Lender review · Embedded MCA / revenue-based finance
YouLend
- Reviewed April 2026
- Editor Oliver Mackman
- Companies House 09111373
- Methodology Public
Embedded-finance specialist powering revenue-based finance inside Amazon, eBay, Just Eat, Deliveroo, Shopify and others. Strongest UK option if your revenue lives mostly inside one of those marketplaces.
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
- Embedded MCA / revenue-based finance
- Ticket size
- £1k to £1m
- Typical rate
- Factor rate 1.06 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
- 09111373
Scores against our methodology
- Rate transparency3/5
- Eligibility clarity4/5
- Decision speed5/5
- Decline handling4/5
How YouLend works
YouLend operates as a embedded mca / revenue-based finance provider in the UK SMB market. Embedded-finance specialist powering revenue-based finance inside Amazon, eBay, Just Eat, Deliveroo, Shopify and others. Strongest UK option if your revenue lives mostly inside one of those marketplaces.
The product mechanic is straightforward in shape but the underwriting is sector-specific. Tickets sit in the £1k to £1m band, decisions land within Same day, and the published rate range is Factor rate 1.06 to 1.45. Soft search at quote means no impact on your credit file at the eligibility stage. YouLend is FCA regulated.
Where YouLend fits best: marketplace sellers (amazon, shopify, deliveroo, just eat), strong gateway flow, pre-approved offers. Where it does not fit: off-platform businesses, term-loan needs.
Pricing examples
Worked examples using YouLend's published rate range (Factor rate 1.06 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 YouLend 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: Off-platform businesses; Term-loan needs.
- Credit profile: Clean credit preferred; older satisfied items often acceptable.
- Company structure: Limited companies and (in some cases) sole traders / partnerships.
- Best fit: Marketplace sellers (Amazon, Shopify, Deliveroo, Just Eat); Strong gateway flow; Pre-approved offers.
Pros
- + Tight integration with marketplace gateways.
- + Pre-approval based on existing platform data.
- + Same-day funding.
Cons
- − Distribution platform-bound.
- − Factor-rate opacity.
- − Restricted product (RBF only).
Best for
- · Marketplace sellers (Amazon, Shopify, Deliveroo, Just Eat)
- · Strong gateway flow
- · Pre-approved offers
Weak at
- · Off-platform businesses
- · Term-loan needs
When to use YouLend
Use YouLend when
Your application matches the best-fit profile: marketplace sellers (amazon, shopify, deliveroo, just eat), strong gateway flow, pre-approved offers. The published ticket range (£1k to £1m) covers your ask, the decision speed (Same day) fits your cash-gap timeline, and the rate range (Factor rate 1.06 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 YouLend when
Your profile sits in the weak-at list: off-platform businesses, term-loan needs. YouLend 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 YouLend as a screen.
FAQs
What is the minimum trading time for YouLend?
YouLend 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 YouLend require a personal guarantee?
Most UK SMB lenders require a personal guarantee from at least one director. YouLend 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 embedded mca / revenue-based finance specifically, expect a PG to be requested.
How fast does YouLend fund?
YouLend 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 YouLend?
YouLend's published range is Factor rate 1.06 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 YouLend declines me?
If YouLend 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. YouLend scores 4/5 on decline handling in our methodology.
Where to apply
Apply directly via www.youlend.com, or use our free quote form to be matched across the UK broker panel most likely to approve your specific profile, not just YouLend.
Specialty alternatives
See all lender reviews for alternatives.
YouLend 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: www.youlend.com.