The short answer
At a glance
| Typical amounts | $5,000 to $5,000,000 at MFE; most personal service requests sit at the smaller end, varies by revenue |
|---|---|
| Revenue guideline | About $7,500/month for an advance; about $17,500/month for working capital |
| Time in business | Often 3+ months (advance), 6+ months (working capital, equipment), 1+ year (line of credit) |
| Credit | Scores from 500 considered; better credit usually means better offers |
| Speed | Same-day decisions are common on complete files; funding often next business day, never promised |
| Cost structure | Factor rate on advances; fixed payback on loans and equipment |
| Documents | 3 to 4 months of bank statements, ID, voided check, application; equipment quote if buying gear |
| Best for | Salon chairs, spa equipment, commercial washers, gym equipment, renovations, a second chair or room |
| Avoid if | Most of your income is cash that never reaches the bank; deposits are what the review reads |
Before you apply: checklist
- Deposit cash sales so your statements show your real revenue
- Pull 3 to 4 months of business bank statements
- Get quotes for chairs, dryers, washers, kennels or fitness equipment
- Write down your slowest month's revenue
- List any existing advance and its remaining balance
- Separate booth rent income from service income if you rent chairs
- Have your ID and a voided business check ready
- Decide the amount before you see an offer
Check what your business qualifies for
Merchant Fund Express reviews salon, spa, fitness and personal services 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 ExpressWho this covers
This sheet covers salons, barbershops, nail salons, spas, tattoo shops, pet grooming and boarding, dry cleaners, laundromats, gyms, martial arts studios and photography studios.
These businesses run on appointments, memberships or walk-ins, with lots of small card payments. Their big costs are equipment, rent and the buildout of the space.
- Salons, barbershops, nail salons: chairs, stations, ventilation, product stock.
- Spas and tattoo shops: treatment tables, sterilization equipment, room buildout.
- Pet grooming and boarding: tubs, dryers, kennels, play yard upgrades.
- Dry cleaners and laundromats: commercial washers, dryers, pressing equipment, boiler repair.
- Gyms and martial arts studios: equipment, mats, flooring, January signup marketing.
- Photography studios: cameras, lighting, editing workstations.
Picking the right product
Merchant cash advance: flexible on credit and quick to review. A good fit when card sales are steady. Read the merchant cash advance guide.
Working capital loan: fixed payments, commonly about $17,500 a month in revenue, 6+ months in business and about 600+ credit. See the working capital loans guide.
Equipment financing: washers, dryers and gym machines last years, so a term matched to their life, up to 60 months at MFE, keeps payments lower than a short advance would.
Illustrative example: a salon adds stations
Assumptions: a salon with about $28,000 a month in deposits takes a $20,000 merchant cash advance for two new stations and a ventilation upgrade. The factor rate is assumed at 1.28, repaid daily over 128 business days.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Advance | $20,000 |
| Total payback ($20,000 x 1.28) | $25,600 |
| Cost of funds | $5,600 |
| Daily payment ($25,600 / 128) | $200 |
| About 21 business days a month x $200 | $4,200 a month |
| Share of $28,000 monthly revenue | 15% |
If the two new stations bring in $5,000 a month in added service revenue, the payment is covered. If the stations sit empty for months, 15% of revenue is a heavy load.
These figures are illustrations, not offers. Real terms depend on the full file review.
Funding brings customers. Is your website ready for them?
Funding usually pays for growth: more stock, staff, equipment or marketing. Make sure the customers that growth brings find a website that explains what you do and makes it easy to call, book or buy. Cheap Cheap Websites builds professional sites from $399, with Website Care at $30/month.
Common mistakes
- Keeping cash out of the bank. Unreported or undeposited cash cannot support a larger offer.
- Funding a gym's January rush in December without planning for summer cancellations.
- Using an advance for long-life equipment such as laundromat machines when equipment financing fits better.
- Taking a second advance to cover the first. Several positions point to a refinance.
- Signing before reading the total payback.
- Counting booth rent you have not collected as reliable revenue.
How Merchant Fund Express handles this
Merchant Fund Express reviews salons, spas, studios, laundromats and other service businesses through its industries page. The review reads bank deposits, existing positions, time in business and credit, with scores from 500 considered. Equipment requests need a quote or invoice. MFE can also review a refinance or buyout of an advance you already carry. English and Spanish service is available.
With statements and quotes in hand, apply with Merchant Fund Express.
Related
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 16, 2026.