How we picked
Filtered to lenders that fund licensed HVAC and mechanical contractors. Equipment financing ranked first because the service-van fleet and recovery / brazing equipment are the bulk of any contractor's borrowing need and are collateral. Material-bridge MCA prioritized for the 30-90 day gap between RTU / air-handler purchase and the first GC progress draw on commercial work. SBA reserved for shop and yard acquisition. CDFI for first-generation contractors rebuilding credit after a prior commercial-job dispute or warranty-claim chargeback.
Top picks at a glance
| Lender | Best for | Amount | Speed | Min credit | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Currency Capital | Best for service-van fleets and box trucks | $10,000 – $2,000,000 | Funding in 24 – 72 hours after approval | 600+ | Apply → |
| Beacon Funding | Best for recovery machines, brazing rigs, and controls inventory | $5,000 – $1,000,000 | Funding in 1 – 5 business days | 550+ | Apply → |
| Credibly | Best fast bridge for AIA progress-draw gaps and shoulder-season cash flow | $5K – $600K | As fast as 4 hours | 550+ | Apply → |
| Balboa Capital | Best application-only for mixed vehicle + tool packages | $5,000 – $250,000 | 1 – 3 business days | 600+ | Apply → |
| Greenbox Capital | Best for contractors with prior warranty-claim or chargeback history (500+ credit) | $5K – $250K (MCA); other products vary | 24 – 48 hours | Flexible — accepts down to 500 on some programs | Apply → |
| Live Oak Bank | Best SBA 7(a) for shop acquisition or commercial-mechanical division | $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 for service-van fleets and box trucks
Currency Capital
Max amount
$2,000,000
Cost
APR 8 – 22% (varies by equipment + credit)
Speed
Funding in 24 – 72 hours after approval
Min credit
600+
Why we picked it
Currency Capital finances the rolling stock that defines an HVAC contractor's operating capacity — Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter service vans with shelving, scales, and recovery-machine packages ($55K-$95K), Isuzu NPR and Hino box trucks for commercial mechanical installs ($85K-$160K), and crane trucks for rooftop-unit set ($180K-$320K). APR 8-22% structurally beats MCA on any vehicle buy over $50K. Title held as collateral so personal guarantee is lighter than unsecured MCA. The cleanest first call when the capital need is a 3-6 van fleet expansion rather than a working-capital gap.
The strength
Equipment-specific financing with strong tech platform. Online application, fast approval. Equipment serves as collateral — lower rates than unsecured MCA equivalents. Strong industries: trucking, construction, manufacturing.
The watch-out
Equipment-only — financed funds must be used for specific equipment purchase. Equipment-as-collateral means default risks the equipment.
Qualifications
6 months
$10,000+
600+
#2 · Best for recovery machines, brazing rigs, and controls inventory
Beacon Funding
Max amount
$1,000,000
Cost
APR 8 – 25%
Speed
Funding in 1 – 5 business days
Min credit
550+
Why we picked it
Beacon funds the specialty equipment most general lenders won't touch — refrigerant-recovery machines and recovery cylinders ($3K-$18K), nitrogen and oxy-acetylene brazing rigs ($8K-$25K), Yellow Jacket and Fieldpiece manifold gauge sets and combustion analyzers ($4K-$15K), building-automation and controls inventory for BMS integration work (Honeywell, Johnson Controls, Siemens — $25K-$200K), and shop-floor sheet-metal fab equipment for commercial duct fabrication. 550+ credit acceptable. Section 179 friendly. Equipment-secured APR 10-22% structurally beats MCA on any tool buy over $10K.
The strength
Equipment financing with broader industry acceptance than larger competitors. Will fund specialty equipment (food trucks, photography gear, fitness equipment, salon equipment). Lower credit threshold (550+).
The watch-out
Higher rates than bank equipment financing for prime credit. Smaller deal cap. Industry specialization can mean less depth in any single vertical.
Qualifications
12 months
$10,000+
550+
#3 · Best fast bridge for AIA progress-draw gaps and shoulder-season cash flow
Credibly
Max amount
$600K
Cost
Factor 1.11+ (MCA)
Speed
As fast as 4 hours
Min credit
550+
Why we picked it
Commercial HVAC work runs on the AIA G702/G703 progress-draw cycle, and residential service runs on pronounced seasonality (Q2-Q3 cooling rush, Q4-Q1 heating rush, slow shoulder seasons in between). When payroll for a 10-tech crew can't wait for the next draw or the shoulder-season trough is biting, Credibly funds in as fast as 4 hours. 550+ credit, 6+ months operating, $15K+/mo revenue. Multi-product (MCA + LOC + term) — the LOC is the structurally correct product for recurring progress-draw gaps and seasonal cash-flow valleys.
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+
#4 · Best application-only for mixed vehicle + tool packages
Balboa Capital
Max amount
$250,000
Cost
Equipment APR 8 – 22%
Speed
1 – 3 business days
Min credit
600+
Why we picked it
Balboa funds the service van plus the recovery machine, brazing rig, and combustion analyzer in one application-only package up to $350K — no full financials required, just a one-page app and 3-6 months of bank statements. 600+ credit, 2+ years TIB. Faster close than Currency or Beacon for established contractors who want the vehicle and the equipment package bundled into one transaction.
The strength
Strong equipment financing + working capital combined. Public-bank-backed (Bank of America subsidiary historically; now Ameris Bank). Section 179 friendly structures.
The watch-out
Equipment-only restriction on lower-rate products. Working capital pricing not always the cheapest.
Qualifications
12 months
$10,000
600+
#5 · Best for contractors with prior warranty-claim or chargeback history (500+ credit)
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
HVAC contracting has a documented reputation for credit dings — warranty-claim chargebacks on residential installs, change-order chargebacks on commercial jobs, prior MCA stacks that didn't pencil because retainage held longer than projected, refrigerant-pricing volatility (R-410A and R-32 supply shocks) that wrecked margin on long-pole bids. Greenbox Capital accepts down to 500 credit on some programs, is industry-flexible, and won't decline you on SIC code alone. Published ISO commission caps bound broker markup.
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
#6 · Best SBA 7(a) for shop acquisition or commercial-mechanical division
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) via Live Oak is the cleanest structure for established HVAC contractors buying a shop with a fenced yard for box-truck parking and rooftop-unit staging, building out a dedicated commercial-mechanical or BMS-controls division (estimator hires, Trimble and AutoCAD MEP licenses, bond capacity build, controls-tech training), or acquiring a competing residential service operation ($250K-$5M typical: trucks, tools, shop real estate, service-management software, and working capital wrapped into one package). Prime + 2.75-4.75% APR over 10 years dramatically beats MCA on any deal over $250K. 60-90 day close. Need 24+ months operating and 680+ credit.
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
- How do I finance a 10-van service fleet expansion as an HVAC contractor?
- Currency Capital is the cleanest path — commercial-vehicle specialist, APR 8-22%, title held as collateral. Balboa Capital is a faster application-only alternative if you already have a relationship and want the shelving, recovery machines, and gauge sets bundled with the vans into one transaction. Avoid MCA on a $500K+ fleet expansion — factor 1.30+ over 12 months is $150K+ in interest vs ~$85K total interest on a 5-year fleet loan at 14% APR. SBA 7(a) is the cleanest structure if the fleet expansion is paired with a shop purchase.
- Should I take an MCA to cover RTU and air-handler material on a $600K commercial bid, or wait for the first AIA progress draw?
- If you can negotiate net-60 with your wholesaler (Ferguson HVAC, Johnstone Supply, Baker Distributing) on the rooftop units, air handlers, and condensers, that's structurally the cheapest capital. If the manufacturer requires deposit and lead time is 12-16 weeks (typical 2026 for commercial RTUs), a Credibly LOC bridges the gap more cheaply than a generalist MCA. Use the bridge product only for the material-to-first-draw gap, not for vans or recovery machines — equipment financing is materially cheaper for capex.
- How do HVAC contractors handle shoulder-season cash-flow valleys?
- Three structural moves: (1) push residential maintenance-agreement enrollments to spread revenue across shoulder months — a $200/yr maintenance contract on 500 customers is $100K of predictable recurring revenue; (2) cross-sell commercial PM and service contracts that generate steady winter / shoulder revenue; (3) use a Credibly LOC for the trough, drawing only when needed and repaying when the cooling rush hits. Avoid stacking MCAs going into Q1 — the daily ACH compounds the trough.
- What revenue do I need to qualify as an HVAC contractor?
- Credibly MCA: $15K+/mo, 6+ months TIB, 550+ credit. Greenbox MCA: $10K+/mo with 500+ credit, industry-flexible. Currency / Balboa equipment financing: revenue-flexible because the truck or tool is collateral — 6+ months operating, 600+ credit typical. Beacon: 550+ credit, equipment-secured. Live Oak SBA: $50K+/mo and 680+ personal credit for a $250K+ shop or division package. Match yourself at /match.
Related reading
- HVAC contractor funding overview
- Best MCA funders for electrical contractors
- Best MCA funders for plumbing contractors
- Best equipment financing 2026
- The full 2026 ranking — 100 funders
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.