The specs
CrediblyStripe Capital
Product typeMulti-productMCA
Amount range$5K – $600K$10K – $5M (varies by Stripe volume)
Cost (factor / APR)Factor 1.11+ (MCA); APR varies (term)Single fixed fee (factor 1.06 – 1.20 typical); no APR / no compounding
Speed to fundAs fast as 4 hoursNext business day after acceptance
Min time in business6 months6 months
Min monthly revenue$15,000Stripe processing required; no public floor (algorithmically chosen)
Min credit score550+No FICO pull — underwrites entirely against Stripe payments history
Products
- MCA
- Working capital LOC
- Short-term term loan
- Embedded merchant cash advance (Stripe + Stripe Connect platforms)
Verdicts by use case
- Can actually apply (vs invitation-only) — Winner: Credibly. Credibly accepts applications from any qualifying merchant. Stripe Capital is invitation-only — you can't apply. For operational certainty in 2026, Credibly is the only path that doesn't depend on Stripe's algorithm picking you.
- Lowest cost when Stripe invites at A-paper pricing — Winner: Stripe Capital. Stripe Capital's best offers (1.06 – 1.10 factor on 9 – 12 month repayment) translate to single-digit APR equivalents — well below any Credibly MCA. For high-volume A-paper Stripe-native users invited at the top tier, Stripe wins on cost outright.
- Capital not tied to Stripe processing — Winner: Credibly. Credibly funds into business bank account; processor-independent. Stripe Capital pulls a fixed % of all Stripe charges; pause Stripe or switch processors and you owe the balance within 60 days. Multi-processor or off-Stripe capital uses favor Credibly.
- Newer business / shorter Stripe history — Winner: Credibly. Credibly's 6+ month TIB floor accepts newer merchants. Stripe Capital typically requires 6 – 12+ months of Stripe processing plus sustained volume before the algorithm makes an offer. New or volatile Stripe accounts are Credibly-only in this pair.
- Larger amount with cleaner predictability — Winner: Tie. Credibly underwrites to $600K with consistent direct-lender pricing. Stripe Capital underwrites up to $5M for high-volume Stripe users — bigger upside, but only when invited. For predictable access at $200K – $600K, Credibly wins; for opportunistic $1M+ on a strong Stripe history, Stripe wins when offered. Genuine tie on access vs ceiling.
The honest takeaway
Credibly and Stripe Capital 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
- Why is this comparison labeled 'revised' — what changed?
- Two updates: (1) Credibly's March 2026 API V2 + Cloudsquare integration delivers materially faster decisions and 4-hour funding — operational certainty improved vs the original page's writing. (2) Stripe Capital's invitation algorithm tightened in 2025 and the gap between waiting indefinitely (Stripe) vs applying immediately (Credibly) is more decision-relevant for most merchants today. Revised view weights both shifts.
- Stripe offered me $100K at 1.08 factor; Credibly pre-approved $150K MCA at 1.28 factor — which?
- Stripe on cost ($8,000 fees vs $42,000) — take the smaller, cheaper Stripe offer if $100K covers the need. Take Credibly's $150K only if the extra $50K funds a defensible business reason. Don't borrow $50K extra at a $34K+ premium. Two exceptions: (1) if you process meaningfully off-Stripe, Credibly's general deployability is worth a premium; (2) if you're considering switching processors in the next 12 months, Stripe Capital becomes a problem — Credibly is processor-independent.
- I process $80K/mo through Stripe but Stripe hasn't offered capital — should I wait?
- No. Apply at Credibly if you have 6+ mo TIB and 550+ FICO. Stripe's algorithm weighs account tenure, dispute rate, fraud signals, refund volume, and growth trajectory — accounts with any signal of risk routinely get skipped indefinitely. Credibly accepts most established merchants on cash-flow underwriting and funds in 4 hours. Switch to Stripe Capital later if an offer eventually appears.