The best merchant cash advance for your trucking company depends on your situation. Merchant Fund Express is the best choice for fast capital based on your deposits, from FICO 500; Credibly fits companies with 6 months or more; National Funding suits a fixed amount with a term of up to 24 months; freight factoring is the answer if your real problem is freight agents paying in 30 or 60 days; OnDeck offers a cheaper line if you have a year and good credit; and Accion Opportunity Fund makes sense if what you need is another truck.
In trucking, money goes out every day (diesel, tolls, maintenance) and comes in whenever the freight agent decides. A cash advance can save a week, but it can also sink you if the daily payment does not fit your slow weeks. Here we compare each option on clear criteria and tell you when an advance is the right tool and when it is not.
Key takeaways
- A merchant cash advance is fast and usually needs no collateral, but it is one of the most expensive options; use it for short-term needs.
- If your problem is slow-paying freight agents, freight factoring attacks the cause and can cost less.
- Credibly asks for 6 months, $15,000 in monthly revenue and a 500 credit score, and offers up to $600,000, according to its site.
- National Funding offers working capital from $5,000 to $500,000 with daily or weekly payments and 4 to 24-month terms.
- With a year in business and a 625 FICO, a line of credit like OnDeck's usually costs less than an advance.
- If you already have an advance and the payment is tight, work on lowering the payment before adding another one.
The best options, ranked
- Merchant Fund Express (recommended funder). It reviews your sales and deposits, not just your credit, and decisions often come back in 2 to 4 hours. Amounts from $5,000 to $5,000,000, credit from FICO 500 and, in most cases, no collateral. It fits when the truck is in the shop, the insurance payment is due, or you want to take a dedicated contract that needs capital up front.
- Credibly. It offers working capital, merchant cash advances and lines of credit, with funding up to $600,000. Its published requirements: operating in the U.S., 6 months or more in business, $15,000 or more in monthly revenue deposited into a business account, and a credit score of 500 or higher. It says it can approve in as little as 2 hours (checked October 2026).
- National Funding (working capital). From $5,000 to $500,000, with daily or weekly payments and 4 to 24-month terms. It lists transportation among the industries it serves and says most of its customers have a FICO of 600 or higher; in some states it only offers sales-based financing (checked October 2026).
- Freight factoring. A factoring company buys your load invoices and advances most of the money within a day or two. It looks mainly at the credit of the freight agent or shipper, not yours. It is the natural alternative when the work is done and you are just waiting to get paid.
- OnDeck (line of credit). Lines from $6,000 to $200,000 with 12, 18 or 24-month terms. It asks for a year in business, $100,000 in annual sales and a 625 FICO (checked October 2026). If you qualify, it usually costs less than an advance.
- Accion Opportunity Fund (truck financing). If the money is for another truck or trailer, this CDFI finances up to $250,000. For heavy trucks it asks for at least six months of driving experience with trucking income, shown by a CDL or tax returns, and a FICO of 620 or higher (590 in California), according to its site.
How we chose
We do not give ratings or scores. We compare every option on the same criteria: speed, minimum time in business, minimum credit, ITIN acceptance, documents, amounts and collateral. Company facts come from each company's official site, checked in October 2026, and they can change. Read the full method in how we rank business funding options.
If you are not sure how a merchant cash advance works (the factor rate, the daily holdback and how it differs from a loan), start with our guide to the merchant cash advance for trucking.
Comparison table
| Option | Minimum time | Credit | Amounts | What matters most |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant Fund Express | Reviewed against your deposits | From FICO 500 | $5,000 to $5,000,000 | Your sales and deposits |
| Credibly | 6 months | 500+ | Up to $600,000 | Monthly revenue of $15,000+ |
| National Funding | Not published | Most 600+ | $5,000 to $500,000 | Full business profile |
| Freight factoring | Varies by company | Your customers' credit matters most | Based on your invoices | Quality of your customers |
| OnDeck (line) | 1 year | 625+ | $6,000 to $200,000 | Annual sales of $100,000+ |
| Accion Opportunity Fund | 6 months of experience (heavy trucks) | 620+ (590+ in CA) | Up to $250,000 | The truck or trailer |
When an advance makes sense in trucking
A merchant cash advance is a short-term tool. It makes sense when the money produces revenue quickly or prevents a bigger loss:
- Urgent repair. Every day the truck is down is a day without loads. If the repair gets you back on the road this week, the cost of the advance is often less than what you lose sitting still.
- Insurance payment or renewal. No insurance, no loads. If a big premium comes due before freight agents pay you, an advance can bridge the gap.
- Launching a dedicated contract. Some contracts need capital for drivers, fuel and maintenance before the first payment.
- Peak season. If you know strong weeks are coming (harvest, year-end), having capital ready lets you take more loads.
A practical rule: before signing, write one line on what you will do with the money and how it will return more than it costs. If you cannot write it clearly, it is not time to take the advance yet.
When it does not make sense: to cover losses that repeat every month, to cover another advance, or to buy a truck you will be paying for over years. That is what equipment financing and lines of credit are for. If your challenge is waiting to get paid, compare with invoice factoring for trucking.
What to check before you sign
- Payment frequency. Many trucking advances debit your account daily or weekly, because your income arrives by transfer, not card. Check that the payment fits your worst week of the year, not your best.
- Whether the payment adjusts to revenue. In a true advance, the payment should be adjustable if your sales drop. Ask how to request that adjustment (the reconciliation) and which documents you need.
- Total cost in plain words. Get in writing how much you will repay in total and whether there are origination or administrative fees.
- What happens if you pay early. Some offer an early-payment discount and some do not. Ask.
- Exclusivity clauses. Some contracts bar you from other funding while you carry a balance. Read carefully if you also use factoring.
- No upfront fees. A serious funder does not ask for payment to "release" your money.
If you already have an advance and the daily payment is squeezing you, do not stack another one without running the numbers. Talk to your funder about lowering the payment so you can get your cash flow back.
Documents you will be asked for
- Business bank statements for the last three to six months, with freight agent and shipper payments clearly visible.
- Owner ID and, depending on the funder, an SSN or ITIN, plus the EIN.
- MC number and USDOT number, and how long your authority has been active.
- Proof of current insurance.
- The shop quote or invoice, if the money is for a repair.
- A list of receivables from freight agents, if you are going to compare with factoring.
Before applying, also review your account history: funders look at negative-balance days, bounced payments and sudden drops in deposits. If you had a bad month because of a breakdown, explain it with the shop invoice. A dip with a clear cause weighs less than one with no explanation.
A tip for owner-operators: if you get paid through a fuel card or a payment app that deposits into a personal account, move those deposits to the business account. Funders read the business account; what lands somewhere else does not count toward the decision.
When the road will not wait, our recommended funder reviews your sales and deposits, offers Spanish-speaking support, and applying is free with no impact to your credit: you can apply with Merchant Fund Express. To compare with other options in the industry, see the best trucking business loans. Leer en español.
Frequently asked questions
What is a merchant cash advance for trucking companies?
It is funding where a company gives you money today in exchange for a share of your future revenue. You repay through daily or weekly debits from your account. It is fast and usually needs no collateral, but it costs more than a bank loan or a line of credit, so it fits short-term needs.
Can a new owner-operator get a cash advance?
It is harder with little history. Credibly, for example, asks for at least 6 months in business. With less time, look at freight factoring, which weighs the freight agent's credit, or at equipment financing. Running all of your deposits through a business account helps a lot.
Is a merchant cash advance or freight factoring better?
If your problem is freight agents that take a long time to pay, factoring is usually better because it turns each load into cash without adding a daily payment. If you need money for something that is not an invoice, like a repair or insurance, an advance or working capital is more practical.
How fast can I get the money?
It depends on the funder and your paperwork. Merchant Fund Express, our recommended funder, often makes decisions in 2 to 4 hours, and Credibly says it approves in as little as 2 hours. Having your bank statements, MC and USDOT numbers ready speeds everything up.
Can I have an advance and factoring at the same time?
Sometimes, but carefully. Some factoring agreements require you to assign all of your invoices, and some advances bar other funding while you carry a balance. Read both contracts before signing and ask directly whether they are compatible.
What if I can no longer handle the daily payment on my advance?
Talk to your funder as soon as possible and ask them to adjust the payment to your actual revenue; many contracts have a reconciliation process. Avoid taking another advance to cover the first one. The goal is to lower the payment so your business can breathe.