Iwoca
Alternative- Range
- £1K - £200K
- Rate
- 6-35%
- Speed
- 24-48hrs
- Specialty
- Cash flow lending
Mapping the SME lending market.
Stay updated with live lender panels, product ranges, and typical terms.
£25B+
Annual SME lending market
Total value of SME finance provided annually in the UK
200+
Active lenders
Alternative and traditional lenders serving UK SMEs
15%
Market growth YoY
Alternative lending continues to gain market share
3-14 days
Typical approval time
From application to funding across different lender types
UK SME Lender Directory
Key lenders in our network with typical terms and specialties
Capify
Alternative- Range
- £3K - £500K
- Rate
- 8-40%
- Speed
- 24hrs
- Specialty
- Merchant cash advance
Fleximize
Alternative- Range
- £10K - £500K
- Rate
- 7-25%
- Speed
- 48hrs
- Specialty
- Term loans
Cubefunder
Traditional- Range
- £25K - £2M
- Rate
- 5-15%
- Speed
- 5-10 days
- Specialty
- Asset finance
YouLend
Alternative- Range
- £10K - £500K
- Rate
- 6-30%
- Speed
- 24hrs
- Specialty
- Revenue-based finance
Liberis
Alternative- Range
- £5K - £500K
- Rate
- 8-35%
- Speed
- 24-48hrs
- Specialty
- Sales-based repayment
365Finance
Alternative- Range
- £15K - £750K
- Rate
- 7-28%
- Speed
- 48-72hrs
- Specialty
- Bridging & property
MarketFinance
Alternative- Range
- £10K - £3M
- Rate
- 6-25%
- Speed
- 48hrs
- Specialty
- Invoice finance
Market Insights
Alternative vs Traditional
Alternative lenders dominate the sub-£500K market with speed and flexibility, while traditional lenders focus on larger, asset-backed deals with lower rates.
Rate Environment
With base rates at 5.25%, SME lending rates range from 6% (prime traditional) to 40% (high-risk alternative). Most deals price between 8-25%.
Speed vs Cost Trade-off
24-hour approval comes at a premium. SMEs paying 15%+ can get funding in 1-2 days, while 5-10% rates typically require 1-2 weeks.