Business loans affiliate programs are a small business owner’s lifeline to credible and easy-to-repay funding solutions, allowing affiliates to earn extra income.
The small business lending market is worth $1.4 trillion, with experts saying the figure could be higher because of underreporting and alternative financing solutions. These numbers underscore the significance of supporting small and medium-sized businesses to ensure a better national economy.
And you can be a part of that! But which business loans solution should you join? Check out nine of the best affiliate programs in this niche.
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9 Best Business Loans Affiliate Programs Worth Joining
Business Credit Affiliate
Marco Carbajo founded Business Credit Blog in 2005 to help small enterprises build and strengthen credit standing to fund, operate, and grow their businesses.
The company started as a one-man operation, offering information, resources, training, and support to business owners, entrepreneurs, real estate investors, non-profit organizations, and finance professionals.
Today, Business Credit Blog serves over 52,000 business entities (big and small) and other individuals and groups in the finance market with its innovative Business Credit Building System – the Business Credit Insiders Circle.
Unsurprisingly, Fox, American Express, Entrepreneur Connect, The New York Times, and The Washington Post featured Carbajo’s product in their channels.
And you can leverage this program by affiliating with it.
Business Credit gives you a generous 50% commission to sell its Insiders Circle program. You’ll also get a dedicated affiliate manager to guide and support your campaign.
Moreover, email templates, training videos, marketing tools, fliers, client activation resources, and funding submission portals are available.
- Commission: 50% (every client purchase of the Business Credit Building System); 1% every funding referral)
- Cookie Lifespan: Revealed once accepted
National Funding
One in five small businesses fail within two years of opening, while nine out of 20 organizations fold within the first five years. Only a quarter of small enterprises can reach at least 15 years.
These figures underscore the challenges small company owners face, mostly funding-related. Thankfully, National Funding is here to help.
Established in 1999, NationalFunding supports small companies and enterprises weather financial storms, lending over $2 billion across nearly a quarter of a century.
It has several business loan types, including small business loans, short-term business loans, working capital loans, equipment leasing & financing, and other alternative funding solutions.
The best part? Businesses can get their funds in as fast as 24 hours.
You might be discouraged by NationalFunding’s commission structure. However, 5% of a loan amount is more substantial than Business Credit’s 50%.
- Commission: 3%
- Cookie Lifespan: 60 days
Uplyft
Uplyft is another funding solution for small businesses. Established in 2012, Uplyft Capital empowers small enterprise owners to borrow working capital, allowing them to compete, grow, and thrive.
Over a decade, this financial institution supported over 2,500 small businesses, lending over $200 million.
Its requirements for borrowers are easy enough. For example, the company must be at least three months old, with a monthly revenue of at least $10,000. Its FIFO credit score is at least 500. By comparison, most personal loans require a credit rating of at least 580.
Joining Uplyft’s partner program makes sense because it offers a flat $200 commission for every lead in the first month.
Uplyft reviews the affiliate’s traffic performance (i.e., lead quality and volume). If the organization likes what it sees, it gives the referral partner a customized contract with the possibility of more generous commissions.
- Commission: $200 per lead (initial)
- Cookie Lifespan: 30 days
Lendio
Lendio revolutionizes the financial health of small enterprises with its innovative solutions gained from reputable partnerships with the country’s leading financial institutions.
It’s one of the most promising organizations in the business loans niche, lending over $12 billion to more than 300,000 borrowers over its lifespan. Lendio has over 75 lenders in its network, supporting its goal of empowering small businesses to thrive in a competitive market.
Loan applications are straightforward, and borrowers can receive funds within 24 hours.
Unfortunately, Lendio is secretive of its commission structure, requiring affiliates to join the program before revealing the details.
However, Lendio has excellent rewards for high-performing affiliates, including bonuses and special benefits. Affiliate resources are also available, including API integration, embedded loan applications, and custom landing pages.
- Commission: $125
- Cookie Lifespan: Revealed once accepted
GoKapital
Chris Moreno founded the Miami-based GoKapital in 2013, helping small and medium-sized companies succeed by sourcing the much-needed capital to maintain and expand operations.
This financial institution has a wide range of loan solutions for businesses, aspiring homeowners, realtors, professionals (i.e., accountants, doctors, and IT), contractors, and other entities requiring funding assistance to thrive in a competitive market.
GoKapital’s advantage is its non-reliance on credit scores, a parameter many financing institutions require. Hence, applying for a loan is easier for businesses with “bad” credit ratings.
However, it’s a different story for startups because GoKapital requires a 680 minimum credit rating (higher than Uplyft’s 500).
Like Lendio, GoKapital prefers keeping its cookie window and commission scheme for “affiliates’ eyes only.”
Still, the platform doesn’t leave its affiliates in the dark. GoKapital assigns an affiliate manager to support your marketing campaigns, optimize promotional materials, and maximize sales.
- Commission: 0.5 – 2%
- Cookie Lifespan: Revealed once accepted
National Business Capital
National Business Capital (NBC) is one of the most reputable financing institutions for small and medium-sized companies and enterprises, with a 5-star TrustPilot rating and an A+ Better Business Bureau score.
Founded in 2007, New York-based NBC facilitated over $2 billion worth of funding for hundreds of American small businesses. It lends companies $100,000 to $10 million to ensure business survival and promote growth.
NBC relies on decades-old partnerships with 75-plus financial institutions, allowing it to secure loans on behalf of businesses, slashing 52 million-plus work-hours.
Seizing market opportunities is easy, with NBC sourcing the financial support when other lenders won’t.
And you can grab this opportunity to earn more, too!
As an NBC affiliate, you’ll get 3% commission for every successful loan. NBC pays you through various methods, including direct deposit, PayPal, ACH, wire transfer, and check.
NBC is worth joining for affiliates in the small business niche, ensuring your company audiences are at least six months old.
- Commission: 1%
- Cookie Lifespan: 60 days
United Capital Source
Here’s another business loan affiliate program worth joining and monetizing this year.
Founded by Jared Weitz in 2010, UCS is a small company owner’s lifeline when traditional lenders make borrowing capital challenging.
Like other programs we featured, UCS offers businesses funding sources to keep their operations afloat, leverage opportunities, or expand.
Over 28,000 small and medium-sized companies benefited from UCS’s $1.2 billion funding sources. It has an impressive partnership with 76 funders or lenders who understand company owners’ predicaments.
It’s a trustworthy business loan brand with an A+ Better Business Bureau rating and a 5-star Google score. United Capital Source also earned Inc. 5000’s 2015 and 2017 plums, giving confidence to borrowers.
Unsurprisingly, affiliate partners love working with UCS. Although it keeps its commission structure confidential, affiliates will love the support UCS provides.
You can upsell to existing customers and earn residual revenue. Customers receive a dedicated account representative to handle loan applications, ensuring borrowers get the funding within 24 hours.
- Commission: Negotiable
- Cookie Lifespan: Negotiable
Nav
Greg Ott and his team at Nav understands and appreciates the financial struggles of over 30 million small US businesses. These local companies are crucial to communities, and Nav recognizes it.
Nav is a financial health platform empowering company owners and small business leaders to make intelligent and confident financial decisions. It uses advanced algorithms to deliver personalized insights and offer more appropriate funding options for businesses to operate and expand.
Small businesses can avail of over 160 financing options, access credit reports, monitor social health, and analyze cash flows using Nav’s financial health app. They can also access business loans, insurance, credit cards, and other financial services on smartphones.
Unsurprisingly, CNN Money, Fox Business News, and TechCrunch featured Nav’s loan application and related funding services.
Becoming a Nav affiliate lets you enjoy updated creatives, real-time reporting, and a responsive and supportive affiliate management team. Although its commission is lower than Uplyft’s $200, it’s possible to earn more.
- Commission: $5 to $50 per account registered
- Cookie Lifespan: 45 days
Shield Funding
Shield Funding opened its small business funding services in 2008. Sam Baitz lamented the difficulties of small company owners applying for and securing loans to fund business activities and operations.
Hence, Baltz envisioned a company that offered clients highly personalized service and industry-leading funding solutions.
Shield Funding has secured over half a billion dollars for its 1,000-plus small business clients. And it has the Better Business Bureau’s A+ rating and TrustPilot’s five stars to prove its mettle among small companies.
Unfortunately, Shield Funding is yet another financing institution that keeps its commission scheme “for affiliates only.”
However, the company promises generous payouts for affiliates because they’re also staking their reputation. As such, Shield Funding encourages affiliates to apply to the ISO program and receive a customized commission scheme.
Marketing tools are available to help affiliates meet their sales goals.
- Commission: Revealed once accepted
- Cookie Lifespan: Revealed once accepted
What is a Business Loans Affiliate Program?
An affiliate program for business loans providers bridges the gap between the latter and target clients (i.e., business executives, leaders, owners, realtors, contractors, professionals, and anyone requiring funding to set up or grow a business).
For example, a financing company offers funding solutions for individuals who want to start a business or existing companies that need capital for continuing operation, equipment purchase, or expansion The business loans provider “hires” affiliates to promote its products to its target clients. But why get “outside” help? Can’t the company use its marketing department?
It can. However, affiliate marketing is more cost-effective because the company only pays affiliates a commission for every lead or sale they produce.
Moreover, affiliates have a robust audience and followers in blogs, social media, podcasts, video channels, and other digital platforms. Business loans companies leverage affiliates’ extensive reach to spread information about funding solutions and attract potential borrowers to the company’s website.
And when affiliate audiences apply for and secure a loan, the business loans provider pays the affiliate a commission.
How to Choose the Right Business Loans Affiliate Programs to Apply?
Picking the right platform from hundreds of business loans affiliate programs can be challenging, especially for first-timers. You can consider the following attributes to help select the best program to affiliate with.
Business loans provider reputation
Reputation matters across all marketing niches but more significant in small business loans. After all, we’re talking about a trillion-dollar industry (about $1.4 trillion, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau). And that’s only for small businesses.
Small companies can borrow up to $25 million (or more) from business loans providers. That’s a dizzying amount of money. You’ll need a financing institution with an impeccable record managing its financial resources.
Thankfully, brand trustworthiness evaluation platforms exist.
For example, you can check with the Better Business Bureau about a funding provider’s reputation. An A+ BBB rating should give you confidence about a business loans company’s reputation.
Alternatively, TrustPilot’s five-star rating system can give an insight into a company’s trustworthiness. Google has a similar system, although we recommend sticking with BBB or TrustPilot.
You can also check the company’s awards and recognition. Some have been featured in leading business news platforms (i.e., Fox Business News, The New York Times, and The Washington Post). These “accolades” are easy to verify.
Commission structure
Some business loans providers respect the sensitive nature of “commissions.” Hence, we understand why they don’t provide details in the public domain. You can sign up with these programs and study their commission structures once in.
Most brands offer a fixed percentage share (i.e., 3% to 50%) per lead or sale, while others give a flat amount ($5 to $200). You’ll want to examine the details of such schemes and pick the program with the most generous offer.
Payout terms
Consider how the company pays you or whether you need a minimum amount. Most use PayPal for withdrawals, although others offer multiple payment methods.
Conclusion
The business loans market is an ever-growing niche spurred by individuals and groups’ desire to offer exciting products and services to an expanding world. Startups and existing companies will always need financial support to leverage cutting-edge technologies, once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, and business expansion.
Affiliating with reputable business loan firms makes sense because we become drivers of 21st-century economics. Of course, earning extra income by introducing small businesses to trustworthy funding providers is a welcome bonus.