Funding Circle vs Got Capital: Which UK Business Loan Provider in 2026?
Funding Circle edges this matchup in our 2026 UK review, scoring 4.3 of 5 against Got Capital on 4.2. Funding Circle runs a term loan at 6.9% to 26.9% APR with decisions in 1 to 3 business days; Got Capital runs a revenue-based business funding advance at Factor fee, quoted at offer. That said, the headline rating is not the whole answer: Got Capital beats Funding Circle for sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "when X wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.
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
| Funding Circle | Got Capital | |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Term loan | Revenue-based business funding advance |
| Founded | 2010 | 2014 |
| Ticket range | £10k to £500k | £2k to £300k |
| Typical rate | 6.9% to 26.9% APR | Factor fee, quoted at offer |
| Decision time | 1 to 3 business days | Same day to 48 hours |
| Soft search at quote | Yes | Yes |
| Limited companies only | No | No |
| FCA regulated | Yes | No |
| Companies House | 07123069 | 09073214 |
| Best for | Established Ltd companies; Working capital £25k-£250k; Borrowers wanting decision speed | Sole traders and partnerships needing fast cash; £5k+ monthly revenue businesses; Recently-trading SMEs (3 months+) |
| Overall rating | 4.3 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Last reviewed | 2026-04-26 | 2026-05-08 |
When Funding Circle wins
- Soft-search application; no credit-file footprint at quote stage.
- Eligibility criteria published up front, not hidden behind a quote.
- Decisions in 1-3 days; fast even by UK SME standards.
- Established brand, FCA regulated, public market-listed.
Best for
Established Ltd companies, Working capital £25k-£250k, Borrowers wanting decision speed.
Watch outs
- Headline rate (6.9%) only available to top-tier applicants; typical offer is higher.
- Personal guarantee almost always required for limited-company borrowers.
- Less competitive on the £100k+ ticket band than specialist lenders.
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
Funding Circle or Got Capital: which is the better UK business loan in 2026?
Funding Circle scores higher overall in our 2026 review at 4.3 of 5 versus 4.2 for Got Capital. That said, the right answer depends on what you trade and what you need. Funding Circle is the stronger pick for established ltd companies, 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 Funding Circle and Got Capital offer?
Funding Circle runs a term loan with tickets of £10k to £500k at 6.9% to 26.9% APR. Got Capital runs a revenue-based business funding advance with tickets of £2k to £300k at Factor fee, quoted at offer. Decision time on Funding Circle is 1 to 3 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: Funding Circle vs Got Capital, who qualifies?
Funding Circle is soft-search at quote stage (no credit-file footprint) 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. Funding Circle is FCA regulated; Got Capital is not directly FCA regulated.
Which is the wrong answer for what?
Funding Circle is the wrong answer for sub-2-year trading. 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 Funding Circle 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).