According to the latest data on SBA loans, the average SMB loan amount is $437,482. However, lenders determine the amount of business loans by examining the business’s finances, including revenue, credit score, and current debt. If you have strong credit and revenue, your lender may be willing to lend you more than a business with lower credit and revenue. Your current debt also plays a role in how much business loan you can earn.
Please note that the lender may not approve you for the full amount you apply for. According to a 2025 report on employer companies, lenders fully approve 39% of business loans, and partially approve 30%. To increase your chances of getting fully approved, estimate the cost of your business loans and add loan repayments to your budget so you can manage them.
To help you find the best SME loan for you, here we look at the amount of loans you can get with different types of business loans in detail.
Small and medium-sized business loan amount per loan type
We analyzed different lenders and loan types and edited the table by business loan amounts. Check the amount of business loans you can get depending on the type of loan you are looking for.
| Lender | Average small business loan amount |
|---|---|
| Bank loan | $448,439 |
| SBA 7(a) Loan | $437,481 |
| Online loan | $5,000-500,000 |
| Short term loan | $5,000-750,000 |
| Credit business line | Up to $1 million |
| Equipment Funding | Up to 80% to 100% of the value of purchased equipment |
| Invoice Funding/Invoice Factoring | 70% to 90% of the invoice |
| Merchant Cash Advanced | Based on future credit or debit card sales |
| micron | $13,000² |
2. Average from US SBA Microloan
Bank loan
Traditional banks like TD Bank and PNC Bank usually give borrowers a large amount of lending, with business loans ranging from $1,000 to $5 million. That said, banks are continuing to tighten their credit standards, making approval even more difficult. Traditional banks typically require borrowers to have a few years in the business, at least a credit score of 680 and strong annual revenues, such as $250,000.
SBA Loan
SBA loans are loans supported by US small business administrators and are intended to help businesses that are unable to obtain traditional business loans. SBA loans are known for their low interest rates set by the SBA, long-term repayment terms and features that are desirable for small and medium-sized businesses.
These loans have attractive features, allowing you to expect a long and competitive application process. Here are the average business loan amounts you can expect from an SBA loan:
| SBA loan type | explanation | Average loan amount for 2025 | Maximum loan amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard 7 (a) | It can be used for almost any purpose: working capital, salary, expansion, equipment. | $760,712 | $5 million |
| Express | Short- and long-term working capital, stock purchases, construction funds, renovations, and real estate purchases. | $107,424 | $500,000 |
| Export Express | It covers the costs of foreign trade shows, export orders and expansions, real estate acquisitions, equipment purchases, and inventory costs. | $267,059 | $500,000 |
| 504 | Fixed assets that drive job creation and business growth, like equipment. | $1,138,449 | $5.5 million |
| Capline | It helps to fund seasonal costs such as inventory and labor costs, or labor costs for a particular project. | $1,015,103 | $5 million |
Online loan
Online loans are alternative business loans offered through lenders who work primarily online, without a physical branch. These lenders can offer loans of over $500,000 in some cases. However, the overall loan amount is usually less than what you can pass through a traditional bank.
Online lenders tend to quickly approve and fund loans as they approve many loans within 24-48 hours. Online lenders also tend to have more accessible loan requirements, and often accept poor credit for startups and businesses. If you need quick funds or are a subprime borrower, an online loan can be a solid option.
Here are some examples of how much money you can earn with an online business loan.
Short term loan
A short-term loan is a loan with a short repayment schedule, usually less than 24 months. The loan amount depends primarily on the lender, but it ranges from $5,000 to $750,000. These loans may be available to startups, businesses with fair or bad credits, or simply want to pay off the loan quickly. That said, short-term loans can come with high interest rates, such as 30% or more.
Some short-term loans charge a factor rather than an interest rate. The factor rate is a decimal number that advances the entire loan amount, such as 1.10 or 1.50. They usually spend more on borrowers than APR loans.
Credit business line
Business Line Credits are similar to business credit cards, allowing you to use your credit line repeatedly. Available credit limits will be replenished when you pay off your past loans so you can borrow them again in the future.
Credit limits on the business line often stop at between $250,000 and $500,000. However, some lenders offer higher credit limits, such as $1 million. If you know that you need to borrow money in the future and want flexible access to your funds, a credit line is ideal.
Equipment Funding
Equipment Financing is a type of term loan that supports loans on the equipment you are purchasing. The amount of a business loan is usually equal to the cost of purchasing the equipment. You can find equipment loans from both banks of traditional banks like Bank of America, or from online lenders like Triton Capital.
The equipment will secure a loan, so it is expected to have a lower interest rate than an unsecured loan. However, lenders can seize equipment by default on the loan.
Invoice Funding and Invoice Factoring
Both invoice financing and invoice factoring are short-term loans you borrow against unpaid invoices. The finance company will consider whether the client is worthy of credit and whether to pay the invoice in a timely manner.
If approved, we will promote 70% to 90% of unpaid invoices. When a client pays the bill, he pays the fees with the financial company. With invoice factoring, you sell invoices to your company, and the factoring company collects invoices.
These loans are useful if you have a cash flow gap from a slow paying client. However, take into consideration that there are frequent high charges, such as 4% of your invoice.
Merchant Cash Advanced
Merchant Cash Advances offers lump sum payments based on future credit or debit card sales of your business. Once approved, the business will repay the advance at a rate of daily or weekly sales. This alternative business loan tends to have a higher approval rate even for poor credit borrowers.
However, they often have a high interest rate or factor rate that you want to consider when considering the cost of borrowing. It is recommended to use merchant cash advance as a last resort for emergency funds, as fees can be steep.
micron
Microloans are business loans with a low loan amount, such as $1,000 to $100,000. SBA lenders and nonprofits often offer these loans to help businesses that do not qualify for traditional business loans.
Microlenders often offer relaxed lending standards, such as accepting poor or uncredited. They may also provide business coaching and education to further support small and medium-sized businesses.
Determine how much you can rent
When lenders approve a business loan, they will consider several factors to determine whether they can manage a new business loan. The lender will look at you:
- Credit score: Lenders are more likely to approve the funds to you if you have strong credit. If you have fair or inadequate credit, the lender may approve fewer funds than you have requested or rejected the loan.
- Revenue and Cash Flow: Lenders want to make sure there is sufficient revenue remaining after the expenses to cover the repayment of their business loans.
- Debt obligation: The lender will assess how much debt he already has and whether he is able to handle the new debt. They may use the Debt Income (DTI) Ratio or the Debt Services Compensation Rate (DSCR) to determine your debt burden. Lenders usually like to see a DTI of 36% or less and a DSCR of at least 1.25.
Conclusion
The average small business loan amount will vary considerably depending on the type of loan you take, the lender you choose, and the finances of your business. Lenders want to ensure they can reasonably repay the loan amount from the expected revenue. Some types of business loans are easy to qualify, as the amount is based on future bills or credit or debit card sales.
To ensure you find the most affordable option for your situation, always compare interest rates, repayment terms, loan amounts, eligibility criteria, and fees when choosing a loan.
