Head to head

Aldermore vs Allica Bank: Which UK Business Finance Provider in 2026?

Independent, side by side. Rate, ticket band, decision speed and eligibility compared for UK limited companies and LLPs.

Allica Bank is the stronger all-round pick in our reviews, but Aldermore wins on specific files. Allica Bank offers SME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage (ticket range: £25k to £150k (business loans); up to £15m (commercial mortgages); rate: Business loans 9.90% to 13.75% interest; other products quoted per deal); Aldermore offers asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages (ticket range: Not published for asset or invoice finance; commercial real estate loans of £3m to £100m (its own figures); rate: Quoted per deal (not published)). The right answer depends on ticket size, trading history and sector. Aldermore beats Allica Bank for established Ltds wanting asset finance or invoice finance with a real bank. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "When Allica Bank wins" and "When Aldermore wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.

Source: FundBiz methodology. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).

Aldermore, at a glance

Product
Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages
Ticket range
Not published for asset or invoice finance; commercial real estate loans of £3m to £100m (its own figures)
Typical rate
Quoted per deal (not published)
Decision time
Not published
FundBiz editorial view
Wins on specific files; best for established Ltds wanting asset finance or invoice finance with a real bank

Allica Bank, at a glance

Product
SME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage
Ticket range
£25k to £150k (business loans); up to £15m (commercial mortgages)
Typical rate
Business loans 9.90% to 13.75% interest; other products quoted per deal
Decision time
Money in days on business loans; longer for larger facilities
FundBiz editorial view
Stronger all-round; best for established Ltd companies with three or more years of filed accounts

Side-by-side

Full profiles: Aldermore · Allica Bank

Ticket bands and headline rates are taken from each lender's published criteria, as recorded in our lender index; bespoke rates apply above ~£100k so confirm directly with the lender before signing.
Compared on Aldermore Allica Bank
Product type Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgagesSME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage
Ticket range Not published for asset or invoice finance; commercial real estate loans of £3m to £100m (its own figures)£25k to £150k (business loans); up to £15m (commercial mortgages)
Typical rate Quoted per deal (not published)Business loans 9.90% to 13.75% interest; other products quoted per deal
Decision time Not publishedMoney in days on business loans; longer for larger facilities
Soft search at quote No (hard search)No (hard search)
Ltd-only? YesYes

Sources: Aldermore's own site · Allica Bank's own site. Figures change; confirm with the lender before you rely on one.

FundBiz enquiries are for limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners. Some lenders on this page also accept other business types; we do not arrange those and do not recommend a lender on that basis.

When Aldermore wins

  • Specialist asset finance and invoice finance lines that mainstream banks no longer prioritise.
  • Strong commercial mortgage product for property-backed Ltd borrowers at £150k+.
  • Established underwriting team with sector specialism, useful for files with complexity that needs a human.
  • PRA-regulated bank, which matters to applicants who want a deposit-taking institution rather than a fintech.

Best for

Established Ltds wanting asset finance or invoice finance with a real bank, Commercial property tickets £150k+ where the applicant has 2 weeks for underwriting, Broker-introduced deals with sector complexity.

Watch outs

  • Slower than fintech alternatives, so borrowers who need cash inside the week may prefer iwoca, Capify or YouLend.
  • Hard search at full application, so it is worth applying only once you're committed.
  • Sub-£25k tickets aren't for them; smaller asks may suit iwoca or Capify.

When Allica Bank wins

  • Genuine PRA-regulated bank with FSCS protection on linked deposit accounts, which matters to risk-averse borrowers.
  • Rate transparency is among the cleanest of the lenders we review.
  • A strong option for £250k+ tickets, alongside Funding Circle and OakNorth.
  • Real underwriter on the case, so files with complexity that need a human get one.

Best for

Established Ltd companies with three or more years of filed accounts, Asset-backed and commercial-mortgage applicants wanting real bank underwriting, Larger facilities where the applicant can wait for relationship-led underwriting.

Watch outs

  • Slower than fintech alternatives, so time-critical borrowers may need another lender.
  • Hard credit search at full application stage, so it is worth applying only once you're committed.
  • Business loans need at least three years of filed accounts, so younger companies may look at Funding Circle or iwoca.

FAQ

Aldermore or Allica Bank: which is the better UK business finance provider in 2026?

Allica Bank is our stronger all-round pick in our reviews, but the right answer depends on what your file looks like. Aldermore is the stronger pick for established Ltds wanting asset finance or invoice finance with a real bank, while Allica Bank is the stronger pick for established Ltd companies with three or more years of filed accounts. If your file sits in one of those buckets, pick the right fit rather than the headline. See our /methodology/ for how we assess each lender.

What does each product look like, Aldermore vs Allica Bank?

Aldermore offers asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages (ticket range: Not published for asset or invoice finance; commercial real estate loans of £3m to £100m (its own figures); rate: Quoted per deal (not published); decision time: Not published).

Allica Bank offers SME term loan, asset finance + commercial mortgage (ticket range: £25k to £150k (business loans); up to £15m (commercial mortgages); rate: Business loans 9.90% to 13.75% interest; other products quoted per deal; decision time: Money in days on business loans; longer for larger facilities).

Aldermore runs a hard credit search at full application. Allica Bank runs a hard credit search at full application. Verify live commercials before signing because lender pricing moves and bespoke rates are common above £100k tickets.

Which is weakest for what?

Aldermore is the wrong answer for speed-critical files, consider iwoca, Capify or YouLend. Allica Bank is the wrong answer for business loans under £25,001, consider Funding Circle or iwoca. If either of those describes your file, look at the side-by-side table for the alternative, or read our other lender reviews.

Can FundBiz help with Aldermore or Allica Bank?

FundBiz is not a lender and is independent of both. This comparison and our lender reviews are editorial research to help you decide which to approach. FundBiz doesn't send enquiries to lenders. If you send an enquiry through FundBiz, we pass it to a business finance broker, who will contact you about your options.

Who can send an enquiry through FundBiz?

The FundBiz enquiry form is for limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners. Eligibility for Aldermore and Allica Bank is set by each lender, and trading history requirements vary, so check each lender's own criteria.

Related comparisons

Other UK specialty finance head-to-heads involving Aldermore or Allica Bank:

How we ranked these lenders

Every lender is scored on the same four FundBiz criteria: pricing transparency, eligibility clarity, decision speed and treatment of declined applicants. Scores are our own desk-research assessment built from the FCA Register, Companies House filings and each lender's published product sheets, not customer reviews and not hands-on product testing. Each comparison shows the date it was last updated. Inclusion is never paid for, and FundBiz receives no commission from lenders. FundBiz is paid a fixed fee by a business finance broker for each enquiry we pass on. See our full methodology.

Send an enquiry

Tell us what you need in 2 minutes. FundBiz is not a lender and does not run a credit check. We pass your enquiry to a business finance broker, who will contact you about your options. For limited companies, LLPs and partnerships with four or more partners.

Send an enquiry →

FundBiz is owned and operated by Best Business Loans Ltd, directed by Oliver Mackman. Last updated: . Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).

Talk to a business finance broker about your options

Free, no obligation, about 2 minutes. We pass your enquiry to a business finance broker, who will contact you. FundBiz does not run a credit check.

Step 1 of 3 · Your business

We save your answers as you go. Nothing is sent to a broker until you press "Send my enquiry".

Start typing and we'll search Companies House.

How FundBiz uses your details: privacy notice.

Free to use · No credit check by FundBiz · Limited companies, LLPs and partnerships of 4+