I'm a vet opening a second clinic — BHG or Live Oak?

Get quotes from both. Live Oak's vet-specialist underwriting team usually wins on APR (Prime + 1.5 – 2.5%) for clean files with 2+ years of clinic financials and the ability to wait 30 – 60 days. BHG wins on speed (3 – 7 days for working capital) and on flexibility (no real-estate collateral required). Many vets use Live Oak SBA 7(a) for the clinic acquisition itself and a smaller BHG working-capital loan to bridge ramp-up months.

Will BHG do SBA loans?

No — BHG is a direct portfolio lender, not an SBA originator. Their professional term loans are conventional (BHG balance sheet) priced against license + income + credit. If you specifically want the SBA structure (longer amortization, lower down payment, government guarantee) Live Oak or SmartBiz are the right options.

Why is Live Oak so dominant in SBA 7(a)?

Live Oak built specialist industry teams (vet, dental, self-storage, craft brewer, funeral home, others) that know the verticals deeply — they can underwrite faster and price tighter than generalist SBA originators. They've held the #1 SBA 7(a) originator slot by volume in the U.S. for 7+ consecutive years as a result. The trade-off is the SBA federal guarantee process itself sets the 30 – 60 day minimum timeline regardless of how fast Live Oak's underwriting moves.

Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG) vs Live Oak Bank — honest comparison 2026

Both fund small businesses. They solve different problems. Here's the honest side-by-side, then five use-case verdicts so you don't have to guess.

The specs

Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG)Live Oak Bank

Product typeTermTerm

Amount range$20K – $500K (professional loans); up to $200K credit cards$75K – $5M (SBA 7(a) + conventional)

Cost (factor / APR)APR 9 – 25% (term loans); business credit cards separatePrime + 1.5 – 2.75% (SBA 7(a) variable); conventional APR varies

Speed to fund3 – 7 business days after document review30 – 60 days (SBA underwriting timeline)

Min time in business24 months24 months

Min monthly revenuePractice / professional income basis — not monthly revenue$50,000+/mo typical for SBA 7(a) approval

Min credit score700+680+

Products

Professional term loans
Practice acquisition loans
Business credit cards
Patient financing

SBA 7(a) loans
SBA 504 loans
Conventional term loans
Equipment financing

Verdicts by use case

Working capital under $500K with no real estate collateral — Winner: Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG). BHG's professional term loans go to $500K on a license + income + credit basis with no real-estate collateral required. Live Oak's SBA 7(a) requires collateral on most deals over $25K and full underwriting documentation. For working-capital needs without real estate BHG is structurally faster and lighter.
Cheapest cost of capital for a qualifying professional — Winner: Live Oak Bank. Live Oak's SBA 7(a) at Prime + 1.5 – 2.75% (roughly 9.75 – 11% in current rate environment) typically beats BHG's 9 – 25% APR for borrowers who can wait out the SBA timeline. Live Oak's industry-specialist teams for vet practices and dentists deliver the best SBA pricing in the market for those niches.
Practice acquisition over $500K — Winner: Live Oak Bank. Live Oak underwrites SBA 7(a) and 504 up to $5M for practice acquisitions, with real estate or equipment as collateral. BHG caps professional term loans at $500K — too small for most practice acquisitions over the cap.
Speed — funding in under 30 days — Winner: Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG). BHG can fund a working-capital professional term loan in 3 – 7 business days for clean files. Live Oak's SBA 7(a) is structurally 30 – 60 days minimum due to federal guarantee underwriting. For practitioners who can't wait a month BHG is the only direct option.
Attorney, CPA, or financial advisor (non-healthcare professional) — Winner: Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG). BHG funds attorneys, CPAs, financial advisors, and other licensed non-healthcare professionals. Live Oak's industry specialty teams skew toward healthcare (vet, dental, medical), self-storage, and craft brewers — generalist SBA pricing on attorneys and CPAs lacks the same specialist advantage.

The honest takeaway

Bankers Healthcare Group (BHG) and Live Oak Bank solve overlapping but distinct problems. The right choice depends on three things you already know about your business: how fast you need the money, how long you've been operating, and whether the capital need is one-time or recurring.

Frequently asked questions

I'm a vet opening a second clinic — BHG or Live Oak?: Get quotes from both. Live Oak's vet-specialist underwriting team usually wins on APR (Prime + 1.5 – 2.5%) for clean files with 2+ years of clinic financials and the ability to wait 30 – 60 days. BHG wins on speed (3 – 7 days for working capital) and on flexibility (no real-estate collateral required). Many vets use Live Oak SBA 7(a) for the clinic acquisition itself and a smaller BHG working-capital loan to bridge ramp-up months.
Will BHG do SBA loans?: No — BHG is a direct portfolio lender, not an SBA originator. Their professional term loans are conventional (BHG balance sheet) priced against license + income + credit. If you specifically want the SBA structure (longer amortization, lower down payment, government guarantee) Live Oak or SmartBiz are the right options.
Why is Live Oak so dominant in SBA 7(a)?: Live Oak built specialist industry teams (vet, dental, self-storage, craft brewer, funeral home, others) that know the verticals deeply — they can underwrite faster and price tighter than generalist SBA originators. They've held the #1 SBA 7(a) originator slot by volume in the U.S. for 7+ consecutive years as a result. The trade-off is the SBA federal guarantee process itself sets the 30 – 60 day minimum timeline regardless of how fast Live Oak's underwriting moves.