SMALL BUSINESS LOANS REVIEWS
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Capital One Small Business Loans: 2024 Review

Written by
Allison Martin
Edited by
Robert Thorpe

Updated Dec 22, 2023

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At a glance

3.2
Bankrate Score
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Accessibility
Affordability
Customer experience
Transparency
Flexibility
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Overview

Capital One doesn’t go far enough to provide info on its website, but it offers business lines of credit, real estate term loans, SBA loans and other specialized lending solutions to established business owners.

Lender Details

  • Money Bag Icon

    Loan amount

    $10,000-$5 million

  • Rates Icon

    Interest rate

    Not stated

  • Clock Wait Icon

    Term lengths

    Up to 25 years

  • Dollar Icon

    Min. annual revenue

    Not stated

  • Briefcase Icon

    Min. time in business

    2 years

Who Capital One is best for

Capital One is best for companies that are at least two years old and have a business checking account with the lender. Having an existing relationship with Capital One could open the door to partnership rates. 

If you’re a startup needing an SBA loan, Capital One states that it doesn’t pose age requirements for these. Most lenders set strict standards for SBA lending.

 

Who Capital One may not be best for

Capital One won’t work for you if you don’t live near its branches since you can’t apply online for its business loans. For startup businesses, Capital One also isn’t ideal for conventional business loans.

Capital One: in the details

Loan amount
$10,000-$5 million
Interest rate
Not stated
Term lengths
Up to 25 years
Min. annual revenue
Not stated
Min. time in business
2 years

Capital One pros and cons

Pros

  • Checkmark Icon

    Generous loan amounts

  • Checkmark Icon

    Several loan options

  • Checkmark Icon

    Lengthy loan terms

Cons

  • Lack of loan information online

  • No online prequalification tool

  • Must visit a branch to apply

Business loan types offered

Loan quick facts

  • Amounts: $10,000 to $5,000,000
  • Terms: Not stated
  • APR: Not stated

Capital One business line of credit overview

Capital One’s maximum amount of $5 million for its lines of credit soars past the competition, which typically only offers maximum amounts of $250,000 to $500,000 for lines of credit. 

Capital One’s website doesn’t offer much information that can help you compare products with other lenders. It will only disclose interest rates and additional fees “prior to booking.”

Loan quick facts

  • Amounts: $10,000 to $5,000,000
  • Terms: Up to 20 years
  • APR: Not stated

Capital One real estate term loan overview

Real estate term loans are designed to help small business owners purchase commercial property. You can also use the loan proceeds to refinance or improve a property you own. These loans come with extended repayment periods and fixed interest rates to make them more affordable for small business owners. 

Loan quick facts

  • Amounts: Up to $5 million
  • Terms: Up to 25 years
  • APR: Not stated

Capital One SBA loans overview

Capital One features a variety of SBA loans, including SBA 7(a) loans, SBA 504 loans, SBA Express loans and SBA Express lines of credit in its lending arsenal. Unlike other Capital One loans for small businesses, these do not come with a minimum time in business requirement.

It’s also an SBA Preferred Lender, giving it the SBA’s stamp that it can process its loans efficiently. Preferred Lenders can also bypass SBA approval in some cases. 

If you’ve tried getting business funding elsewhere but without much luck, SBA loans could be a good fit for your company. They come with affordable rates and longer terms to make the loans more manageable.

Capital One also features an assortment of other business loans and specialized lending solutions. These include non-revolving lines of credit, equipment loans, investor real estate loans and common interest realty association loans. You may also qualify for a medical practice loan to invest in new medical equipment, expand your current practice or open additional locations. 

Do you qualify? 

Capital One mentions very little about the eligibility guidelines for its business loans. It also does not state if there are industry limitations or usage restrictions on business loans or lines of credit. 

The website does state you’ll need the following to qualify for funding: 

  • At least two years in business (excluding SBA loans)
  • An open Capital One business checking account  

A minimum credit score isn’t specified, but a good or excellent credit score is ideal to qualify for business funding. The lender also doesn’t disclose a minimum annual revenue requirement. But it generally helps if your company’s finances are stable and you’re operating at a profit. 

What we like and what we don’t like

What we like

  • Generous loan amounts. Well-qualified borrowers can access up to $5 million through a Capital One business loan or line of credit.
  • Several loan options. Borrowers can choose from terms loans, lines of credit or SBA loans to fit their company’s unique funding needs.
  • Lengthy loan terms. You could get a repayment period of up to 25 years, making the monthly payment more affordable. 

What we don't like 

  • Limited disclosures. Capital One does not display credit score or annual revenue requirements online, and there’s limited information regarding rates and other borrowing costs.
  • No online prequalification tool. Prospective borrowers cannot check potential loan offers online.
  • Must visit a branch to apply. You must meet with a branch ambassador at a Capital One branch to apply for business funding. 

How Capital One compares to other lenders

Capital One small business loans offer high loan amounts well into the millions of dollars. But its website is light on information that would make it easier to compare with other top bank lenders. 

3.2

Bankrate Score

  • Loan amount

    $10,000-$5 million

  • Interest rate

    Not stated

  • Term lengths

    Up to 25 years

  • Min. time in business

    2 years

  • Min. business annual revenue

    Not stated

4.2

Bankrate Score

  • Loan amount

    $5,000-$10 million

  • Interest rate

    9.00%-18.25% APR

  • Term lengths

    Up to 25 years

  • Min. time in business

    Less than two years

  • Min. business annual revenue

    Not stated

Read our review Arrow Right Icon

on Bankrate

4.3

Bankrate Score

  • Loan amount

    Starts at $1,000

  • Interest rate

    6.25% APR

  • Term lengths

    6 months-25 years

  • Min. time in business

    6 months

  • Min. business annual revenue

    $50,000

Read our review

on Bankrate

Capital One vs. Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo focuses on multiple business lines of credit and SBA loans. Its business lines of credit include: 

  • Unsecured line offering credit limits from $10,000 to $150,000
  • SBA-guaranteed line offering $5,000 to $50,000 for businesses under two years old
  • Secured line of credit for high-income businesses with at least $2 million in annual revenue

Capital One provides a few more types of small business loans to choose from. Those include business lines of credit, real estate loans, term loans and three SBA loans. Its loan sizes reach up to $5 million, a high-end loan amount compared to most lenders. Its loans require at least two years in business to apply, unless you’re going for an SBA loan. 

But Capital One isn’t upfront about the interest rates, credit or revenue it requires. Wells Fargo runs through interest rates and required credit scores. For example, it wants to see a personal credit score of 680 to apply for its lines of credit. That requirement is steep for a line of credit, although it’s not abnormal for a traditional lender.

Capital One vs. Bank of America

Both Capital One and Bank of America provide an array of business loans. Capital One’s loans range from term loans, lines of credit, SBA loans and real estate loans. It works mostly with businesses of at least two years old. Its SBA loans may accept businesses with less experience. 

Bank of America mirrors offering all of those options. But Bank of America expands to three different lines of credit, helping both startup businesses and businesses with two years of experience behind them. 

In terms of branch access, Capital One offers 750 locations in the U.S. You’ll want to locate a branch near you since you have to apply for business loans in person. Bank of America is more available nationwide, offering 3,900 branches. If you already use it for your banking, you can apply for some business loans online like its lines of credit or unsecured term loans.

How to apply for a Capital One business loan

You can apply for a Capital One small business loan at a physical branch. But before scheduling an appointment to see a banker, you’ll need to gather your personal and business documents to expedite the application process. 

If you haven’t yet spoken with a business banker by phone about funding opportunities, they will review those with you to find the best fit before submitting your application. Upon approval, you’ll need to review the loan documents and sign them for the loan to close and be disbursed to you. 

Required application information 

  • Name, physical address and date of establishment, email address, phone number, date of birth and Social Security number
  • Company’s legal name and address (P.O. boxes are not acceptable)
  • Ownership structure 
  • Business establishment date
  • Business tax ID number 
  • Number of employees
  • Ownership percentages
  • Annual gross revenue 
  • Business formation documents
  • Operating agreement (if applicable)

Capital One frequently asked questions

How Bankrate rates Capital One

Overall Score 3.2
Accessibility 2.7 Capital One doesn’t display enough information to show how accessible it is to borrowers.
Affordability 3.0 The lack of information on its website makes it difficult to tell if its loans are affordable.
Transparency 3.4 Capital One does show some information but does not go far enough to help borrowers make an informed decision when visiting its website.
Customer experience 3.3 Having to apply in person drags down the lender’s score here.
Flexibility 3.8 It offers a variety of products and suggests it may provide discount rates if you have an existing relationship, but more information is needed.

Methodology

Clock Wait Icon
47
years in business
Credit Card Search Icon
30+
lenders reviewed
Loan Icon
22
loan features weighed
Rates Icon
770+
data points collected

To select the top small business lenders, Bankrate considers more than 20 factors. These factors include loan amounts, approval and funding times, credit requirements, APR or factor rate ranges, fees, and easy-to-find rate and fee disclosures. Bankrate reviewed more than 30 lenders and gave each a rating, which consists of five categories:

  • Accessibility: Factors considered in this category include minimum loan amounts, approval and funding speed, minimum annual revenue and minimum credit score.
  • Affordability: This section measures interest or factor rates and fees.
  • Transparency: How easy it is to find important rates, fees and eligibility requirements are considered in this category.
  • Customer experience: Customer service hours, online applications and app availability are considered in this category.
  • Flexibility: This category considers factors like the number of loan products and ability to change payment due date.

Editorial disclosure: All reviews are prepared by Bankrate.com staff. Opinions expressed therein are solely those of the reviewer and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including rates and fees, presented in the review is accurate as of the date of the review. Check the data at the top of this page and the lender’s website for the most current information.

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