Coffee Shop Business Financing

What are coffee shop loans?

Coffee shop business financing is any form of borrowing you do to fund your coffee shop business, whether that be to expand, renovate, refinance, or simply give you more working capital.

Best Coffee Shop Business Loans

You’ll need to compare loans to find the one that’s right for your circumstances, but the top 3 coffee shop business loans are:

OnDeck

OnDeck

✔ Funding: Borrow $5,000 - $250,000
✔ Minimum Credit Score: 600
✔ Loan term: up to 36 months
✔ Funding turnaround: as soon as same business day

OnDeck offers fast business loan options such as term loans, business lines of credit, and SBA PPP loans and funding as fast as 24 hours. Minimum requirements include: at least 1 year in business, 600 credit score, $100,000 in gross annual revenue and a business checking account.

COMPARE LOANS

OnDeck is one of the best short-term business loan providers out there, and often fund loans same-day. They generally accept lower credit scores and ask for fewer requirements than other lenders, but be cautious if you do have poor credit, as their interest rates range from 9% to 99%.

• Minimum credit score: 600
• Minimum time in business: 1 year
• Minimum annual revenue: $100,000
• At least 2 years must have passed since a bankruptcy
• Requires personal guarantee and business lien

FundBox

Fundbox

✔ Funding: Borrow $2,500 - $150,000
✔ Minimum Credit Score: 600
✔ Loan term: 12-24 months
✔ Funding turnaround: as fast as next business day

Fundbox requires minimal documentation and access to a revolving line of credit without origination or maintenance fees. Borrowers are not required to have collateral (with exception of larger credit lines which are subject to a personal guarantee).

COMPARE LOANS

If you believe a business line of credit will be a better fit for your business, FundBox is a good choice. They typically give you access to funds within 1 business day and if you have good or excellent credit, you can qualify for a very affordable interest rate.

• Minimum credit score: 600
• Minimum time in business: 6 months
• Minimum annual revenue: $100,000
• APR: 10.10% - 79.8%

Triton Capital

Triton Capital

✔ Funding: Borrow up to $250,000
✔ Minimum Credit Score: 600
✔ Best For: Equipment Financing in various industries
✔ Funding turnaround: 1-2 business days

Borrowers seeking equipment financing can obtain a loan up to $250K with Triton Capital and obtain fast funding without prepayment penalties. Personal guarantee is required along with a $250,000 annual income to qualify. Repayment options are flexible and the minimum time in business must be 2 years.

COMPARE LOANS

If your main reason for looking for a loan is to purchase equipment, consider an equipment loan from Triton Capital. They offer loans with rates starting at just 5%, flexible repayment options, and fast funding (typically in just 2 days).

• Minimum credit score: 600
• Minimum time in business: 2 years (however startups can get funding in some situations)
• Minimum annual revenue: $250,000
• Requires personal guarantee and business lien

What can a coffee shop business loan be used for?

Almost any kind of coffee shop business financing can be used for any business expense you chose - there are only a few types of loans that are tied to one specific type of purchase. You can use it for:

• Purchasing inventory
• Hiring and paying employees
• Product development
• Renovating a location
• Investing in new equipment
• Purchasing a new location
• Acquiring another business
• Marketing

… and more.

Types of coffee shop business loans

• SBA Loans: SBA loans are guaranteed by the Small Business Administration, which makes lenders more willing to lend money with better rates (3-13%) and terms. They offer 3 loan programs:
  • 7(a) Loan - this is their most popular loan and it’s the one most businesses choose to apply for. It can be used for any business purpose by any small business, for amounts up to $5 million.
  • 504 Loan - this loan is available exclusively for the purchase of major assets up to a value of $5 million.
  • Microloans - they also offer loans of up to $50,000 specifically to underserved business owners and entrepreneurs, such as women and minorities. The average microloan value is $13,000 and you usually need to find them through local organizations.

The downside of these loans are the qualification requirements and the application processing time, which can take up to 12 weeks.

• Term Loans: Term loans are the most popular choice when it comes to coffee shop business financing, as they are one of the fastest ways to get funding. Term loans are available through alternative lenders online on a short, medium, or long term basis, ranging from 3 months to 10 years. While interest rates are generally higher than those provided by the SBA, the fact that you can often get funding in less than 3 days often makes it an agreeable compromise.
• Equipment Loans: This works like a term loan but can be exclusively used to purchase equipment. The equipment then acts as collateral for the loan, which helps to make these loans easier to get and with lower interest rates. In most cases, your lender will need to approve the equipment you want to buy, give you a particular manufacturer to purchase from, or purchase the equipment on your behalf.
• Commercial Real Estate Loans: A commercial real estate loan, also known as a commercial mortgage, is usually acquired through a bank, but there are alternative lenders offering commercial mortgages. This can be exclusively used to purchase, renovate, or refinance real estate.
• Business Line of Credit: If you’re looking for flexible borrowing, a business line of credit may be the best choice for you. This works much like a credit card, except the credit you have access to is not tied to a card. You have a credit limit and only pay interest on the money you actually use. When you pay it back, you can use the credit again. Interest rates are generally higher than other forms of borrowing, but if you manage your debt well, you’ll be able to avoid high interest charges.
• Merchant Cash Advance: Most coffee shops take the majority of their payments via card, so you will likely be able to get a merchant cash advance through your payment processor. This is a good option if you don’t believe you’ll qualify for a term loan as they use your revenue data to make a decision on how much they’ll lend you, not your credit history. You then repay the loan via a percentage of each transaction, which can make it a particularly efficient way to pay off a loan. Many cash advances charge a fixed fee for borrowing, but if they charge interest, make sure you’re aware of how much it may cost you over the time you believe it will take you to pay back.
• Business Credit Card: Another option for flexible borrowing is a business credit card. While credit limits are typically lower and interest rates higher, this is a good option if you want to smooth cash flow when purchasing things via a card over the short term.