How we picked
Filtered to lenders documented to fund the fitness vertical post-2022. Excluded lenders that auto-decline gyms or CrossFit boxes. POS-embedded options ranked first when the gym uses Square/Clover for membership billing. SBA prioritized for acquisition and multi-location expansion.
Top picks at a glance
| Lender | Best for | Amount | Speed | Min credit | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Credibly | Best general MCA for established gyms | $5K – $600K | As fast as 4 hours | 550+ | Apply → |
| Greenbox Capital | Best for credit-recovering gym operators (500+) | $5K – $250K (MCA); other products vary | 24 – 48 hours | Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs | Apply → |
| Square Capital | Best for Square-using boutique studios | $300 – $250,000 | Funds as soon as next business day | No FICO pull — Square underwrites entirely against your Square sales history | Apply → |
| Rapid Finance | Best for equipment + working capital combined | $5K – $1M (across products) | Same-day to 3 days | 600+ | Apply → |
| OnDeck | Best term loan for established multi-location gym operators | $5K – $400K (term); $6K – $200K (LOC) | Same-day for approved files | 600+ | Apply → |
| Live Oak Bank | Best SBA 7(a) for gym acquisition / franchise expansion | $25,000 – $25,000,000+ | 30 – 90 days underwriting (SBA standard) | 680+ typical | Apply → |
Advertiser disclosure: Fundnode may earn referral fees from funders listed on this page when you apply through us. This does not affect editorial rankings — see our methodology.
Detailed reviews — our 6 picks
#1 · Best general MCA for established gyms
Credibly
Max amount
$600K
Cost
Factor 1.11+ (MCA)
Speed
As fast as 4 hours
Min credit
550+
Why we picked it
Funds fitness regularly (many MCA funders auto-decline). 550+ credit, 6+ months TIB, $15K+/mo revenue. Multi-product (MCA + LOC + term) covers equipment refresh, marketing pushes, or build-out. Recurring membership revenue tends to underwrite better than expected with Credibly.
The strength
March 2026 API V2 + Cloudsquare integration — most modern submission UX in MCA. $3B+ deployed, 60K+ SMBs. Publishes factor rates honestly (starting 1.11 for A-paper).
The watch-out
The 1.11 headline is the A-paper floor; average factor is closer to 1.32. ISO commission terms aren't public.
Qualifications
6 months
$15,000
550+
#2 · Best for credit-recovering gym operators (500+)
Greenbox Capital
Max amount
$250K (MCA); other products vary
Cost
Factor varies
Speed
24 – 48 hours
Min credit
Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs
Why we picked it
Lowest credit floor (500+) for fitness. Industry-flexible — will fund gyms, CrossFit boxes, yoga studios, martial arts. Published ISO commission caps bound broker markup, useful for an industry with a lot of broker churn.
The strength
Five products under one roof: MCA, invoice factoring, equipment financing, collateral loans, LOC. White-label contracts let brokers run the deal under their own brand. Priority 1 status for new ISOs.
The watch-out
$250K MCA cap is below competitors. Marketing tilts broker-friendly more than merchant-transparent.
Qualifications
6 months
$15,000
Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs
#3 · Best for Square-using boutique studios
Square Capital
Max amount
$250,000
Cost
Single fixed fee (typically 10 – 16% of loan amount)
Speed
Funds as soon as next business day
Min credit
No FICO pull — Square underwrites entirely against your Square sales history
Why we picked it
Many boutique fitness studios (Pilates, barre, spin) use Square for membership billing. Pre-qualified offers in the Square dashboard. No FICO check. Single fee 5-14% off your Square processing volume — no application required.
The strength
Most merchant-friendly headline structure in the industry: one fixed fee, no APR equivalents, no daily/weekly debits — repayment is a flat percentage of daily Square card sales until paid off. Eligibility check appears in your Square dashboard with no application. Approval typically arrives in minutes.
The watch-out
Square chooses who they offer to — you can't apply if Square doesn't surface an offer. Loan amount usually caps at ~1.4× monthly Square sales. The single fixed fee on a 9-month payback typically works out to 30–60% APR-equivalent, similar to mid-tier MCA. Only available to active Square sellers — if you stop processing, repayment converts to fixed daily debits.
Qualifications
12 months
$10,000+ in Square card sales typical floor for meaningful offers
No FICO pull — Square underwrites entirely against your Square sales history
#4 · Best for equipment + working capital combined
Rapid Finance
Max amount
$1M (across products)
Cost
Up to 5% of financing per archived partner page
Speed
Same-day to 3 days
Min credit
600+
Why we picked it
Funds fitness equipment (treadmills, racks, plates, cardio) plus working capital under one roof. 550+ credit, 6+ months TIB. Useful when you're refreshing equipment and need bridge capital simultaneously.
The strength
Most explicit embedded-lending narrative in our list. Partners with vertical SaaS platforms (POS, payroll, accounting). Strong product diversification.
The watch-out
Public ISO commission ceilings lower than Greenbox or Accord. Less broker-friendly for new ISOs.
Qualifications
12 months
$10,000
600+
#5 · Best term loan for established multi-location gym operators
OnDeck
Max amount
$400K (term); $6K
Cost
Term APR 27%+
Speed
Same-day for approved files
Min credit
600+
Why we picked it
Term loans up to $250K for gyms with 12+ months TIB, 625+ credit, $8K+/mo revenue. Predictable monthly payments fit recurring membership cash flow better than daily-ACH MCA. Useful for opening a second location or major equipment refresh.
The strength
Direct-lender brand trust. Same-day funding on approved files. Term loan product fills the gap between SBA and MCA.
The watch-out
Their broker/ISO program has a high entry bar (2+ years, $1M+/mo volume). Most merchants access OnDeck directly, not via brokers.
Qualifications
12 months
$8,000
600+
#6 · Best SBA 7(a) for gym acquisition / franchise expansion
Live Oak Bank
Max amount
$25,000,000+
Cost
SBA 7(a) APR prime + 2.75% to 4.75%
Speed
30 – 90 days underwriting (SBA standard)
Min credit
680+ typical
Why we picked it
SBA 7(a) for buying an existing gym (Anytime Fitness, Planet Fitness, Crunch franchise) or opening additional locations. $250K-$5M typical. SBA pricing (prime + 2.75-4.75%) dramatically beats MCA for acquisitions. 60-90 day timeline.
The strength
Largest SBA 7(a) lender in the US by dollar volume for 7+ consecutive years. Industry-specialty teams (veterinary, dental, funeral homes, self-storage, agriculture, hotels). Deep understanding of niche-vertical underwriting. Dramatically cheaper than MCA for qualifying merchants.
The watch-out
Long underwriting timeline (45-90 days typical). Requires strong credit (680+), 2+ years operating, clean financials. Industries outside their specialty get less attention.
Qualifications
24 months
$20,000+
680+ typical
Frequently asked questions
- Will MCA funders work with gyms post-COVID?
- Many won't — fitness is on a lot of internal decline lists after 2020-2021 defaults. The 3 that consistently fund gyms in 2026: Credibly, Greenbox, and Rapid Finance. OnDeck will also fund with 12+ months TIB. Ask any other MCA broker explicitly about fitness before applying — wasted hard pulls are common.
- Can I finance a new gym with no operating history?
- Hard but possible. SBA 7(a) via Live Oak with a strong business plan + personal guarantee + 10-15% down is the cleanest path. Beacon Funding for equipment with 25-30% down. Avoid MCAs pre-revenue — daily ACH against zero membership inflow is the textbook default scenario.
- What's the best funding for a CrossFit box?
- Credibly for fast working capital (treats CrossFit like a standard gym). Live Oak SBA if you're acquiring an existing box or opening a second location. Beacon Funding for the rig, plates, and rowers if you're equipment-heavy at startup.
- How much can I borrow as a 12-month-old gym doing $25K/mo?
- Credibly: $25K-$100K MCA. Greenbox: $15K-$50K MCA. Square Capital: $10K-$50K if you process membership dues through Square. Match yourself at /match to see which funders pre-qualify with no hard pull.
Related reading
Methodology
How we chose
Ranking criteria
- Use-case fit — funder must qualify the merchant profile this page targets (credit, time-in-business, revenue, industry).
- Pricing transparency — published factor-rate or APR-equivalent disclosure outweighs marketing-only quotes.
- Speed-to-fund — verified time from signed contract to ACH deposit, not 'as fast as' marketing claims.
- Contract terms — daily/weekly debit structure, prepayment treatment, COJ / personal guarantee posture.
- Customer-experience signals — BBB profile, Trustpilot, ISO chatter, and direct merchant feedback collected via Fundnode applications.
Sources consulted
- Funder-published rate cards, contract templates, and disclosure pages (refreshed quarterly).
- Public regulatory filings — California DFPI commercial-financing disclosures, New York commercial-financing disclosure law filings.
- Direct merchant feedback collected through Fundnode's /qualify funnel (n > 200 since 2026-01).
- ISO desk operator interviews — anonymized commentary on approval patterns and stipulations.
Update cadence
Reviewed quarterly. Last updated 2026-06-24.
Conflict of interest
Fundnode may earn referral fees from funders listed on this page when merchants apply through us. Rankings are editorial and independent of fee economics — funders cannot pay for placement.