Head to head
Close Brothers vs Funding Circle: 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.
Start here · What do you need?
Funding Circle is the stronger all-round pick in our reviews, but Close Brothers wins on specific files. Funding Circle offers term loan (ticket range: £10k to £750k; rate: From 6.9% per year); Close Brothers offers asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans (ticket range: £25k to £25m+; rate: Bespoke, quoted at offer). The right answer depends on ticket size, trading history and sector. Close Brothers beats Funding Circle for established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance. Read the side-by-side, then jump to the "When Funding Circle wins" and "When Close Brothers wins" sections for the buyer-fit logic.
Source: FundBiz methodology. Editorial by Best Business Loans Ltd (16833937).
Close Brothers, at a glance
- Product
- Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans
- Ticket range
- £25k to £25m+
- Typical rate
- Bespoke, quoted at offer
- Decision time
- 5 to 14 business days
- FundBiz editorial view
- Wins on specific files; best for established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance
Funding Circle, at a glance
- Product
- Term loan
- Ticket range
- £10k to £750k
- Typical rate
- From 6.9% per year
- Decision time
- As little as 5 minutes
- FundBiz editorial view
- Stronger all-round; best for established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit
Side-by-side
Full profiles: Close Brothers · Funding Circle
| Compared on | Close Brothers | Funding Circle |
|---|---|---|
| Product type | Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans | Term loan |
| Ticket range | £25k to £25m+ | £10k to £750k |
| Typical rate | Bespoke, quoted at offer | From 6.9% per year |
| Decision time | 5 to 14 business days | As little as 5 minutes |
| Soft search at quote | No (hard search) | Yes |
| Ltd-only? | No | No |
Sources: Close Brothers's own site · Funding Circle'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 Close Brothers wins
- Genuine UK merchant bank with 145+ years of trading history.
- Multiple product lines under one underwriter (asset, invoice, commercial loans).
- Strong sector specialisms in print, transport, manufacturing and motor trade.
- PRA-regulated; FSCS deposit protection on linked savings products.
Best for
Established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance, Print, transport, manufacturing, motor trade, Broker-introduced deals.
Watch outs
- Broker-distributed, not self-serve.
- Headline rates not published; quoted at offer.
- Slower than fintech alternatives.
When Funding Circle wins
- Funding Circle says limited companies and LLPs can get a decision without affecting their credit score.
- A 30-second eligibility check before applying, on Funding Circle's own site.
- Decision in as little as 5 minutes on Funding Circle's own figures, fast enough that a clean case rarely needs a slower bank.
- Established brand, useful when applicants want a name they recognise.
Best for
Established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit, Working-capital term loans between £25k and £250k, Borrowers who want a recognised brand and a fast soft-search quote from the lender.
Watch outs
- Headline 6.9% rate is for top-tier files only, so most borrowers should expect to pay more.
- Personal guarantee is almost always required.
- Less competitive on £100k+ tickets than Allica or OakNorth.
FAQ
Close Brothers or Funding Circle: which is the better UK business finance provider in 2026?
Funding Circle is our stronger all-round pick in our reviews, but the right answer depends on what your file looks like. Close Brothers is the stronger pick for established SMEs needing asset or invoice finance, while Funding Circle is the stronger pick for established Ltds with a trading record and clean credit. 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, Close Brothers vs Funding Circle?
Close Brothers offers asset finance, invoice finance, commercial loans (ticket range: £25k to £25m+; rate: Bespoke, quoted at offer; decision time: 5 to 14 business days). Funding Circle offers term loan (ticket range: £10k to £750k; rate: From 6.9% per year; decision time: As little as 5 minutes).
Close Brothers runs a hard credit search at full application. Funding Circle uses a soft search at quote. Verify live commercials before signing because lender pricing moves and bespoke rates are common above £100k tickets.
Which is weakest for what?
Close Brothers is the wrong answer for self-serve sub-£25k. Funding Circle is the wrong answer for sub-12-month trading, consider iwoca or Start Up Loans Company. 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 Close Brothers or Funding Circle?
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 Close Brothers and Funding Circle is set by each lender, and trading history requirements vary, so check each lender's own criteria.
Related comparisons
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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.
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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).