| Takeaway | What It Means |
| 🏛 Mission-Driven CDFI | Minority-led, Treasury-certified, and an SBA Preferred Lender, with $10.5 billion+ to 640,000+ small businesses since 2015. |
| 💵 Loan Sizes and Rates | Loans run between $25,000 and $5,000,000, priced at 10.50% APR as of June 2026. |
| 📋 Strict Eligibility Floors | Most files need a 640 credit score, $250,000 in yearly revenue, two years running the business, and growth. |
| 🔒 No Revolving Credit | Lendistry’s credit line is non-revolving, so the limit does not refill after repayment. |
| 🌱 Grants and Startup Paths | Grant administration and a startup loan set Lendistry apart from most online lenders. |
| 🔀 If You Miss the Floors | Businesses below the floors can compare loan options across UCS’s 80+ lender network. |
A Lendistry review from United Capital Source, the full-service concierge business funding marketplace serving 40,000+ small businesses since 2011.
| Signal | Detail |
| Credit floor | 640 for most loans; 620 for community loans; 650 for SBA (700 under two years) |
| Funding range | $25,000 – $5,000,000, up to $10,000,000 on SBA files |
| Starting rate | 10.50% APR, pegged to prime |
| If Lendistry declines | UCS network floors start at 475 FICO on revenue-based programs |
Mission lenders sit between bank pricing and online-lender pricing, and few have grown as fast as Lendistry. Lendistry originates SBA loans, term loans, and a non-revolving credit line between $25,000 and $5,000,000. Rates track prime; criteria favor established small business owners showing revenue growth.
United Capital Source is a full-service concierge business funding marketplace, not a lender. Since 2011, we have matched 40,000+ small businesses with more than $1.6 billion in funding across an 80+ lender network.
In this guide, we’ll answer the following questions and more:
A minority-led fintech Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), Lendistry makes small business loans nationwide. Founded in 2015 by CEO Everett K. Sands in Los Angeles, California, it pairs an online application platform with human loan specialists and holds Preferred Lender status with the SBA.
Certification through Treasury’s CDFI Fund requires a documented lending focus on low-income and underserved communities. By May 2026, Lendistry had distributed more than $10.5 billion to over 640,000 small businesses.
In our experience matching files across 80+ lending partners, Lendistry sits in a narrow band: too selective for young or credit-challenged companies, yet priced below the 30%+ starting rates common online. That band is where this review will focus.
Lendistry works through a fast online application with a soft-pull credit check, plus human loan specialists, state grant administration, and a nonprofit education arm. Customers apply through the secure MyLendistry portal and manage payments after funding.
Lendistry offers SBA loans, business term loans, a non-revolving credit line, and grant administration. Loan amounts start at $25,000, which rules the company out for smaller funding needs regardless of loan type.
As a Preferred Lender, Lendistry underwrites SBA 7(a) loans in-house, and loan amounts reach $10,000,000 on real estate files with longer repayment terms reaching 25 years for owners who invest in property or need debt refinancing.
| Loan type | Amounts | Terms |
| Term loan | $25,000 – $5,000,000 | 5-year max |
| SBA 7(a) | $150,000 – $10,000,000 | 25-year max |
| Non-revolving credit line | $25,000 – $5,000,000 | 2-year max |
| Startup loan | $25,000 – $1,000,000 | 10-year max |
Standard business term loans run between $25,000 and $5,000,000 with five-year maximum terms. Small business loans through the community loan fund reach underserved communities in high-poverty census tracts at a 620 floor: a South Los Angeles bakery with $310,000 in annual revenue and a 655 score closed a $75,000 working capital loan through that program in under two weeks in March 2026.
Lendistry’s business line of credit isn’t revolving. Draw $60,000 against a $60,000 limit, repay $20,000, and available credit stays at zero, so a seasonal retailer cannot re-draw for the next inventory cycle. Grant administration is the counterweight, moving state relief funds to owners as awards rather than debt. A startup loan serves companies under two years old, and an Amazon Community Lending partnership funds marketplace sellers in disadvantaged zip codes.
Lendistry’s published interest rates run from 10.50% through 15.50% APR as of June 2026, roughly prime plus 2 to 6 points against the Federal Reserve’s published bank prime loan rate. Older reviews still quote a 6% to 16% band that Lendistry no longer publishes.
Here is what the money actually costs. Borrow $100,000 over five years at 13% APR, and you pay about $2,275 per month and roughly $36,500 in total interest; banks at 8.5% run near $2,052, while typical online lending at 30% runs $3,235. Lendistry prices in the gap between those two poles.
One correction: the SBA 7(a) guaranty fee waiver on smaller loans expired on September 30, 2024, so budget standard guaranty fees before you accept a loan offer.
Repayment drafts automatically, weekly or monthly by loan type, and loan terms stretch from two years to 25 years on SBA real-estate files. Longer terms lower the payment but raise total interest cost, so match the term to the asset you are financing, not to the smallest payment.
Lendistry’s criteria center on a 640 credit score, two years operating the business, and $250,000 in annual revenue. Underwriting also wants year-over-year growth, a minimum 20% ownership stake among applicants, no open tax liens, and no bankruptcy within three years. Lendistry reports payments to commercial credit bureaus, helping on-time borrowers build credit for the future.
Run this checklist first: Is your score at 640 or higher as reported by the credit bureaus? Two full years operating, and did revenue clear $250,000 and grow? Can you document it with three years of tax returns? Miss one and most Lendistry loans are off the table before a human reads your loan application.
The floors exclude real companies, not just weak files. A New Jersey restaurant in June 2026 carried a 610 score on $220,000 in revenue, missed both cutoffs, and still secured $45,000 within the week through revenue-based programs in the UCS network, where floors start at 475. Strong cash flow can qualify a file that a credit score alone would sink.
For SBA loans, Lendistry sets the floor at 650, or 700 for younger businesses, and eligibility follows Small Business Administration rules for the 7(a) loan program. Certain specific industries are excluded, including gambling, adult entertainment, lobbying, and passive real estate
The Lendistry small business loan application process moves through five stages over one to two weeks. Follow these steps from prequalification to funding.
You prequalify with a soft pull, so checking your options leaves your credit score untouched.
Complete the fast online application through the secure MyLendistry portal, then verify identity through Persona and connect your bank through Plaid.
Expected paperwork is heavier than most online lenders require: business tax returns covering three years, your recent personal return, and bank statements if verification stalls.
Underwriting takes three to seven business days before funds move. Additional documentation requests are the most common reason the process slows, so getting a loan approved on schedule means having every loan application file ready first.
Once approved, review the loan offer carefully; accepting is a repayment commitment your cash flow carries forward. A Charlotte HVAC contractor with a 700 score and 18 months in business was approved in nine days in April 2026 and funded a $400,000 shop purchase on a 25-year SBA term; customers who need money in 24 to 72 hours will find faster funding through other channels.
Lendistry earns its reputation on pricing discipline and loses points on access. Reviewers and customers cite excellent customer service; the complaints cluster around paperwork and process pace, where banks move slower but plenty of online lenders advertise faster funding.
| Pros | Cons |
| Prime-pegged pricing below typical online-lender rates | $25,000 minimum shuts out smaller needs |
| SBA Preferred Lender with in-house underwriting | $250,000 revenue floor excludes many small business owners |
| Grant funds and startup paths most traditional lenders lack | Credit line is non-revolving, and you pay interest on the full balance |
| Reports payments to the credit bureaus | More business documentation than most online lenders |
Missing Lendistry’s floors moves the search to other lenders whose boxes fit your business. Banks and other traditional lenders reward strong credit with low pricing but move slowly, while online lending trades cost for speed, and each lender keeps its focus on specific needs and specific industries.
Bluevine caps its credit line at $250,000 and looks for roughly $480,000 a year in revenue. Owners who need larger loan amounts do better comparing several lenders at once.
OnDeck writes short term business loans between $5,000 and $250,000 on terms up to 24 months. Files that need longer terms than a short term structure allows can route toward SBA loans or bank-style small business loans instead. Fundbox tops out near $150,000 with repayment measured in weeks. That works for quick gaps, but bigger projects and slower cash flow cycles need more room.
This is where a marketplace earns its keep. Through United Capital Source, one application opens access to an 80+ lender network with funding amounts ranging between $1,000 and $25,000,000, floors starting at 475, and dedicated programs for minority owned businesses and owners in underserved communities. A Tampa e-commerce operator who needed only $15,000, under Lendistry’s minimum, opened a revolving line through the network in July 2026 and drew $8,000 the same week, keeping the rest in reserve.
Our verdict: a strong, fairly priced fit for its intended borrower, who is established, growing, and patient: a Riverside logistics firm with $600,000 in revenue and a 690 score locked a $250,000 term loan at 11.9% in May 2026, and approval favors profiles like that one.
It is not built for everyone. Companies under the $250,000 revenue mark, owners below a 640 score, businesses that want revolving access to capital, and anyone who needs money this week should compare banks and other lenders first. Secure the funding that fits the business you run today, and revisit as your numbers grow into Lendistry’s box.
Based on the loan products, interest rates, and customer reviews, we rate Lendistry at 4.25 out of 5. The lender is certainly worth considering, but the lack of transparency on their website makes it difficult to compare with other lenders.
| “A decline at a single lender is information about that lender’s box, not about your business. When we package a file once and put it in front of 80+ lenders, the question becomes which partner actually wants to fund you.”
— Jared Weitz, CEO and Founder of United Capital Source |
It is. Lendistry operates as a U.S. Treasury-certified CDFI and an SBA Preferred Lender that has distributed more than $10.5 billion since 2015, much of it in underserved communities. Its Better Business Bureau profile shows current customer feedback.
A 640 personal score qualifies for most Lendistry loans, as reported by the major credit bureaus. The community loan fund accepts 620; SBA files need 650, or 700 under two years.
Plan on one to two weeks from loan application to funding; the approval process depends on complete paperwork. Businesses that need a faster process usually look at online alternatives.
Yes, it holds the SBA’s Preferred Lender designation and underwrites SBA loans in-house; an October 2025 announcement called it the second-largest non-bank SBA lender.
You pay about $2,275 per month at 13% APR over five years, or roughly $2,052 at a bank’s 8.5%; interest rates and term drive what you pay more than the amount borrowed.
Lendistry administers state and local grant funds, runs an Amazon Community Lending partnership, and operates The Center by Lendistry, a nonprofit business education arm.
If Lendistry fits your file, apply with documentation and the guaranty fee budgeted. If not, one application through United Capital Source puts your business in front of 80+ lenders, with funds moving same-day for qualified files, and our team helps you manage the process from application through funding.
| One Application, 80+ Lenders
You only apply once. We package the file and submit it across the network, and if one lender declines, your full file moves to the next best fit, so you never restart the process or retell your story. |
Disclaimer:
This Lendistry review is for general information and is not financial advice. Rates, eligibility requirements, and program details reflect figures published as of July 2026; confirm current terms with the SBA or a qualified CPA before borrowing.
The Lendistry trademark is owned by B.S.D. Capital, Inc. dba Lendistry and its use herein is for reference purposes only, and it does not indicate sponsorship or endorsement from B.S.D. Capital, Inc. dba Lendistry.
Jared Weitz is the Founder & CEO of United Capital Source (UCS), one of the nation’s fastest-growing business financing marketplaces. Since founding the company in 2011, Jared has built a technology-enabled platform that has facilitated over $1.6 billion in funding to more than 40,000 businesses across the United States. Under his leadership, UCS has evolved into a full-service marketplace that connects business owners with 80+ lenders while providing hands-on guidance throughout the entire funding process. Rather than selling client information like most lead generation companies in the business loans space, UCS works directly with each applicant—leveraging technology and experienced funding professionals to match businesses with the right financing options, structure deals, and guide them from application through funding and future growth. Jared’s work has earned national recognition, including the National Commercial Loan Broker of the Year award in 2019, and placements on the Inc. 5000 list in 2015 and 2017. He also serves as Broker Council Co-Chairman for the Small Business Finance Association, where he helps advocate for expanded access to capital for small businesses nationwide.
