Fundbox Review

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Date Established

2013

Location

San Francisco, CA

Pros

• Relaxed borrower qualifications
• Short application process
• No credit score requirements
• Good customer support

Cons

• Potentially high terms and fees
• Unsuited for large businesses

Overview

Fundbox is a business lender that specializes in offering financial products to small businesses. Founded in 2013, the company originally offered an invoice financing product for small businesses called Fundbox Credit. In 2017, Fundbox introduced a line of credit product called Direct Draw. More recently, the company has expanded a brand new B2B payment service called Fundbox Pay, although this review will predominantly be focused on Fundbox Credit and Direct Draw.

While Fundbox is not the only service to offer invoice financing and lines of credit, this company stands out because it is very easy to qualify for their products. Fundbox does not require a specific credit score or time in business. Fundbox’s low borrower requirements make their services useful for many B2B and B2C businesses, including small businesses and even freelancers. Merchants with poor credit might also find Fundbox’s products useful.

On the other hand, businesses that are well established might want to look at other options. Fundbox’s rates can be a little high in comparison to lenders that service established businesses. Additionally, with a maximum credit line of $100,000, larger businesses will find that Fundbox might not offer as much money as they need.

However, if you’re looking for invoice financing or a line of credit and you don’t yet qualify for financing from another source, Fundbox is certainly worth investigating. Their application process is easy, requesting funds is fast and hassle-free, and borrowers report that the company has great customer service.

Interested in learning more? Read on for the details!

Services Offered

Fundbox offers these services:

• Fundbox Credit (invoice financing)
• Direct Draw (lines of credit)

In addition to these two services, Fundbox has a new payment solution for B2B businesses called Fundbox Pay.

Fundbox Pay allows sellers to receive money for their services right away (minus a small transaction fee) and allows buyers a financing option to pay their bills over time. In short, buyers get Net 60 terms with no interest or fees if they pay the transaction in full during those 60 days, or they can opt for longer payment plans. Contact Fundbox Pay for details and stay tuned for our full post on how Fundbox Pay works.

Borrower Qualifications

These are the requirements for Fundbox Credit and Direct Draw, Funbox’s invoice financing and line of credit service.

Fundbox does not have any specific requirements regarding your time in business. While they don’t require a minimum credit score, Fundbox might perform a soft pull on your credit during the application process (which will not affect your score). You must also be based in the US or in one of these US territories: Guam, American Samoa, North Marina Islands, Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands.

For Fundbox Credit, you must also have been using a compatible accounting or invoicing software for at least two months before applying. Here is a list of the software compatible with Fundbox:

• Clio
• eEbility
• FreshBooks
• Harvest
• InvoiceASAP
• QuickBooks Desktop
• QuickBooks Online
• Xero
• Zoho Books
• Zoho Invoice

For Direct Draw, you must have been using a compatible bank account for at least three months before applying. Fundbox works with over 12,000 banking institutions across the country. If you have both business bank account and accounting software, Fundbox says:

We assess the health of your business based on your accounting or bank account data. You can choose either, but you should select the one where we can see the best, most complete picture of your business.

While this is a good tip, the real difference between the two is that if you apply with your bank account and are approved for Direct Draw, you will be drawing against a line of credit, whereas if you apply with your accounting software and are approved for Fundbox Credit, you will be drawing against your outstanding invoices. We’ll go into the nuances of each service later in this review.

Terms & Fees

Fundbox offers two financing products: Fundbox Credit (invoice financing)  and Direct Draw (line of credit). While both services have similar terms & fees, they operate in a slightly different way. Here’s what to expect from each Fundbox service.

Fundbox Credit

This is Fundbox’s invoice financing product. B2B businesses, B2C businesses, and any other businesses that process invoices can apply for this product if they’ve been using compatible accounting or invoicing software for at least two months.

Fundbox Credit is a service similar to invoice factoring but is not technically a sale of unpaid invoices. In practice, the biggest difference between invoice factoring and Fundbox Credit is that this loan product must be repaid on a weekly basis, not when your customer pays their invoice.

Fundbox offers credit lines up to $100,000. Some businesses may not have access to that much when they first start out, but Fundbox regularly evaluates your account and may increase your credit limit. These are Fundbox’s invoice financing terms and fees:

Once you have redeemed an unpaid invoice, the funds are deposited into a bank account of your choosing. Your customers will not be notified of the advance. You are still responsible for ensuring that your customer pays their debt.

Fundbox’s model is a little different from other invoice financing services in that repayments are made weekly, instead of in one lump sum when the customer pays the invoice. Borrowers have the option of 12- or 24-week term lengths. Each Wednesday (after you’ve had the funds for a week), Fundbox will withdraw the weekly payment plus a fee.

Fundbox advertises that their rates start at 4.66% of the value of the invoice. There is no prepayment fee, so if you pay your outstanding balance back early you can save some money on fees. Aside from the weekly fees, the only fees you might run into are late fees. However, Fundbox does not charge origination fees, maintenance fees, or termination fees.

Direct Draw

Fundbox’s line of credit, Direct Draw, is not dependent on a business’s unpaid invoices. This product will work well for B2C businesses looking for a line of credit, but any business that has been using a compatible business bank account for at least three months is eligible to apply.

Here are the rates for Direct Draw:

Like Fundbox Credit, Direct Draw maxes out at $100,000. The amount you are eligible for will depend on the strength of your business’s financials, and Fundbox may increase your credit line in time.

Borrowers can request funds from their line at any time, and the funds will be deposited in their business bank account within one to two business days (depending on the time of day the funds were requested). Fundbox does not charge any draw fees or money transfer fees when you request funds. Direct Draw is a revolving line of credit, which means that your credit line replenishes as you repay borrowed money.

Repayments are made in equal installments over 12 weeks or 24 weeks. The borrowing fee begins at 4.66% and there is no prepayment penalty — meaning if you pay your loan off before the 12 or 24 weeks are up, you can save on fees.

Use this short-term loan calculator to get an idea of to expect with Fundbox Direct Draw.

Application Process

Fundbox has a very fast application process.

Potential borrowers simply need to make an account (which includes entering basic information such as your name, email, and phone number) and hook up their accounting or invoicing software or their business bank account.

The account you hook up will determine which product you’re applying for. If you hook up your accounting or invoicing software, Fundbox will evaluate your candidacy for Fundbox Credit. If you hook up your bank account, you are applying for Direct Draw.

To determine if they can extend credit to your business, Fundbox evaluates the activity on the software or account that you hooked up. Fundbox might also check your credit score during the application process, but it will be a soft pull which will not affect your credit. If you are approved and request funds from your line, Fundbox might perform a hard pull, which will have a small effect on your score.

Fundbox’s application is fully automated. Most borrowers will receive a funding decision a few minutes. If you are approved and like the rates you received, you can begin requesting funds immediately. Funds generally hit your bank account the next business day, depending on the time of day you make the request (although a couple users report that it sometimes takes up to three days for Fundbox to process invoice financing draws).

Sales & Advertising Transparency

While the way Fundbox markets their products can be confusing initially, Fundbox provides a large amount of information on their website. The website fully explains information that potential borrowers will need to know before signing up for their service and is transparent about their terms and fees.

Customer Service & Support

Fundbox has several support options including phone support, email, and a support center. The support center is basically a well-developed FAQ that explains everything you need to know about Fundbox, including troubleshooting. There is also a more general FAQ section on the Fundbox website that covers basic information like borrower requirements and fees. Most customers cite positive experience with Fundbox’s customer support, and in my own experience phone wait times were short and representatives were helpful.

Negative Reviews & Complaints

Overall, Fundbox has an excellent online reputation. While there are a few negative reviews, the majority of customers are very happy with the company’s service. However, there are still a few recurring complaints from customers:

• Credit Limit Too Small: The most common complaint about Fundbox is that the borrowing amount is too low. Fundbox does periodically review your account and increase credit limit for customers who have a good financial history. However, some customers have complained that the credit increases don’t come fast enough, and they don’t know when their account is going to be reviewed again.
• Too Expensive: Other customers have voiced concerns about the expensive capital. While Fundbox’s fees can be a little high, they are competitive with similar lenders. Before settling on Fundbox, you might want to see if you qualify for other lines of credit that are less expensive, but more difficult to qualify for.

Positive Reviews & Testimonials

Despite the few complaints above, customer reviews of Fundbox are overwhelmingly positive. The company receives 4.7/5 stars on GetApp (based on 60+ ratings) and 9.7/10 stars on Trustpilot (based on over 1,200 ratings). Here is what customers like about Fundbox’s service:

• Fast & Easy Application Process: Users appreciate how easy and quick the Fundbox application is, and how fast it is to receive funds.
• No Credit Check: Fundbox users appreciate the low borrower requirements, particularly that there is no credit check.
• Great Cash Flow Solution: Many businesses praise Fundbox for being a great cash flow solution. Instead of waiting for customers to pay their invoices, businesses can have immediate cash to continue running their business and avoid the waiting game.
• Good Customer Support: A large handful of users also praise Fundbox’s level of customer support.

Additionally, Fundbox Credit is a little bit different from other invoice financing products because the company funds 100% of the invoice (whereas most only advance 80%-90% and hold the rest on reserve until the invoice is paid). Some customers like this because you get access to that much more money.

Final Verdict

Customers have predominantly positive things to say about Fundbox, and it’s easy to see why. Fundbox provides three useful financial products that are suitable for many small B2B and B2C businesses, whether they’re suffering from cash flow problems, want a credit line for emergencies, or some other reason.

As stated above, larger businesses will find that other companies offer invoice financing or lines of credit with lower fees and higher borrowing amounts. But if you don’t qualify, Fundbox is a good bet.

Interested in your other options? Check out our line of credit comparison chart or our invoice financing comparison chart.

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Chelsea Krause

Managing Editor - Accounting

Chelsea Krause is a writer who has specialized in accounting for two years and is a QuickBooks Certified User. She has a BA in English & Creative Writing from George Fox University and studied at the University of Oxford as well. She has been quoted in Forbes and her work appears in Startup Nation, Small Business Bonfire, and Women on Business.

@AccountingMage

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