Just about the most common statement I hear individuals make is that factoring is far more expensive than a loan from the bank. This comparison is like comparing apples & oranges but most business owners still believe it. The reason is because factoring is a financial tool that few business owners fully understand.
First, lets make it clear that when a company can qualify for sufficient financing from a traditional bank and that is the very best financial option for the business then factoring need not to be considered.
However if a company is unable to obtain adequate financing from a bank then factoring may be a better option for small businesses.
first- Factoring is not debt financing, you don’t receive money like you will from a traditional bank. A factoring company actually purchases the invoice from your business, therefore the invoice is an asset you’re selling. These invoices must be purchased at a discount so it should not be compared to an interest rate from a line of credit.
2nd- Turnaround time for authorization for funding from your traditional bank is often longer than 2 months with alot of unnecessary pain and paperwork. Your banker has to get approvals and the underwriting team has many hurdles for you to jump over in order to get funded. With factoring you can get an account and get funded in as fast as a week and then on future invoices you can receive funding in 24 hours. Plus if you acquire additional customers the factoring company will fund you for them in 24 hours.
third- A traditional bank generally needs to see a minimum of 2 years of financial for your business as well as requires you to have collateral together with your invoices EVEN a personal guarantee. On the other hand, A factoring company can provide funding to start-up companies so long as their customers are creditworthy and all that is required is the accounts receivable and many factoring companies don’t demand a personal guarantee.
fourth- A factoring company in addition offers even more services. As opposed to a traditional bank, a factoring company constantly monitors your accounts receivable and collections. They offer credit screening for potential new clients for your company and they provide up to date aging reports to help you in getting a better handle on your receivables aging. A factoring company is also constantly advancing new funds as well as collecting outstanding invoices and your credit facility continues to grow with your new accounts.
To sum it up the big issue is not if factoring is more costly than a bank loan, because it is obvious that the two cannot be compared. As a business owner you should consider advantages of factoring vs. a bank loan.
With factoring you never be worried about out-growing your credit line or quickly spend your loan and get into debt with the bank. With factoring you can get additional capital easily when needed so your credit line grows as your business grows.
Plus if you are unable to meet orders due to insufficient working capital, then factoring offers you the cash-flow needed to complete the order. If you find your business in this situation give us a call 1-888-382-3766 or visit us online by clicking here.