SmartBiz VS National Business Capital

While it’s nice to have choices, sometimes it can be difficult to narrow your search down to a single, best option. It’s no different when you’re looking for business financing. SmartBiz and National Business Capital both promise to save time and headaches by allowing you to effectively apply to multiple lenders with a single application. Note that neither directly originates loans.

But while they’re both loan aggregator services, there are some notable differences between the two that may help you decide between them.

SmartBiz is heavily specialized toward SBA loans. If you aren’t familiar, the Small Business Administration has a number of programs wherein they’ll guarantee a portion of a business loan for qualified applicants. This can help you access better rates and terms than you may otherwise be able to get without the SBA guarantee. The tradeoff is a longer and more complex application, as well as a longer time to funding. SmartBiz helps you navigate through the red tape while also connecting you to SBA-approved lenders.

National Business Capital can also connect you with SBA loans, but they’re a bit less specialized, also offering unsecured small business loans, lines of credit, merchant cash advances, equipment financing, and startup business funding.

So in this battle of depth vs. breadth, which lender is the better middle man?

Qualifying

Winner: National Business Capital

To qualify for an SBA loan through SmartBiz, you’ll need to have been in business for two years, and have a personal credit score over 650 and a business credit score of 150. You must be a US citizen or legal permanent resident. You also can’t have defaulted on any government-backed loans, have any tax liens, or had a bankruptcy or foreclosure within the last three years.

Since they aren’t dealing exclusively with SBA loans, it’s a lot easier to qualify for National Business Capital’s loans. You’ll only need to have been in business for 6 months and take in at least $15,000 per month in revenue. There are no explicit credit requirements. Even if you don’t meet that benchmark, National Business Capital may still be able to work with you through one of their alternative programs. National Business Capital can work with businesses in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, and the U.K.

Overall, it’s a lot easier to meet the minimum qualifications of National Business Capital, but if you’re looking for an SBA loan you’ll have to meet guidelines similar to those of SmartBiz.

	Review Visit Site
Time in business: 6 months Business revenue: $15,000 per month No credit score requirement Borrower requirements (click to expand) Hide

Fees

Winner: SmartBiz

Since we’re talking about third parties, you’re going to want to know what the convenience they offer will cost you.

SmartBiz charges two fees, beyond those charged by those normally associated with an SBA loan (0 – 3.75 percent guarantee fee and around a $450 fee from the lender): a one-time referral fee, and a one-time packaging fee. Each can cost up to 2 percent of the loan’s amount.

National Business Capital doesn’t divulge much information about their fees, and it’s difficult to get a straight answer from a rep when you ask about them.

Loan Terms

Winner: Tie

The SBA itself sets the acceptable terms for SBA loans, so you won’t find a ton of variation between lenders. Since SmartBiz deals exclusively in SBA loans, there’s not much to compare here. If you’re looking for a non-SBA loan or other financial product, National Business Capital can offer that.

Application Process

Winner: SmartBiz

Both SmartBiz and National Business Capital promise an easy, simplified application process, and both companies deliver. I’m giving SmartBiz the nod here for one reason: their screening process will let you know ahead of time whether or not you’re qualified for their service. This saves you the time of filling out an application only to be rejected down the road. Since National Business Capital is less specialized, they’re more likely to be able to help you, but in rare cases, customers may be well into the process before they discover that NBC can’t help them.

Time To Funding

Winner: National Business Capital

SBA loans can only be funded so quickly. If you need money immediately, SmartBiz won’t be able to do much for you. On the other hand, National Business Capital’s versatility allows them to offer faster products, often within the span of a couple days.

Transparency

Winner: SmartBiz

When it comes to online lenders–and let’s be honest, the financial sector in general–transparency is in short supply. Signing up for a loan is risky. Even submitting your basic information can lead to a future full of annoying cold calls. If possible, you’ll want to know what you’re getting into before you even make contact.

SmartBiz lays out most of what you need to know in a convenient FAQ on an easily searchable website.

National Business Capital, on the other hand, throws around lot of general information about financial products but comes up short on actual rates and fees. There are some calculators you can play with, but they’re not necessarily representative of the terms you’ll be offered.

Customer Service

Winner: SmartBiz

Customer service is usually one of the most divisive topics when it comes to alternative lenders. Satisfied customers will usually be very happy with the service they received, while angry customers will describe it in the most uncharitable terms.

While both companies seem to suffer from some communication issues, overall SmartBiz’s customers have fewer beefs with customer service.

Negative Reviews & Complaints

Winner: Tie

Both SmartBiz and National Business Capital receive generally positive reviews from customers and other review sites, usually within a point or two of each other. Complaints about both companies are typical for alternative lenders, including fees, rejections, and communication problems.

Complaints specific to SmartBiz include unhappiness with the amount of paperwork customers had to fill out. For National Business Capital, a common theme was aggressive marketing calls.

Positive Reviews & Testimonials

Winner: Tie

You’ll find no shortage of satisfied customers for both companies.

Fans of SmartBiz liked the personal touch offered by their representative, the relative speed (for SBA loans) of funding, and the company’s transparency.

Happy National Business Capital customers appreciated the wide variety of options offered, the customer service, and the quick turnaround time on their loans.

And The Overall Winner Is…

Specialization has its advantages. When it comes to a third party service for SBA loans, it’s hard to do better than SmartBiz. They take a long, complex process and make it a little less grueling for small businesses while offering a refreshing level of transparency.

Of course, if you’re looking for something other than SBA loans, National Business Capital can help you in ways SmartBiz simply can’t. This is especially relevant if time is a factor.

If you want a deeper look at SmartBiz or National Business Capital, check out our comprehensive reviews.