The short answer
Monthly revenue guidelines by product
| Product | Common monthly revenue | Time in business | Credit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant cash advance | about $7,500+ | often 3+ months | flexible |
| Working capital loan | about $17,500+ | often 6+ months | commonly 600+ |
| Line of credit | about $17,500+ | usually 1+ year | commonly about 650+ |
| Invoice factoring | based on invoices | varies | customers' credit matters most |
Equipment financing leans more on the equipment and the quote, and often wants 6+ months in business. See MFE's revenue requirements guide for the same guidelines from the funding side.
What counts as revenue
Funders read your bank statements and add up deposits that come from customers. That usually includes card settlements, ACH payments from clients, checks from customers and delivery or marketplace payouts.
They typically remove:
- Transfers between your own accounts.
- Money you put in from personal savings.
- Loan or advance proceeds.
- Refunds, chargebacks and reversed deposits.
- One-time items such as an insurance payout or asset sale.
Check what your business qualifies for
Merchant Fund Express reviews how much revenue you need for business funding requests from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Scores from 500 are considered, and same-day decisions are common on complete files.
Check funding options with Merchant Fund ExpressIllustrative example: from gross deposits to an offer
Assumptions: a landscaping company with $26,400 in gross deposits last month, of which $4,000 was a transfer from savings and $2,400 was the owner's own money. Advance sized at 1.0x qualifying revenue, factor rate 1.30, 2.5% fee, fixed daily payment over 130 business days.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross deposits | $26,400 |
| Less savings transfer | -$4,000 |
| Less owner contribution | -$2,400 |
| Qualifying monthly revenue | $20,000 |
| Guideline range (0.5x to 1.5x) | $10,000 to $30,000 |
| Advance amount used here | $20,000 |
| Fee (2.5%) | $500 |
| Net cash received | $19,500 |
| Total repayment ($20,000 x 1.30) | $26,000 |
| Daily payment ($26,000 / 130 days) | $200 |
Illustrative example only. Notice the owner expected to qualify on $26,400 and the real figure was $20,000. Run this math on your own statements before you decide how much to request.
These figures are illustrations, not offers. Real pricing, amounts and terms depend on the full file.
Who meets these guidelines and who does not
Businesses with steady sales above the guideline and a clean account usually see the widest range of options. Sole proprietors qualify the same way when their sales run through a business account.
Businesses below about $7,500 a month, or whose customers pay in cash that never reaches the bank, will struggle. So will businesses whose deposits drop sharply in the most recent month. Seasonal owners should read how seasonal revenue is reviewed.
Funding brings customers. Is your website ready for them?
More qualifying revenue is the most direct path to better offers, and a website that turns local searches into bookings adds deposits month after month. Cheap Cheap Websites builds professional sites from $399, with Website Care at $30/month covering hosting, backups and small edits.
How to make your revenue easier to read
- Deposit all sales, including cash, into the business account.
- Stop mixing personal spending in the business account.
- Label transfers so they are obviously not sales.
- Keep one main operating account instead of spreading deposits across several.
What to prepare
- 3 to 4 months of business bank statements, all pages.
- Government ID and a voided business check.
- A short application.
- For larger amounts: financial statements and tax returns.
If you also want to know how long you need to be open, see time in business guidelines.
When waiting is better
If your qualifying revenue sits just under a guideline, two or three stronger months can move you into a different product with lower cost. Waiting also helps when last month was unusually low, because funders weigh the most recent statements heavily. If the need is urgent, apply for a smaller amount now and plan to review again later.
Related funding guides
Cheap Cheap Websites builds websites. It does not lend or make funding decisions. Funding is offered by our funding partner, Merchant Fund Express, and every request is subject to its review and approval. Figures on this page are illustrations, not offers. Updated October 15, 2026.