota.
- Bank or credit union. For landscaping companies with several years, financial statements and a good banking relationship, a bank line usually has the lowest cost. It may require collateral and an annual review.
- Square Loans. Square has a category for landscaping and outdoor service businesses. If you process with Square, it may offer you a loan by invitation, from $100 to $500,000, repaid with a fixed percentage of your card sales. It's not a line, but the payment drops when your sales drop.
- Equipment financing. For a riding mower, a compact track loader or a trailer, an equipment loan or lease spreads the cost over years and keeps your line free for working capital. Read equipment financing for landscaping.
Quick comparison
| Option | Maximum | Time in business | Credit | ITIN | How you repay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MFE | $5,000,000 | Business with sales and deposits | FICO 500+ | Yes | Per the offer |
| Bluevine | $250,000 | 12 months | 625+ | Yes, with EIN | Automatic payments on each draw |
| OnDeck | Based on your profile | 1 year | 625 | Not published | Per the offer |
| Bank or credit union | Varies | Often 2+ years | Good | Depends on the bank | Monthly on the balance |
| Square Loans | $500,000 | History with Square | No impact to apply | Not published | % of card sales |
| Equipment financing | Based on the equipment | Varies | Varies | Depends | Fixed installments |
How we picked
We don't give ratings or scores. We compared speed, minimum time in business, minimum credit, acceptance of an ITIN or owners without an SSN, documents, amounts and collateral. For landscaping we also looked at how each option treats the off-season: whether monthly revenue requirements shut you out in winter, or whether the payment adjusts to your sales. We only use data from official sites. The full method is in how we rank business funding options.
Before you sign any line, get these answers in writing:
- How do I repay each draw? Some online lines turn each draw into a short loan with weekly payments; bank lines usually ask for a monthly payment on the balance.
- Are there draw, maintenance or inactivity fees? If you don't use the line in winter, you shouldn't pay to keep it.
- When do they review the limit? If they review it in January, your numbers will look their worst.
- Do they require a personal guarantee or a lien on your equipment? It's common; better to know up front.
How to use the line through the year
A line of credit works best in landscaping with a season-by-season plan. For example, in a region with real winters:
| Season | What happens | Use of the line |
|---|---|---|
| Late winter | You sell contracts, repair equipment, hire | Draws for repairs and material deposits |
| Spring | Cleanups, plantings, mulch; peak spending | Draws for payroll and materials |
| Summer | Steady maintenance, regular payments | You pay down the balance |
| Fall | Leaves, aeration, season wrap-up | You finish repaying and build a reserve |
| Winter | Few sales or snow removal | Line at zero, ready for next spring |
The goal is for the line to hit zero at least once a year. If it's always maxed out, it's no longer seasonal: it's a sign your prices or your costs need adjusting. Also read our guide to a business line of credit for landscaping.
Which option fits your business
- Solo landscaper with one truck and residential clients: with less than a year, online lines are usually out of reach. Focus on depositing everything, and on sales-based capital if you need it.
- Company with a crew, an LLC and a year or more: compare Bluevine and OnDeck, and ask how you repay each draw.
- Commercial contracts with HOAs, offices or municipalities that pay in 30 to 60 days: beyond the line, look at invoice factoring for landscaping.
- Landscape design-build company with installation projects: large projects with deposits and progress payments fit a bank line with a bigger limit.
- Your main machine broke down mid-season: speed rules; every day you're down is clients you lose.
Documents and tips to get approved
- Business bank statements for at least 6 to 12 months, so the full season shows.
- A list of signed maintenance contracts for the season, with client and monthly amount.
- State or city licenses and current liability insurance.
- ID, EIN and LLC documents.
- Your most recent tax return.
Tips: apply in fall or late winter, before you need the money, because that's when your numbers look best. Bill residential clients in advance or monthly to smooth your cash flow. And deposit your cash sales: to a lender, what's not in the bank doesn't count.
Before you request the line, build a simple season budget: how many weeks pass from hiring the crew to collecting the first month of maintenance, how much you spend in that window on wages, fuel, materials and repairs, and how much comes in each month after. That number, the total you spend before you get paid, is a good benchmark for the limit you need. Asking for much more only tempts you to use it on things that aren't seasonal; asking for less leaves you short in April.
Common mistakes
- Buying big equipment with the line. It eats your limit in spring, exactly when you need it for payroll.
- Hitting winter with the line maxed out. Months with no sales and payments on top are the most common cause of trouble.
- Not reading when they review your line. Some lenders cut the limit if your sales drop.
- Mixing in personal expenses. It muddies your numbers and your taxes and makes it harder to prove the business's real sales.
- Collecting late from your own clients. If you let residential clients fall two or three months behind, you end up financing them with your line. Use card autopay or monthly invoices with a fixed due date.
- Not raising prices when your costs rise. If fuel, materials or wages go up and your prices don't, the line becomes a permanent patch.
- Ignoring a breakdown until you lose clients. Fix or replace critical equipment fast, and keep a small reserve for repairs.
When your season is lined up and you need capital to start it, you can apply with Merchant Fund Express; it's free and doesn't affect your credit. Leer en español.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a line of credit for my landscaping business with an ITIN?
Yes, there are options. Bluevine says on its site that it accepts an SSN or ITIN together with an EIN for its line of credit, if your LLC or corporation has 12 months, $10,000 in monthly revenue and 625+ FICO. Our recommended funder also accepts ITIN applicants. Always ask which ID is accepted before applying.
Can I get a line of credit if I barely sell anything in winter?
It's possible, because lenders usually look at several months of bank statements. What helps is showing the full season and your signed contracts. Some options require minimum monthly revenue, so apply when your recent sales are strong, in late summer or fall.
Does Merchant Fund Express fund landscaping businesses?
Yes. Merchant Fund Express reviews landscaping and lawn care businesses based on their sales and deposits, considers credit from FICO 500, often decides in 2 to 4 hours and doesn't require collateral in most cases. Applying is free and doesn't affect your credit.
Is a line of credit or a loan better for the season?
For expenses that rise and fall through the season, a line is more flexible: you draw what you need and pay interest only on what you use. A fixed-payment loan fits better for a one-time purchase, like a machine or a vehicle.
How big a line of credit can a landscaping company get?
It depends on your sales, your credit and your time in business. Bluevine publishes a $250,000 cap; other options depend on your profile. A good starting point is to request what you spend in the spring weeks before the first payments come in. For the wider picture, see landscaping and lawn care funding.