Lender review · Merchant cash advance + term loan
Capify
- Reviewed April 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Companies House 10183728
- Methodology Public
Specialist in merchant cash advance against card-machine takings. Fast, accommodating on credit history, but the factor-rate model makes effective APR opaque. Best fit for hospitality and retail with strong card-machine flow.
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: 26 April 2026
At a glance
- Product
- Merchant cash advance + term loan
- Ticket size
- £3.5k to £500k
- Typical rate
- Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45
- Decision time
- Same day
- Soft search at quote
- Yes
- Limited companies only
- No
- FCA regulated
- Yes (check the FCA Register)
- Companies House
- 10183728
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity4/5
- Decision speed5/5
- Decline handling4/5
How Capify works
Capify operates as a merchant cash advance + term loan provider in the UK SMB market. Specialist in merchant cash advance against card-machine takings. Fast, accommodating on credit history, but the factor-rate model makes effective APR opaque. Best fit for hospitality and retail with strong card-machine flow.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £3.5k to £500k band, decisions land within Same day, and the published rate range is Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45. Soft search at quote means no impact on your credit file at the eligibility stage. Capify is FCA regulated.
Where Capify fits best: hospitality, retail, salons, strong card-machine flow, post-decline applicants. Where it does not fit: b2b service businesses, low card-machine volume.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Capify's published rate range (Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45). 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 Capify 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: B2B service businesses; Low card-machine volume.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies and (in some cases) sole traders / partnerships.
- Best fit: Hospitality, retail, salons; Strong card-machine flow; Post-decline applicants.
Pros
- + Repayments scale with daily card sales; no fixed monthly burden.
- + More accommodating on credit history than mainstream term-loan lenders.
- + Same-day decisions and funding.
- + Strong specialism in hospitality and retail.
Cons
- − Factor rate disguises true APR; 1.30 over 9 months is around 60% APR equivalent.
- − Tied to card-machine sales: bad fit if your card volume is low.
- − Daily repayment model can pinch cashflow for seasonal businesses.
Best for
- · Hospitality, retail, salons
- · Strong card-machine flow
- · Post-decline applicants
Weak at
- · B2B service businesses
- · Low card-machine volume
When to use Capify
Use Capify when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: hospitality, retail, salons, strong card-machine flow, post-decline applicants. The published ticket range (£3.5k to £500k) covers your ask, the decision speed (Same day) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45) 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 Capify when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: b2b service businesses, low card-machine volume. Capify 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 Capify as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Capify?
Capify 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 Capify require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Capify 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 + term loan specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Capify fund?
Capify quotes Same day 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 Capify?
Capify's published range is Factor rate 1.15 to 1.45. 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 Capify declines me?
If Capify 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. Capify scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via capify.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 Capify.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Capify compared head-to-head
Side-by-side breakdowns of rate, ticket band, decision speed, eligibility and best-fit for UK SMEs.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 26 April 2026. Lender website: capify.co.uk.