Lender review · P2P SME term loan
Crowd2Fund
- Reviewed May 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Companies House 08472687
- Methodology Public
One of the few remaining UK retail P2P platforms after the 2019-2022 sector contraction. Funded by individual investors, which means borrowers go through a campaign-style listing process. Suits established SMEs with a clear story to pitch and time to wait for the auction to fill.
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
- P2P SME term loan
- Ticket size
- £10k to £1m
- Typical rate
- 8% to 18% APR
- Decision time
- 5 to 15 business days
- Soft search at quote
- No
- Limited companies only
- No
- FCA regulated
- Yes (check the FCA Register)
- Companies House
- 08472687
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency4/5
- Eligibility clarity3/5
- Decision speed3/5
- Decline handling3/5
How Crowd2Fund works
Crowd2Fund operates as a p2p sme term loan provider in the UK SMB market. One of the few remaining UK retail P2P platforms after the 2019-2022 sector contraction. Funded by individual investors, which means borrowers go through a campaign-style listing process. Suits established SMEs with a clear story to pitch and time to wait for the auction to fill.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £10k to £1m band, decisions land within 5 to 15 business days, and the published rate range is 8% to 18% APR. A hard search may apply at quote stage; ask before you submit if credit-file footprint matters to you. Crowd2Fund is FCA regulated.
Where Crowd2Fund fits best: established smes with a fundable narrative, £50k to £500k tickets, borrowers comfortable with a campaign timeline. Where it does not fit: speed-prioritised cases, sub-£10k tickets, bland or thin pitch narratives.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using Crowd2Fund's published rate range (8% to 18% APR). Simple-interest approximation, mid-band rate. Real offers will differ and should be confirmed on the lender quote.
| Ticket | Term | Estimated total cost | Approx monthly |
|---|---|---|---|
| £25,000 | 24 months | £31,500 | £1,313 |
| £50,000 | 36 months | £69,500 | £1,931 |
| £100,000 | 48 months | £152,000 | £3,167 |
Indicative only. Confirm on a Crowd2Fund 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: Speed-prioritised cases; Sub-£10k tickets; Bland or thin pitch narratives.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies and (in some cases) sole traders / partnerships.
- Best fit: Established SMEs with a fundable narrative; £50k to £500k tickets; Borrowers comfortable with a campaign timeline.
Pros
- + P2P retail funding model still intact post-FCA reforms.
- + Wide rate band published openly.
- + Auction model can deliver competitive pricing on strong-narrative deals.
Cons
- − Listing has to fill before draw-down; no guarantee of full funding.
- − Slower than direct-lender alternatives.
- − Hard search at full application.
Best for
- · Established SMEs with a fundable narrative
- · £50k to £500k tickets
- · Borrowers comfortable with a campaign timeline
Weak at
- · Speed-prioritised cases
- · Sub-£10k tickets
- · Bland or thin pitch narratives
When to use Crowd2Fund
Use Crowd2Fund when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: established smes with a fundable narrative, £50k to £500k tickets, borrowers comfortable with a campaign timeline. The published ticket range (£10k to £1m) covers your ask, the decision speed (5 to 15 business days) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (8% to 18% APR) is acceptable to you given your credit profile.
Do not use Crowd2Fund when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: speed-prioritised cases, sub-£10k tickets, bland or thin pitch narratives. Crowd2Fund 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 Crowd2Fund as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for Crowd2Fund?
Crowd2Fund 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 Crowd2Fund require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. Crowd2Fund 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 p2p sme term loan specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does Crowd2Fund fund?
Crowd2Fund quotes 5 to 15 business days 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 Crowd2Fund?
Crowd2Fund's published range is 8% to 18% APR. The headline number is rarely the offered number. Rate transparency on this lender scores 4/5 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 Crowd2Fund declines me?
If Crowd2Fund 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. Crowd2Fund scores 3/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.crowd2fund.com, or use our free quote form to be matched across the UK broker panel most likely to approve your specific profile, not just Crowd2Fund.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 8 May 2026. Lender website: www.crowd2fund.com.