Lender review · Merchant cash advance + small business loan
Boost Capital
- Reviewed May 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Methodology Public
Established UK MCA player with a small business loan product alongside the cash advance. Trades on speed and accommodating credit underwriting. Factor-rate quoting hides the effective APR, so direct comparison with term-loan rivals takes maths. Note: the obvious Companies House match (Boost Capital Ltd, 07831099) was dissolved 14 Nov 2023; the current trading entity behind boostcapital.co.uk needs confirmation before citing a CH number publicly.
Director, BestBusinessLoans
Oliver leads BestBusinessLoans's editorial reviews and methodology. With a background in UK commercial finance, he oversees lender research, rate verification and review independence.
Last reviewed: 8 May 2026
At a glance
- Product
- Merchant cash advance + small business loan
- Ticket size
- £3k to £500k
- Typical rate
- Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40
- Decision time
- Same day to 48 hours
- Soft search at quote
- Yes
- Limited companies only
- No
- FCA regulated
- Yes (check the FCA Register)
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity4/5
- Decision speed5/5
- Decline handling4/5
How Boost Capital works
Boost Capital operates as a merchant cash advance + small business loan provider in the UK SMB market. Established UK MCA player with a small business loan product alongside the cash advance. Trades on speed and accommodating credit underwriting. Factor-rate quoting hides the effective APR, so direct comparison with term-loan rivals takes maths. Note: the obvious Companies House match (Boost Capital Ltd, 07831099) was dissolved 14 Nov 2023; the current trading entity behind boostcapital.co.uk needs confirmation before citing a CH number publicly.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £3k to £500k band, decisions land within Same day to 48 hours, and the published rate range is Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40. Soft search at quote means no impact on your credit file at the eligibility stage. Boost Capital is FCA regulated.
Where Boost Capital fits best: hospitality and retail with strong card flow, sub-£100k tickets, post-decline applicants. Where it does not fit: rate-sensitive borrowers, b2b with no card flow.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Boost Capital's published rate range (Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40). This lender prices by factor rate or bespoke quote, so we show the structure, not a worked APR.
| Ticket | Term | Estimated total cost | Approx monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | 24 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
| £50,000 | 36 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
| £100,000 | 48 months | See lender quote | See lender quote |
Indicative only. Confirm on a Boost Capital quote.
Eligibility
- Trading time: typically 12 to 24 months minimum for the cleanest pricing.
- Turnover floor: not always published. As a working figure, expect a £100k+ turnover requirement for term loans of £50k+. Smaller tickets and MCA structures have lower floors.
- Sector exclusions: Rate-sensitive borrowers; B2B with no card flow.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies and (in some cases) sole traders / partnerships.
- Best fit: Hospitality and retail with strong card flow; Sub-£100k tickets; Post-decline applicants.
Pros
- + Same-day decisions and funding for clean cases.
- + More accommodating on credit history than mainstream term lenders.
- + Repayments scale with daily card sales on the MCA product.
- + Direct lender; no broker mark-up.
Cons
- − Factor rate quoting hides true APR; 1.30 over 9 months is around 60% APR equivalent.
- − Smaller brand profile vs Capify or 365 Business Finance.
- − Tied to card-machine flow on the MCA product; bad fit for B2B service businesses.
Best for
- · Hospitality and retail with strong card flow
- · Sub-£100k tickets
- · Post-decline applicants
Weak at
- · Rate-sensitive borrowers
- · B2B with no card flow
When to use Boost Capital
Use Boost Capital when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: hospitality and retail with strong card flow, sub-£100k tickets, post-decline applicants. The published ticket range (£3k to £500k) covers your ask, the decision speed (Same day to 48 hours) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40) is acceptable to you given your credit profile. Soft search at quote means there is no downside to running an eligibility check before committing.
Do not use Boost Capital when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: rate-sensitive borrowers, b2b with no card flow. Boost Capital will likely decline, and the decline itself can sit on broker records for 90 days. If you have any of these flags, route directly to a specialist (post-decline lender, MCA against card flow, asset-backed alternative) rather than using Boost Capital as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Boost Capital?
Boost Capital typically asks for 12 to 24 months of trading. Newer businesses can sometimes qualify against alternative underwriting (card flow for MCA, asset security for asset finance), but the cleanest pricing tends to require two full sets of accounts.
Does Boost Capital require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Boost Capital is no exception in the standard case. The few exceptions: asset-backed lending where the asset itself stands as security, and a small number of MCA structures where card flow is the underwriting basis. For merchant cash advance + small business loan specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Boost Capital fund?
Boost Capital quotes Same day to 48 hours for an underwriting decision. Funding to bank account typically follows within one to three working days of acceptance, subject to KYC, signed documents, and (where applicable) registration of any debenture or charge.
What rate should I expect from Boost Capital?
Boost Capital's published range is Factor rate 1.10 to 1.40. The headline number is rarely the offered number. Rate transparency on this lender scores 3/5 in our methodology. Expect the cleaner end of the band only if you have 2+ years of trading, clean credit, and turnover comfortably above the lender's stated floor.
What happens if Boost Capital declines me?
If Boost Capital declines, you have three realistic next steps. First, ask for the decline reason in writing, most reputable UK lenders will tell you. Second, route the application to a specialist post-decline lender (Bizcap, JPM Capital, Bolton Finance) where credit issues are the constraint, or to an asset-backed alternative where security is available. Third, use a broker panel to fan the application across the lenders most likely to accept your specific decline reason. Boost Capital scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.boostcapital.co.uk, or use our free quote form to be matched across the UK broker panel most likely to approve your specific profile, not just Boost Capital.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 8 May 2026. Lender website: www.boostcapital.co.uk.