Close Brothers vs Got Capital: Which UK Business Loan Provider in 2026?
Close Brothers and Got Capital both score 4.2 of 5 in our 2026 UK review. Close Brothers runs a asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans at Bespoke, quoted at offer with decisions in 5 to 14 business days; Got Capital runs a revenue-based business funding advance at Factor fee, quoted at offer with decisions in same day to 48 hours. The right answer depends on what you need: ticket band, time pressure, sector, and whether your trading history clears each lender's eligibility floor. Read both columns of the side-by-side, then read the "when X wins" sections below for the buyer-fit logic. If you want us to do the work, our two-minute quote form matches you against a UK lender panel without affecting your credit file.
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
Side-by-side
| Close Brothers | Got Capital | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans | Revenue-based business funding advance |
| Founded | 1878 | 2014 |
| Ticket range | £25k to £25m+ | £2k to £300k |
| Typical rate | Bespoke, quoted at offer | Factor fee, quoted at offer |
| Decision time | 5 to 14 business days | Same day to 48 hours |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | Yes |
| Limited companies only | No | No |
| FCA regulated | Yes | No |
| Companies House | 00195626 | 09073214 |
| Best for | Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance; Print, transport, manufacturing, motor trade; Broker-introduced deals | Sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash; £5k+ monthly revenue businesses; Recently-trading SMEs (3 months+) |
| Overall rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-05-08 | 2026-05-08 |
When Close Brothers wins
- Genuine UK merchant bank with 145+ years of trading history.
- Multiple product lines under one underwriter (asset, invoice, commercial loans).
- Strong sector specialisms in print, transport, manufacturing and motor trade.
- PRA-regulated; FSCS deposit protection on linked savings products.
Best for
Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance, Print, transport, manufacturing, motor trade, Broker-introduced deals.
Watch outs
- Broker-distributed, not self-serve.
- Headline rates not published; quoted at offer.
- Slower than fintech alternatives.
When Got Capital wins
- Accepts every UK business structure including sole traders.
- No personal guarantee in the standard advance structure.
- Three-month minimum trading bar, useful for newer businesses.
- Strong Trustpilot record vs category peers.
Best for
Sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash, £5k+ monthly revenue businesses, Recently-trading SMEs (3 months+).
Watch outs
- Factor-fee quoting hides effective APR.
- Decisions tied to revenue history, not balance-sheet strength.
- £100k+ advances require 12 months trading.
FAQ
Close Brothers or Got Capital: which is the better UK business loan in 2026?
Close Brothers scores higher overall in our 2026 review at 4.2 of 5 versus 4.2 for Got Capital. That said, the right answer depends on what you trade and what you need. Close Brothers is the stronger pick for established smes needing asset or invoice finance, while Got Capital is the stronger pick for sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash. If your business sits inside one of those use cases, ignore the headline rating and pick for fit.
What rates and ticket bands do Close Brothers and Got Capital offer?
Close Brothers runs a asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans with tickets of £25k to £25m+ at Bespoke, quoted at offer. Got Capital runs a revenue-based business funding advance with tickets of £2k to £300k at Factor fee, quoted at offer. Decision time on Close Brothers is 5 to 14 business days; on Got Capital it is same day to 48 hours. Headline rates rarely match the offered rate, so verify on the lender site before committing, and assume bespoke pricing above £100k where the data allows it.
Eligibility: Close Brothers vs Got Capital, who qualifies?
Close Brothers is a hard-search lender (footprint visible to other credit checkers) and accepts sole traders and partnerships as well as Ltd companies. Got Capital is soft-search at quote and accepts sole traders and partnerships as well as Ltd companies. Close Brothers is FCA regulated; Got Capital is not directly FCA regulated.
Which is the wrong answer for what?
Close Brothers is the wrong answer for self-serve sub-£25k. Got Capital is the wrong answer for borrowers wanting fixed-term predictable apr. If either of those describes your business, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative, or get a quote from our UK lender panel and we will surface the right shortlist.
Can BestBusinessLoans help me choose between Close Brothers and Got Capital?
Yes. Our reviews are editorial; we run a UK lender panel via our /get-quotes/ form that includes both. Tell us monthly turnover, sector and what you need the money for. We match you against the lenders most likely to approve and beat your current cost, then route the application without affecting your credit file at quote stage.
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Get quotes →Reviewed by Oliver Mackman, Director. Last reviewed: 2026-05-08. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).