Yes, you can get working capital with just 3 months in business, but almost never from a bank or SBA lender at that stage — the realistic path is a revenue-based advance where approval leans on your business bank deposits and monthly revenue rather than your time in business or credit score. Most traditional programs want 6 to 24 months of history; a revenue-based marketplace will often look at a company that has been depositing sales for about 90 days, generally wants roughly $10,000+ in monthly revenue, accepts FICO scores around 500 and up, and can fund in 24 to 48 hours after approval. It is not guaranteed, and pricing is higher than a bank loan, but for a brand-new business with real, steady deposits it is frequently the only door that is actually open.
Key takeaways
- Revenue-based funders can approve at about 3 months in business, while most banks and SBA lenders require 6 to 24 months
- Approval leans on business bank deposits and monthly revenue more than time in business or credit score
- Typical fit: roughly $10,000+ in monthly revenue, FICO 500+, and 3 months of business bank statements
- Advances often start near 50%-100% of one month's revenue and grow as deposit history builds
- Funding frequently arrives within 24-48 hours after approval; approval is never guaranteed
- Pricing uses a factor rate (e.g. 1.3-1.5), not an APR — a fixed cost repaid via daily or weekly debits
- Clean, consistent deposits in one dedicated business account often matter more than a higher credit score
Why 3 months is the hard part — and how funders get around it
Time in business is a proxy lenders use for survival odds. Roughly the first year is when most closures happen, so banks, most SBA products, and many online term lenders draw the line at 6, 12, or even 24 months. At 3 months you simply do not clear those minimums, no matter how strong your sales are.
Revenue-based funders solve this differently. Instead of asking "how long have you existed," they ask "how much money is actually moving through your account, and how consistently." A company that opened 90 days ago but deposits steadily every week can look lower-risk to them than a two-year-old business with erratic, thin deposits. That is why a revenue-based/MCA marketplace is usually the right first stop at the 3-month mark: the underwriting is built around bank-statement cash flow, which a young-but-active business can have, rather than tenure, which it cannot.
The trade-off is honest and worth stating plainly: this money costs more than a bank loan and is repaid faster, often through a fixed daily or weekly amount. You are paying for speed and for a lender willing to fund at 90 days.
What you realistically need to qualify at 90 days
Because tenure is off the table, the other qualifiers matter more. These are typical ranges for revenue-based funders — every funder sets its own rules, so treat them as a guide, not a promise.
| Requirement | Typical at 3 months in business | Why it matters here |
|---|---|---|
| Time in business | ~3 months minimum (some funders want 4-6) | The gating factor; fewer funders play this early |
| Monthly revenue | ~$10,000+ deposited | Deposits are the core of approval |
| Bank statements | Last 3 months, business account | Proves consistency, not just one big month |
| Credit score (FICO) | 500+ often workable | A factor, but rarely the deciding one |
| Business bank account | Required, in the business name | Personal-account deposits weaken a file |
| Negative days / NSFs | Few or none preferred | Overdrafts signal cash-flow stress |
The single strongest thing a 3-month-old business can do is run every dollar of sales through one dedicated business checking account. Deposits split across personal accounts, cash kept off the books, or a mix of payment apps make the file look thinner and riskier than the business actually is.
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How much you can expect — and how it is priced
Early-stage advances are usually sized as a fraction of monthly revenue, because the funder is repaid out of that same cash flow. A brand-new business will generally see offers on the conservative side of the range until it builds a longer deposit history.
| Detail | What a 3-month business often sees (for example) |
|---|---|
| Advance amount | Roughly 50%-100% of one month's revenue to start |
| Example: $15,000/mo revenue | An offer around $8,000-$15,000, for example |
| Repayment | Fixed daily or weekly debit, often over 4-12 months |
| Cost structure | A factor rate (e.g. 1.3-1.5), not an APR |
| Funding speed | Often 24-48 hours after approval |
A factor rate is not an interest rate. At a 1.4 factor, a $10,000 advance means repaying $14,000 total — the $4,000 is fixed regardless of how fast you pay. That is expensive money, and it is best used for something that generates a clear, near-term return: inventory you can sell, a piece of equipment that unlocks jobs, payroll to take on a big contract. It is a poor fit for covering an ongoing shortfall you cannot see your way out of.
The figures above are illustrative examples to show how sizing works, not quotes. Your actual offer depends on your real deposits.
A realistic picture: two young businesses
To make the qualification reality concrete, here are two composite examples of what an underwriter tends to weigh at the 90-day mark.
| Business A | Business B | |
|---|---|---|
| Age | 3 months | 3 months |
| Monthly deposits | ~$18,000, steady weekly | ~$18,000, but two big lump deposits |
| Bank account | Dedicated business checking | Mixed with personal account |
| NSFs last 3 months | 0 | 4 |
| FICO | 560 | 640 |
| Likely outcome | Stronger candidate despite lower credit | Harder file despite better credit |
The lesson most new owners find surprising: at this stage clean, consistent, separated deposits often outweigh a higher credit score. Business B has better credit but a messier cash-flow story, and cash flow is what this product underwrites.
If you are a woman, veteran, minority, immigrant, or Latino owner
Revenue-based approval is built around your bank deposits, which makes it one of the more accessible paths for owners who are often underserved by traditional bank credit. The underwriter is reading the money moving through your account, so a strong, consistent deposit history speaks for you even when your personal credit is still thin or rebuilding.
On the common ITIN and no-SSN question: many revenue-based funders can approve on business bank deposits, and some work with ITIN-only applicants — but requirements genuinely vary from funder to funder, and there is no blanket rule. Some still require an SSN or a personal guarantee; others weigh the business's deposits more heavily. The honest answer is that it depends on the specific funder, which is exactly why applying through a marketplace helps — it matches your file to funders whose criteria fit rather than betting on a single lender's rulebook. This is general information about how these products commonly work, not legal or immigration advice, and nothing here is a guarantee of approval.
Smart ways to use working capital this early
At 3 months, the goal is to use funding to build momentum you can sustain, not to plug a hole. Uses that tend to pay off:
- Inventory or materials you have confirmed demand for and can turn over before or during the repayment window.
- Fulfilling a specific contract or large order that you could not otherwise staff or supply.
- Equipment that directly increases what you can produce or the jobs you can accept.
- Bridging a known, dated receivable — money you can see arriving, not hoping to.
Uses that usually backfire this early: covering a structural loss, paying one advance with another, or funding fixed overhead with no plan for the revenue to catch up. Because the repayment is a fixed daily or weekly debit, borrow an amount your current deposits can comfortably absorb, not the largest number you might be offered.
How to apply and what happens next
The process is deliberately light, which is part of why it works at 90 days. Applying through a revenue-based marketplace typically looks like this:
- Short application with basic business details — usually a few minutes.
- Three months of business bank statements, uploaded or connected read-only. This is the heart of the decision.
- A soft look at credit in many cases, which does not affect your score at the pre-qualification stage.
- Offers back, often same day or next, with the amount, factor rate, term, and daily/weekly payment spelled out.
- Funding in about 24-48 hours after you accept and clear verification.
A marketplace matters more at 3 months than at any other stage, because the pool of funders willing to fund this early is smaller and their rules differ widely. Submitting one application that is matched to funders whose minimums you actually meet beats applying to a bank that was always going to decline you for tenure. Before you accept anything, read the total repayment amount and the daily or weekly debit out loud against your real deposits — if the payment does not fit comfortably, ask for a smaller advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can I really get working capital with only 3 months in business?
Often yes, but generally through a revenue-based advance rather than a bank or SBA loan. Approval leans on your business bank deposits and monthly revenue, so a young business with steady, consistent deposits can qualify where tenure-based lenders would decline. It is never guaranteed and pricing is higher than a bank loan.
Why do banks turn down a 3-month-old business?
Banks and most SBA and online term lenders use time in business as a risk proxy and typically require 6 to 24 months of history. At 90 days you simply do not meet that minimum, regardless of how strong your sales are. Revenue-based funders underwrite cash flow instead, which is why they can look at businesses this early.
How much revenue do I need?
Revenue-based funders commonly look for roughly $10,000 or more in monthly deposits, though exact minimums vary by funder. What matters most is consistency — steady weekly deposits into a dedicated business account read far better than one or two large lump sums.
What credit score do I need at 3 months?
Many revenue-based funders work with FICO scores around 500 and up. Credit is a factor but rarely the deciding one at this stage; your bank-deposit history usually carries more weight than your score.
Can I qualify with an ITIN or no SSN?
Sometimes. Many revenue-based funders can approve on business bank deposits, and some work with ITIN-only applicants, but requirements vary and some still require an SSN or personal guarantee. Applying through a marketplace helps match your file to funders whose criteria fit. This is general information, not legal or immigration advice, and not a guarantee.
How much can I get and how fast?
Early-stage offers often start at roughly 50% to 100% of one month's revenue and grow as you build history. After approval, funding frequently arrives within 24 to 48 hours. For example, a business depositing about $15,000 a month might see an offer in the $8,000 to $15,000 range — an illustrative example, not a quote.
How is the cost calculated?
Most revenue-based advances use a factor rate, not an APR. At a 1.4 factor, a $10,000 advance means repaying $14,000 total, with the $4,000 cost fixed regardless of how quickly you pay. It is expensive money, best used for something with a clear near-term return.
What is the single best thing I can do to improve my odds?
Run every dollar of sales through one dedicated business checking account with no overdrafts. Clean, consistent, separated deposits often outweigh a higher credit score at this stage, because cash flow is exactly what this product underwrites.
