Medical Equipment Leasing and Financing for Clinics

Clinics finance medical equipment two ways: a traditional equipment lease or loan secured by the machine itself (lowest cost, but underwritten on credit, time in business, and vendor paperwork), or revenue-based funding through an MCA marketplace that approves on your bank deposits and patient collections instead of credit — funding a working machine in as little as 24 to 48 hours. If your practice has been declined by a captive lender, is buying used or gray-market equipment a lessor won't touch, or simply can't wait three weeks while a scanner sits idle, revenue-based funding is the faster path. It typically starts around $10,000, works with FICO scores of 500 and up, and is repaid as a fixed share of daily or weekly deposits rather than a rigid monthly note. It is never guaranteed — approval and terms depend on your revenue.

Leasing vs. financing vs. revenue-based funding: what actually fits a clinic

The three are not interchangeable, and the right one depends on how much time you have and how the equipment earns.

• Equipment lease. You pay to use the machine; the lessor owns it until an end-of-term buyout (a $1 buyout, 10% option, or fair-market value). Best for depreciating or fast-obsolescing gear — imaging software, laser platforms, anything you'll want to upgrade in 36 months. Underwritten on credit, vendor quotes, and time in business.
• Equipment financing (loan). You borrow to buy; the machine is collateral and you own it outright. Best for durable, long-life assets — exam tables, autoclaves, a used ultrasound you'll run for a decade.
• Revenue-based funding. Not tied to the machine at all. A marketplace advances working capital against your deposits, and you use it for the equipment, the install, staff training, or the buildout the lease won't cover. Approval rides on cash flow, so it clears when a captive lender stalls on credit or on the equipment itself.

Most clinics that come to a revenue-based marketplace are not choosing it over a cheap captive lease — they've already been declined for one, or the timeline killed it. See our equipment financing pillar guide for how the collateralized options compare.

How revenue-based approval works for a practice

A revenue-based funder underwrites the practice, not the purchase. That reframes every requirement:

• Bank deposits and revenue come first. Underwriters read three to six months of business bank statements to see consistent patient and insurance collections. Steady deposit volume matters more than any single number.
• Credit is a checkpoint, not the gate. FICO 500+ is generally workable because the machine isn't the security — your future collections are.
• The equipment doesn't have to qualify. Used, refurbished, imported, or vendor-financing-ineligible equipment is fine, because the funder isn't lending against the asset.
• Speed is the point. Complete statements in, a decision commonly lands the same day, with funds in 24 to 48 hours — fast enough to hold a demo-unit price or catch an auction.

Repayment is a fixed percentage of deposits (daily or weekly), so it flexes with the practice: heavier in strong collection weeks, lighter when volume dips. Minimums generally start around $10,000, sizing to your monthly revenue.

What clinics use the money for

Because revenue-based funds aren't restricted to the invoice, they cover the whole cost of getting equipment earning — the parts a straight equipment lease usually excludes:

• The machine itself (new, used, or refurbished)
• Delivery, installation, and calibration
• Room buildout, electrical, and lead shielding for imaging
• Staff certification and training on the new platform
• Software licenses, service contracts, and consumables to launch
• Bridge cash while insurance reimbursement for new procedures ramps up

A captive lease funds the box on the invoice. Revenue-based funding funds the room, the tech, and the ramp — which is often where the real cost lives.

Example scenarios (illustrative only)

These figures are for example and do not reflect a specific offer. Actual amounts and terms depend on your deposits and revenue.

Cost is quoted as a fixed factor on the amount advanced, repaid from a share of collections — not as a monthly interest rate, and not as a fixed total you should back into with your own math. Compare the real offer against a captive lease quote when you can get one.

Decision framework: when revenue-based funding fits — and when to skip it

It works best when:

• A captive lender or bank already declined you on credit, time in business, or the equipment itself.
• The equipment is used, refurbished, imported, or otherwise lease-ineligible.
• The machine earns quickly — a scanner or laser that bills as soon as it's live — so new collections help carry the repayment.
• You need the whole cost covered (install, buildout, training), not just the invoice.
• Timing is tight: a demo-unit price, an auction, or a room sitting empty.
• Deposits are steady even if the credit file isn't.

Avoid it (or pair it) when:

• You qualify for a low-rate captive lease or SBA-backed equipment loan and can wait — take the cheaper capital.
• The asset is long-life and slow to monetize (a decade-old-use autoclave); a collateralized loan matches that horizon better.
• Deposits are thin or highly seasonal, so a fixed share of collections would strain payroll.
• You're already carrying advances that consume a large slice of daily deposits — stacking pressures cash flow.

The honest rule: use the cheapest capital you can actually get in your timeline. When the cheap option says no or moves too slowly, revenue-based funding is the tool that keeps the equipment plan alive.

How to compare offers without getting burned

Marketplaces vary. Protect the practice's cash flow by checking:

• The remittance percentage against your real deposits. Model a slow week, not an average one — can payroll and rent still clear?
• Total cost as a factor, plus every fee. Ask for origination, underwriting, and any ACH or servicing charges in writing.
• Prepayment terms. Some offers discount early payoff; others don't. It matters if the new equipment ramps faster than expected.
• No stacking traps. Confirm whether taking this affects existing advances.
• Plain-language contract. Reconciliation rights (adjusting remittance to actual revenue) are worth having.

Be skeptical of anyone promising a guaranteed approval — legitimate funders decide on your statements. A marketplace helps here by shopping one application to multiple funders, so you compare offers instead of taking the first yes.

Documents to have ready

Fast funding rewards clean paperwork. Have these on hand before you apply:

• Three to six months of business bank statements (all pages)
• A simple one-page application with the practice's legal name, EIN, and time in business
• The equipment quote or invoice (helpful for sizing, not required for approval)
• Voided business check for funding and remittance
• Proof of ownership / a government ID for the owner

You generally don't need tax returns, a full financial statement package, or the vendor paperwork a captive lease demands. That's why the timeline compresses from weeks to days.