UK business funding

The iwoca alternative for comparing competing offers

iwoca is a direct lender, so you get one decision from one provider; Capvant puts a single request in front of vetted funding partners who respond with competing offers. The first step is a soft search with no impact on your credit score.

Soft check · no impact on your credit score.²

1 requesta whole network of funders
Soft check²no credit-score impact
Competing offerscompared side by side
You chooseno obligation at any point

Capvant vs iwoca at a glance

	Capvant	iwoca
Model	A funding marketplace, not a lender	A direct lender to UK small and medium-sized businesses
Who makes the credit decision	The funding partner you choose, never Capvant	iwoca itself
What one request gets you	Several competing offers to compare side by side	One decision from one lender
Credit impact of the first step	Soft search only, no impact on your credit score	Its own process; a full application can involve a hard search
Products covered	Working capital, line of credit, term loans, equipment finance, invoice finance, Revenue Advance	Flexible, largely short-term working-capital lending
Application journey	One short request, then compare the offers that come back	A straightforward, largely online application direct to iwoca
Who it's built for	UK limited companies, LLPs and plcs	UK small and medium-sized businesses

Based on publicly stated models at the time of writing, always confirm details with any provider before proceeding.

How it works

Tell us what you need

Answer a few questions about your business and how much funding you’re after. It takes about 60 seconds.

Compare your matched offers

We match you with funding partners and bring back competing offers, a soft search with no impact on your credit score.

Get funded

Pick the offer that fits and get the funds in your account, often within a few working days.

Products you can compare with one request

Working capital

Cover payroll, stock and day-to-day running costs with flexible working capital.

Business line of credit

A revolving credit facility you draw on as you need it, paying only for what you use.

Invoice finance

Unlock cash tied up in unpaid invoices instead of waiting 30-90 days to get paid.

Revenue advance

Take a lump sum today and repay as a small share of your daily card and bank takings.

Written by Sarah Eltaweel, Head of MarketplaceCapvant funding marketplace · Reviewed July 2026

What iwoca is, in plain terms

iwoca is a well-known UK business funding provider that lends to small and medium-sized companies. It is widely recognised for flexible short-term lending products and a largely online application process. Many UK business owners come across it when searching for fast, straightforward access to working capital.

Because product details, rates, fees and eligibility change over time, the right place to confirm any specifics is iwoca's own website. Treat this page as a framework for comparison rather than a source of current pricing.

If iwoca already looks like a strong fit for your business, that is a perfectly reasonable starting point. The point of comparing alternatives is simply to make sure you have seen the realistic range of options before you commit.

Generally positioned as a direct lender to UK SMEs
Known for flexible, often short-term funding
Mostly online application journey
Always check iwoca's site for current rates, fees and terms

Two different models: direct lender vs marketplace

The most useful distinction when you compare options is the model behind them. A direct lender, broadly the category iwoca sits in, assesses your business and lends you its own money. You apply to that one provider and receive a decision from that one provider.

A marketplace works differently. Instead of applying to a single lender, you make one request and the platform introduces your business to a network of funding partners who may put forward competing offers. The platform itself does not make the credit decision and is not the lender.

Neither model is automatically better. A direct lender can mean a simple, single relationship. A marketplace can mean you see more than one option from one enquiry. What matters is which trade-off fits how you prefer to shop for funding.

What to look for in any funding platform

Whichever route you choose, a few practical checks help you compare like for like. Looking at these consistently across iwoca, Capvant and anyone else on your shortlist makes the differences much clearer.

Pay particular attention to how an initial enquiry affects your credit file. Some checks are soft searches that are not visible to other lenders and do not affect your score, while a full application may involve a hard search. It is reasonable to ask each provider directly before you proceed.

Does an initial quote use a soft search with no impact on your credit score?
Are you dealing with a single lender or seeing offers from several?
working capital, business line of credit, equipment finance, invoice finance, Revenue Advance or a term loan?
Who is eligible, for example UK limited companies, LLPs and plcs rather than sole traders?
How clear and total is the cost, including any fees, not just the headline rate?
How are the funding partners vetted, and is the provider transparent about who they are?

Where Capvant's marketplace model fits

Capvant is a borrower-first business funding marketplace covering the UK and US. It is not a lender and does not make the credit decision. Instead, you submit one short request, a soft search is run that does not affect your credit score, and you can see real competing offers from a network of vetted funding partners.

This is one option among several, not a claim to be cheaper, faster or better than iwoca. The honest difference is structural: with a marketplace you compare more than one offer from a single enquiry, whereas with a direct lender you get one decision from one provider. Some owners prefer the simplicity of the latter and some prefer the comparison of the former.

Capvant works with UK limited companies, LLPs and plcs rather than sole traders or consumers, and covers products such as working capital, a business line of credit, equipment finance, invoice finance, Revenue Advance and term loans. There is no SBA lending in the UK, and no responsible platform can promise guaranteed approval or skip credit checks entirely.

Which approach might suit you

If you value a single, direct relationship and you are confident a particular lender fits your needs, applying straight to a provider like iwoca can be the most direct path. You know exactly who you are dealing with from the start.

If you would rather see how several funding partners respond before deciding, a marketplace approach can be useful because one request surfaces competing offers without you filling in multiple separate applications. The soft-search step means you can explore this early without affecting your credit score.

A sensible middle path is to do both. Get a view from a direct lender you like the look of, and run a marketplace request to see what else is on the table, then compare the total cost and terms side by side before you sign anything.

How to decide for yourself

You do not need to take anyone's word on which is best. Put your real numbers next to each option and judge them on the same basis. Write down the amount you need, the term you want, and how quickly you need the funds, then ask each provider to quote against that.

When the offers come back, compare the total cost over the full term rather than the headline rate alone, check any arrangement or early-repayment fees, and confirm what the repayment schedule looks like in practice. Make sure the eligibility genuinely matches your business structure.

Finally, confirm the credit-search position with each provider before you proceed, keep your own copies of the terms, and only commit once one option is clearly the best fit for your cash flow. The goal is an informed choice, not the fastest yes.

Which should you choose?

iwoca is a respected direct lender known for flexible short-term funding and a clean online journey, a good fit if you want one self-contained relationship. Capvant is a funding marketplace, not a lender, so instead of one decision you get competing offers from vetted partners after a single soft search. Pick the model that matches how you like to buy.

Choose Capvant if…

You want to see several offers before committing to one
You want a soft search first, so comparing never touches your credit score
You are weighing different structures, line of credit, invoice finance, equipment or a term loan

Choose them if…

You specifically want iwoca's direct, flexible short-term lending
You prefer one self-contained relationship from application to repayment

iwoca, common questions

Is Capvant a lender like iwoca?

No. iwoca is generally a direct lender, while Capvant is a marketplace. Capvant does not lend its own money or make the credit decision. It takes one short request and introduces your business to a network of vetted funding partners who may make competing offers. Always check iwoca's own site for its current products and terms.

Will comparing options affect my credit score?

Capvant's initial step uses a soft search, which does not affect your credit score. A full application with any lender may involve a hard search later in the process. It is reasonable to ask iwoca, Capvant or any provider exactly when a hard search happens before you proceed.

Who can apply through Capvant in the UK?

Capvant works with UK limited companies, LLPs and plcs, rather than sole traders or consumers. Eligibility for any specific offer still depends on the funding partner's own criteria, so the marketplace surfaces options but does not guarantee approval.

What types of funding can I compare?

Common products include working capital, a business line of credit, equipment finance, invoice finance, Revenue Advance and term loans. Note there is no SBA lending in the UK. Which products are available to your business depends on your circumstances and the funding partners involved.

Is a marketplace better than a direct lender?

Neither is automatically better. A direct lender like iwoca can mean a simpler single relationship and decision. A marketplace lets you see more than one offer from one enquiry. The right choice depends on whether you prefer simplicity or comparison. Many owners try both and compare the total cost.

Does Capvant operate outside the UK?

Capvant covers both the UK and US business funding markets. This guide focuses on UK limited companies, LLPs and plcs in GBP. Products, eligibility and regulation differ by market, so always confirm the details that apply to where your business is based.

Compare real offers in minutes

Make one request and compare competing offers from a network of vetted funding partners. Soft check, no impact on your credit score.

Soft check · no impact on your credit score.²

Disclaimers & footnotes

1Capvant is a funding marketplace, not a lender. We match business owners with third-party funding partners; we do not make credit decisions, lend money, or set rates or terms. All funding decisions, rates, terms and approvals are made solely by the lenders in our network, subject to their criteria.
2Checking your options through Capvant does not affect your credit score. A lender may carry out a soft or hard credit search depending on the product, stage and your consent. A full hard credit check is only carried out where required by a lender before you proceed.
3Funding speed, including any reference to funding in as little as 24 hours, is typical for some products and lenders and is not guaranteed. Actual timescales depend on the lender, the product, and how quickly requested information and documents are provided.
4Funding amounts and ranges are indicative only and vary with your business profile, trading history, the lender and the market. Figures shown are not an offer of finance and do not guarantee any particular amount, rate or approval.
5Any offers, rates or repayment figures shown in illustrations or examples are for demonstration only and are not real quotes. Your actual offers, if any, are provided by lenders and are subject to approval.
6Product availability varies by market. Some products are only available in certain countries. Capvant currently serves businesses in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Capvant is a trading name of Granton Hale Capital LLC. Capvant is not a lender and does not make credit decisions, we introduce businesses to third-party funding providers. Capvant is not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA).

Capvant does not compare every lender, broker, funding product or offer available in the market. We only show options from funding partners in our network that may be relevant based on the information you provide.

Capvant may receive compensation from lenders, brokers, funding partners or referral partners when a customer is introduced, approved, funded or takes another qualifying action. This compensation does not guarantee that any lender will approve an application or offer specific terms. Capvant does not charge business owners a fee to compare funding options unless clearly stated otherwise.

If you access Capvant through a partner, introducer or embedded funding page, that partner may receive a referral fee or commission if your application results in funding. This does not increase your cost unless expressly disclosed.

Capvant is intended for business-purpose funding only. Eligibility may depend on entity type, location, trading history, revenue, industry and lender criteria. In the UK, Capvant currently focuses on limited companies, LLPs and plcs, and does not currently support sole traders or ordinary partnerships.

Information on Capvant is general information only and is not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice. You should consider whether funding is suitable for your business and seek professional advice where appropriate.

Calculators, eligibility checkers and funding-readiness tools are estimates only. They are based on limited information and assumptions, and do not represent a credit decision, quote, approval or recommendation.

Company information may be sourced from public registers such as Companies House, or from information you provide. Public register data may be incomplete, delayed or inaccurate and should not be treated as a full credit assessment.

By submitting an application or funding request, you authorise Capvant to share relevant business, owner, application and document information with funding partners, service providers and introducers where necessary to process your request, subject to our Privacy Policy.

Some US commercial financing offers may be subject to state-specific disclosure requirements. Where required, additional disclosures will be provided and must be accepted before a transaction is finalised.