Free calculator
Business loan repayment planner
Got a quote? Enter the amount, the total cost and the term, and see what leaves your account each business day, week or month, and how heavy that feels against your turnover.
Why total cost beats a rate for comparing business loans
Two business loans with the same headline can cost very different amounts once fees, term and repayment structure are counted. Short-term cash flow facilities often quote a fixed charge or a factor instead of an annual rate, which makes rate-to-rate comparison misleading. The cleanest comparison is the one this planner uses: how much you borrow, how much extra you pay in total, and how quickly it comes out of your account.
Ask every lender the same question in writing: what is the total amount repayable, including every fee? Subtract the loan amount and you have the total cost of finance. Put each quote through the planner and the cheaper option, and the one your account can actually carry, usually becomes obvious.
Reading the share-of-deposits figure
The second result divides a month of repayments by your average monthly deposits. As a planning guide we show anything under about 10% as comfortable, 10% to 20% as worth watching and above 20% as tight. Those bands are deliberately simple. A café turning over a lot of cash on thin margins feels a 12% load very differently from a consultancy with high margins, so always sense-check against your profit, not just turnover. Our explainer on serviceability shows how a credit team does this test.
Daily, weekly or monthly?
Frequency changes how a repayment feels, not what it costs in total on this straight-line view. Daily debits suit businesses with daily takings; monthly suits companies paid on monthly invoices. If your income is lumpy, the question is whether the account still covers the debit on your worst week. How repayment frequency works goes through the trade-offs in detail.
Next step
If the numbers look heavy, a longer term, a property-secured structure or consolidating existing facilities can lighten the load. Tell us what you're weighing up through the short enquiry form. There's no credit check to ask, your details stay with one team, and a real person will talk you through options that fit the account you actually run.
Frequently asked questions
Why doesn't this calculator ask for an interest rate?
Business loans are priced on each company's circumstances, and many short-term facilities quote a total cost rather than an annual rate. Entering the total cost of finance from a quote lets you compare offers on the figure that actually leaves your account.
What counts as the total cost of finance?
Everything you'll pay on top of the amount borrowed over the life of the loan: interest or a fixed charge, establishment fees, ongoing account fees and any other fees listed in the contract. Ask the lender for the total repayable amount and subtract the loan amount.
Is a daily repayment worse than a monthly one?
Not necessarily. Daily or weekly debits match the way many companies take money in, so they can feel lighter. What matters is the share of deposits the repayments take and whether your account can absorb them on slow days.
What share of deposits is safe for repayments?
There's no universal number. The bands here are a planning rule of thumb, not a lender's limit. Margins differ widely by industry, so test the figure against your own profit and loss, not just turnover.
Can I repay early?
Many business facilities allow it, but some charge the full fixed cost regardless, while others discount it. Check the early repayment terms before signing; it can change which offer is cheaper.
See what your business could qualify for
One short enquiry, no credit check when you first enquire, and a real person who calls you back with options that fit.
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