In 2025 non-bank lenders will continue to take market share because they’re easier to do business with. Banks have their strengths, particularly in traditional banking services. However, non-banks are stepping in to offer innovative solutions, such as fintech companies that use different data sources like merchant account information to build systems more quickly. These could include e-commerce payments like Stripe or card payments from brick-and-mortar shops. Banks can sometimes be slower to adapt to changes or may prefer to focus on their core services.

Top 5 Reasons to Use Alternative Business Finance

Speed of Approval
- Our lending partners can often offer same-day approval and typically act quicker than banks. While CFOs may start working on bank applications months in advance, business owners often face immediate cash flow needs, making alternative finance a more accommodating option.
Less Documentation
- Our lending partners can approve loans with just two documents: accounts and bank statements. Business owners frequently get frustrated with banks' extensive documentation requests, which can include draft accounts, business plans, cash flow forecasts, and more. This can be both time-consuming and expensive.
Flexibility for Missed Payments
- Our lending partners are often more forgiving than banks when it comes to missed payments. If a business has left finance applications too late, resulting in bounced direct debits and referral charges, alternative lenders may still offer solutions, catering to different risk thresholds.
Seasonal Business Compatibility
- Most banks offer term loans with regular repayments, which can be challenging for seasonal businesses. For example, a hotel in the West might have a busy summer and a quiet winter. Alternative lenders can provide merchant account-based lending with flexible repayments that align better with seasonal cash flow cycles.
Higher Loan Amounts
- Banks might have strict credit limits that don't meet a business's full needs. In such cases, alternative lenders can step in, offering unsecured lending or specialist asset-based lending to bridge the gap.

Does your business plan to grow in 2025 and need financing? Contact the Business Loans team at 01 55 636 55 for fast finance quotes or email hello@businessloans.ie.

When business owners get in touch with us, it’s often because their accounts and bank statement history are imperfect. A typical bank loan simply doesn’t look like an option. While there are some Covid-19 loans, many of them are focused on businesses that only suffered a dip in net profit or turnover, yet remained profitable. The reality facing many businesses is that their latest accounts are showing pandemic related losses. If that sounds like you, here are some options worth considering.

Invoice finance

Invoice finance can work for businesses that have Covid losses. If businesses are owed money by quality business debtors & the finance company is satisfied they can get credit insurance on them, then this could be an option to release 80% or more of the value of what a business is owed now. Then they get a final settlement when the debtor pays, less the lender’s fees.

Royalty finance

If you have a steady stream of growing sales but your accounts are imperfect a royalty finance company may advance working capital in exchange for a guaranteed percentage of future sales until an agreed amount is paid back.

Merchant cash advance

Merchant cash advance is similar to royalty finance but the agreed percentage of sales is deducted daily from the merchant account such as business card machine totals, Stripe or PayPal.

Sale & leaseback

Sale & leaseback can work for businesses that have assets but can’t get approved for unsecured finance or they can achieve the amount they need. Many businesses prefer to buy machines and vehicles. in some cases they may use up too much of their rainy day fund and now find they have their working capital locked up in their assets. This option lets them access working capital while continuing to benefit from the use of the assets.

Bridging loans

Bridging loans are focused on property assets that a business or business owner has. If there is equity in business offices, units, investment properties and more then there can be an opportunity to get some short-term finance. Amounts from 150,000 are possible but due to set legal fees, the bigger the loans the more they make financial sense.

We’re here for you 7 days to organise fast finance quotes. It’s always a good idea to review quotes with your accountant and assess if they will be the right solution. We also have professionals in our network such as virtual CFOs who can offer your business a health check. Email us at hello@businessloans.ie or call 01 55 636 55.