Business Line of Credit – Is it Right for my Business?
The online lenders we review here on SmallBusinessLoansAustralia provide a fast, effective way to deliver businesses with a quick injection of cash. However, it’s not always instant cash that businesses require. Many small businesses aren’t willing to commit to a set borrowing amount but can find themselves short on working capital from time-to-time. In these scenarios, a business line of credit is likely to prove more suitable, providing businesses with instant access to credit, as and when it is needed to be drawn on.Fortunately, a number of Australia’s best online lenders for small business loans are also some of the best business line of credit companies. As these lenders specialise in small business finance, they are also very comfortable with providing a small business line of credit.
A Business Credit Card Alternative with no Interest Rate - Cape Business Card
The Cape Business Card
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What is Line of Credit?
A business line of credit loan provides convenient and flexible access to funds from a pre-agreed credit facility, and is in our opinion one of the best credit products in the array of small businesses nowadays. The total size of the business line of credit is agreed at the onset of the facility so businesses don’t have to worry about credit approval each time they seek finance. Rather, businesses can simply drawdown on their existing credit facility, utilising as much of the funds as necessary, up to a pre-approved credit limit.
Loan Type
Securities
Terms
Avg Loan Size
Estimated Interest Rates
Business Line of Credit
Unsecured or Secured
3-12 months normally
$50,000
14%-30%
One of the key features of a line of credit for small business is that borrowers only pay interest on the funds they draw, so businesses don’t have to pay interest on more funding than is necessary, as could be the case with a one-off small business loan. At the same time the interest rates for a line of credit loan is significantly higher than most other ways of borrowing money in Australia as a business, at 14%-30% annualised. For those who can provide a collateral, like in a home equity line, there are significantly better interest rates awaiting.
Business Line of Credit or A Business Credit Card?
A business line of credit is in fact a business credit card alternative. While a business credit card is the easiest solution to incur debt in the form of overdraft (as opposed to a business line of credit which is a pre-agreed facility), the advantage of a line of credit is that the interest rate incurred could be lower than those of credit cards. According to RBA the average interest on a credit card in Australia is right around 18% APR and climbing while a business line of credit could be somewhat lower at 14% depending on the customer (but also could be higher).
Since each business is unique and the terms offered by both credit card issuers and business lenders differ, it is recommended to try both.
A Business Credit Card Alternative with no Interest Rate – Cape Business Card
New in 2023:A credit card with less fees than a line of credit.
The Cape Business Card provides instant access to funds at no interest for up to 30 days. Once approved, your card can be used for a variety of businesses purchases, including:
How to Apply to Top 5 Line of Credit Providers via a Single Form?
Lend (lend.com.au) is our best rated platform on SmallBusienssLoansAustralia.com due to its diversity and speed, and when it comes to a business line of a credit, a product which is essentially offered by the majority of Australian lenders with similar requirements, terms and interest rates, the most cost-effective thing you could do as a business owner is to use Lend’s time-saving effort-saving application process below. Lend works with all the aforementioned lenders who specialise in the provision of a revolving line of credit.
A Small Business Line of Credit Facility is Agreed Upfront
A line of credit for small business is generally offered to borrowers for a period of 12 months. Within the 12 months borrowers can drawdown on their credit line as many times as they like, providing that total borrowing never exceeds the size of the facility. As borrowers repay their credit line they are also eligible to reuse the facility and borrow again.
Let’s look at an example of a line of credit loan for small business. Let’s say a $50,000 credit limit has been agreed for an independent gym in Sydney. The gym could choose to draw all $50,000 of this limit in one go (though if this is the case a small business loan may have proved more suitable). Or they can keep the facility available for when cash flow is short or opportunities arise, for instance:
A) Gym equipment at a reduced price becomes available and the gym owner knows it’s a great deal, to finance the purchase they drawdown $15,000. Leaving $35,000 available balance on their line of credit.
B) Unexpectedly, in order to adhere to increased COVID safety measures, new PPE is required and cash flow is down as less customers able to use the gym at once. A further borrowing of $10,000 is required. Total borrowing is $25,000, leaving $25,000 available to borrow.
C) As the gym opens up again and business resumes to normal, profit allows the business to repay $15,000 on their line of credit. This means they’re still borrowing $10,000 against their line of credit but now $40,000 is available.
D) Confident the business is generating good profit again, an opportunity to expand the size of the gym comes up. Rent is increased, they need to invest in more equipment and hire new staff. To do this a further withdraw funds to the tune of $35,000. Total borrowings are now at $45,000 with $5,000 balance left on the line of credit.
Whatever capital is left on a line of credit will always be available to draw in an instant – borrowers can simply drawdown on the facility within a few clicks, either online or via a lender’s app. Of course, if borrowers would prefer to speak to someone on the phone when they borrow against their line of credit can do so by giving their lender a call.
While there are many other types of business financing available, nothing is perhaps quite as comfortable as a line of credit, with a set term, more flexibility on when you decide to borrow (even on a short notice), no application fees, and no regular payments and charged interest if you don’t borrow anything – just ongoing fees when withdrawing money.
Line of Credit Loans Fees & Costs
Charges and fees will be automatically calculated, based on the amount borrowed and the interest rates agreed at the onset of the line of credit.
Whilst borrowers only have to pay interest on the funds they use, borrowers should expect some other fees to be involved. For example, Australia’s leading online lender, Prospa, charges a $195 credit line activation fee and a $25 monthly service fee to retain access to the line of credit. These are pretty standard charges and nothing out of the ordinary (some lenders charge ongoing management fees annually as opposed to monthly) but it incentivizes borrowers to actually utilise the credit facilities they are paying to have access to. Lenders only have a fixed amount of capital they are able to issue so will not want this tied up in under-utilised facilities. But that’s what the fees are paying for essentially – instant access to cash when it’s needed. No stresses or worries about approval, a pre-approved facility that can be drawn on instantly, agreed and renewed every 12 months.
Generally, interest on a line of credit for small businesses is more than that of a term loan so it’s definitely something to be aware of – remember borrowers are only paying interest on funds actually used though. A term loan might see borrowers paying interest on cash they have sitting in the bank.
Unsecured Small Business Line of Credit
When applying for a line of credit from a bank, borrowers will almost certainly have to offer an asset, such as residential or commercial property, in order to secure the credit line. However, many of the leading non-bank lenders are much more flexible and can issue an unsecured small business loan or unsecured line of credit. No asset security is required upfront to access a]] Prospa’s line of credit for small businesses up to $100,000 and no property security is required to access GetCapital’s working capital facility up to $250,000.
Remember, if businesses are confident in their ability to repay business line of credit loans then they may actually prefer a secured line of credit facility – it reduces the risk to the lender and thus reduces the interest rate for borrowing against the line of credit. A home equity line of credit is one example of a secured line of credit that could lower the interest rates paid significantly.
Repayment Schedule and Business Line of Credit Renewal
Usually, repayments on a business line of credit are automatically debited from the borrower’s bank account every week. Once the 12-month term is up, it’s usual protocol for borrowers to complete a new assessment with their online lender to see if there have been any changes to the financial performance of the business. If approved, borrowers will be able to renew the facility and use it just as they were the previous year. If the decision is made to close the line of credit at the end of the 12-month term, then borrowers will either have to repay the facility in full or arrange further weekly payments until the balance on the line of credit is paid off.
Credit Card Loan: Is it a Form of a Line of Credit as Well?
A credit card business loan is another form of a line of credit in which your business is funded “on the go” as you need based on pre-agreed limitations. Similarly to a business line of credit through an online lender, it provides more flexibility than a lump sum loan, and should be considered by Australian business owners looking for financing. They also often have promotional, lower interest rates, for borrowing.
Source: Banjo SME Compass Report 2023: 15% of SMEs plan to utilise a business overdraft or line of credit within the next 12 months.
Advantages and Disadvantages to a Small Business Line of Credit
A credit card business loan is another form of a line of credit in which your business is funded “on the go” as you need based on pre-agreed limitations. Similarly to a business line of credit through an online lender, it provides more flexibility than a lump sum loan, and should be considered by Australian business owners looking for financing. They also often have promotional, lower interest rates, for borrowing.
A business overdraft is another type of revolving finance facility that you can rely on for short-term borrowing needs. Business overdrafts, business credit cards and a business line of credit are amongst the most popularly used SME financing solutions in Australia today. Research from Banjo demonstrates what proportion of SMEs plan to use such products.
Advantages
Disadvantages
Only pay interest on funds used.
Facility agreed upfront – no doubts about approval each working capital is require
Instant access, fast liquidity.
Can be unsecured with non-bank lenders.
Covers any unexpected expenses.
Small ongoing fees even if the facility is not used.
Can be higher interest than a standard loan.
Not the only working capital solution out there.
Final Word – Small Business Line of Credit Providers
Given the uncertain times we find ourselves living in, it’s never been more important to establish a working capital facility that SMEs can count on when unexpected expenses pop up. Whether it’s a small business seeking their first working capital facility or an established business looking to diversify their lending partners, then a business line of credit with a non-bank lender is a sensible move.
SMEs looking for the best business line of credit companies will find Prospa a great solution – the sheer volume of positive experiences that borrowers have had attests to this. And GetCapital is a great option for larger SMEs who have more complex funding requirements. The tech capability and staff expertise makes GetCapital one of the best business line of credit loans providers in Australia today. It is very highly rated in our small business loan comparison.
