What is revenue based financing?
Revenue based financing (RBF) advances your business a lump sum that you repay as a fixed percentage of your future sales. When revenue is strong, you pay back faster; when sales slow, your payment shrinks with them. There's no fixed monthly installment and no equity given up — you keep full ownership of your business. Qualified businesses commonly access $10,000–$2,000,000. Slate Financial is a brokerage that matches you to the right funder and helps you get approved — with a soft credit pullthat doesn't affect your score.
See what you qualify for — 60 seconds →How revenue based financing works
- Apply with recent business bank statements and, where relevant, your payment-processor statements so funders can verify revenue.
- Underwriters set an advance amount and a repayment 'holdback' — a small percentage of each day's or week's sales.
- You receive the lump sum, typically within a few business days of accepting an offer.
- Repayment happens automatically as a share of incoming revenue until the agreed total is repaid.
- Many businesses renew or 'top up' once a portion of the advance is paid down and they've built a track record.
Typical terms
| Detail | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Amount | $10K – $2M |
| Holdback | Small % of daily/weekly sales |
| Estimated payoff | 4 – 18 months |
| Funding speed | 1 – 3 business days |
Slate Financial is a lending brokerage, not a direct funder — we match you to funders across our network and help you get approved. Specific terms vary by funder and your revenue profile.
Who qualifies
- Businesses with consistent revenue, ideally six or more months of history
- Predictable card or deposit-based sales that a holdback can be tied to
- Average monthly revenue that supports the requested advance
- Owners across a broad credit range — revenue strength is the main driver
Best for businesses with seasonal or variable revenue that want repayment to flex with sales and prefer not to give up equity.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Payments rise and fall with your sales, easing pressure in slow periods
- No fixed monthly payment and no collateral required on most deals
- You keep 100% ownership — no equity given up
- Fast funding and renewals as you pay down the balance
Cons
- The effective cost of capital can be higher than traditional term debt
- Daily or weekly holdbacks reduce daily cash in hand
- Total repayment is a fixed amount, so paying it off early doesn't always reduce the cost
Revenue based financing FAQ
How is revenue-based financing different from a loan?
A loan has a fixed payment regardless of how your month goes. Revenue-based financing flexes with your sales — you repay a set percentage of revenue, so the payment is lighter when business is slow and faster when it's strong.
Do I give up any ownership of my business?
No. Revenue-based financing is not equity. You repay from sales and keep full ownership and control of your company.
What happens if sales drop?
Because repayment is a percentage of revenue, your payment automatically decreases when sales fall. The financing simply takes a little longer to repay.
Is Slate Financial a direct funder?
No. Slate Financial is a commercial-lending brokerage. We don't advance the funds ourselves — we match you to the right revenue based financing (and other funding) across our funder network and help you get approved. Pre-qualifying uses a soft inquiry that does not affect your credit score; it is not a guarantee of approval.