National Funding vs. Triton Capital: Which small business lender is right for you?

Triton Capital and National Funding are both alternative lenders for small business loans. Each offers fast application approval and funding times. While Triton Capital has a wider range of repayment terms, National Funding offers customers more variety in loan amounts. Business needs for lending may vary, but overall, National Funding is best for short-term business loans, while Triton Capital is best for equipment loans.

To help you find the best small business loan, we’ll compare the features, pros and cons of National Funding and Triton Capital business loans.

National Funding vs. Triton Capital at a glance

Triton Capital and National Funding offer short-term loans with quick approval times, which can benefit small businesses looking for fast funding. Triton Capital has more flexible repayment terms, but National Funding offers larger loan amounts for working capital. Here’s how the lenders compare:

National Funding business loans

National Funding offers three business loan options, from equipment financing to short-term business loans. With experience and expertise in various areas, such as food truck financing, landscaping and commercial trucking, it’s a great option to consider when looking for small business funding.

While National Funding offers the flexibility and fast funding that comes with alternative lending, they don’t have the option to meet with customers in person. They also require a credit score of at least 660, so those looking for bad credit business loans or have poor credit scores will likely need to look elsewhere.

And while there are short repayment periods of under two years for most of their loans, you can benefit from an early payoff discount if you pay your loan off early.

Pros

• Early payoff discounts
• Quick approval
• Tax savings

Cons

• Minimal qualification info provided
• No in-person service
• Caters to specific industries

Triton Capital business loans

Triton Capital specializes in working capital loans, equipment loans and SBA loans for small businesses.

Triton offers a convenient way to apply for a business loan and can help you get from application to funding in as little as one day. Additionally, its equipment loans are available for startups, and its working capital loans are available to companies that have been in business for at least a year.

However, the lender might not be the best fit for everyone. The maximum loan amount they offer is $250,000 for working capital loans and $500,000 for equipment loans. If you need a larger loan amount, you’ll need to look elsewhere. Triton Capital also has a high annual revenue requirement of $350,000, so less profitable newer or established businesses may not qualify.

Pros

• Uses soft credit pull for application
• Fast funding
• Low starting interest rates

Cons

• No in-person service
• Low maximum loan amounts
• High annual revenue requirements

How to choose between National Funding and Triton Capital

National Funding and Triton Capital offer good alternative lending options for small businesses. They both offer a quick application and funding process compared to traditional lenders. They also have flexible requirements for loan eligibility.

But, the lenders differ on a few things. National Funding wins in loan amounts — they offer up to $500,000 for their working capital and short-term loans, while some loans from Triton Capital only provide up to $250,000. If you’re looking for long terms, Triton has more flexibility. They offer options anywhere from six months to 84 months.

Choose National Funding for short-term loans

National Funding is the best option for short-term loans for those with fair-to-excellent credit. With a loan option that usually requires speed, National Funding offers an unbeatable funding speed that can often be as quick as 24 hours.

National Funding has a lower time in business requirement of six months, whereas traditional lenders often require at least a year or more. They also allow you to set up automatic payments for short-term loans, making it easy to make timely payments. And if you pay off your loan early, National Funding offers an early payoff discount.

Choose Triton Capital for equipment loans

Triton Capital is the best option for equipment loans because it offers flexible payments and may be available to startups. You can choose your payment schedule, whether you need monthly, quarterly, semi-annually or seasonally. It offers loan sizes from $10,000 to $500,000. The equipment loan is secured by the equipment being purchased, giving the collateral needed to help businesses get approved.

The downside is that Triton Capital requires a hefty $350,000 in annual revenue to be eligible for its loans. By comparison, National Funding requires $250,000.

For working capital loans, Triton’s time in business requirement is a year, which benefits newer businesses. That said, their equipment and working capital loans have a high annual revenue of $350,000, compared to National Funding’s $250,000.

Alternatives

Triton Capital and National Funding are good lending options for small businesses, but considering all your options is always smart. Even if one of these lenders seems like the right fit, look into other lenders or funding types before committing.

Other lenders for small business loans have different loan types, larger loan amounts and potentially lower annual revenue costs than either of these lenders. For short-term business loans, lenders like Fora Financial cater specifically to customers with bad credit, which neither of these lenders do.

If you’re looking for a lender with in-person service, you might look at Bank of America. Bank of America offers a variety of loan types and low interest rates, although you’ll need strong finances to qualify.

Apart from loans, there are other types of funding available. Think about using a business credit card, applying for a business line of credit or looking to private equity instead of applying for a loan.

SBA loans

Another option is applying for an SBA loan. There are several types of SBA loans, but they are all backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. They come with affordable interest rates and less stringent eligibility requirements than traditional lenders. But the business typically must meet certain qualifications to apply for an SBA loan.

While Triton Capital can match businesses with SBA lenders, they don’t directly fund SBA loans. Other lenders may be able to help you more effectively if you are looking for an SBA loan.

Bottom line

There are multiple advantages to both National Funding and Triton Capital as lenders. But the best option for your business depends on your specific needs. Think about the type of business loan you want — whether it’s a working capital loan or a short-term business loan. When reviewing loan options, use a business loan calculator to ensure you can afford a loan and meet its repayment requirements.

And before signing a loan agreement, consider all your funding options, including different lenders and funding types, to ensure you find the right fit for your business.

Frequently asked questions

• What is a business capital loan?

  A business capital loan, otherwise known as a working capital loan, is used to cover a company’s everyday working expenses. Business capital loans do not cover the costs of long-term investments.
  

• What is a startup business loan?

  A startup business loan is a business loan specifically for new companies or startups. These loans cater to the needs of startups, meaning they don’t require a long credit history or financial records. They may have higher interest rates than other business loans as lenders consider newer businesses higher risk.
  

• What type of loan is an equipment loan?

  An equipment loan funds any equipment a business may need for business operations. This could be anything from an espresso machine for a coffee shop to a lawn mower for a landscaping company.