I'm a $50K/mo Shopify store — which is more likely to fund me?

Both will look at you. Wayflyer is often slightly more aggressive on $20K – $100K/mo merchants; Clearco's tightened underwriting post-restructure may decline borderline files Wayflyer accepts. Get indicative offers from both — they're both data-connection-only (no application paperwork).

Can I take Wayflyer or Clearco capital while I also have Shopify Capital?

Technically yes, but stacking is risky — your daily Shopify sales become the repayment source for both, and combined deductions can exceed 30% of daily revenue. Most merchants do not stack RBF with platform-embedded capital.

What's the difference between revenue-based financing and an MCA?

Functionally similar — both are a purchase of future receivables, not a loan. RBF is the e-commerce repackaging of the MCA structure with friendlier branding and (usually) lower factors because the underwriter has live revenue data. The legal structure is essentially identical.

Wayflyer vs Clearco — 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

WayflyerClearco

Product typeMCAMCA

Amount range$10K – $20M$10K – $20M

Cost (factor / APR)Single fee 2 – 8% of advance per repayment cycle; effective factor 1.02 – 1.12Flat fee 6 – 12% of advance; effective factor 1.06 – 1.12

Speed to fund24 – 72 hours after data connection48 – 72 hours after data connection

Min time in business6 months6 months

Min monthly revenue$20,000+/mo in e-commerce sales typical floor$10,000+/mo in e-commerce sales typical floor

Min credit scoreNo FICO pull — underwrites against Shopify/Amazon/Stripe sales + ad spend dataNo FICO pull — underwrites against e-commerce + ad platform data

Products

Revenue-based financing
Inventory financing
Marketing capital

Revenue-based financing (inventory + marketing)

Verdicts by use case

Inventory + ad-spend funding for DTC brand — Winner: Tie. Both built the e-commerce RBF category. Functionally interchangeable on product. Decide on price + service responsiveness for your specific store profile.
Largest deal size — Winner: Wayflyer. Wayflyer regularly funds $1M+ advances against trailing e-commerce revenue. Clearco's post-restructure caps lean smaller; their largest deals are now rarer than pre-2023.
Strongest founder-friendly brand reputation — Winner: Clearco. Clearco built the original 'non-dilutive capital for founders' narrative and still carries that goodwill in DTC founder communities despite the 2023 restructure. Wayflyer is the operator-focused alternative without the founder-brand halo.
Underwriting transparency on cost — Winner: Wayflyer. Wayflyer publishes a per-cycle fee (2 – 8%) that's easier to compare with traditional MCA factors. Clearco's flat 6 – 12% is also clear but lacks the per-cycle granularity for shorter holds.
Solvency / counterparty risk — Winner: Wayflyer. Wayflyer continues to operate at scale globally. Clearco went through a 2023 near-bankruptcy + restructure and a significant team reduction — counterparty risk is materially higher than it was in 2021.

The honest takeaway

Wayflyer and Clearco 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 $50K/mo Shopify store — which is more likely to fund me?: Both will look at you. Wayflyer is often slightly more aggressive on $20K – $100K/mo merchants; Clearco's tightened underwriting post-restructure may decline borderline files Wayflyer accepts. Get indicative offers from both — they're both data-connection-only (no application paperwork).
Can I take Wayflyer or Clearco capital while I also have Shopify Capital?: Technically yes, but stacking is risky — your daily Shopify sales become the repayment source for both, and combined deductions can exceed 30% of daily revenue. Most merchants do not stack RBF with platform-embedded capital.
What's the difference between revenue-based financing and an MCA?: Functionally similar — both are a purchase of future receivables, not a loan. RBF is the e-commerce repackaging of the MCA structure with friendlier branding and (usually) lower factors because the underwriter has live revenue data. The legal structure is essentially identical.