Short answer
Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with both a business line of credit and working capital. Use the line of credit when the same gap comes back every month, such as payroll landing before card batches clear; you draw, repay and draw again. Use working capital for a one-time need with a clear number, such as a repair or an inventory build. Both run $5,000 to $5,000,000, with one 4-minute application and a decision in 2–4 hours on a complete file.
One question decides it
Ask yourself: will I need this again next month?
If yes, you have a timing problem, and a line of credit is built for timing problems. If no, you have an event: a broken walk-in, a big catering order, a slow January. Working capital handles an event in one shot and then it is done.
Side by side
| Line of credit | Working capital | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | A reusable limit | A one-time lump sum |
| You pay on | What you draw | The full amount funded |
| Best for | Recurring gaps: payroll, royalties, supplier timing | One-time needs: repairs, inventory, a slow season |
| After you repay | The limit is available again | Apply again if you need more |
| Decision | 2–4 hours on a complete file | 2–4 hours on a complete file |
| Amount | $5,000 to $5,000,000 | $5,000 to $5,000,000 |
Franchise patterns that point to a line
Payroll before deposits
Crew paid every other Friday, card batches settle Tuesday. Same gap every cycle. Payroll funding.
Royalty and ad-fund drafts
Fees that draft early in the month, before the month's sales arrive.
Supplier invoices
Weekly food or parts orders that land before the weekend's revenue.
Multi-store juggling
One store is short while another is flush. See multi-unit owners.
Franchise patterns that point to working capital
A single repair
The hood fan, the compressor, the roof leak. One bill, one fix.
Stocking up
Pre-season Inventory bought once, sold through over weeks.
A known slow stretch
Bridging the dead weeks after the holidays. See Seasonal cash flow.
A marketing push
A grand re-opening or local campaign with a fixed budget. See Marketing.
The verdict for a franchise owner
Owners often use both. A line covers the recurring payroll squeeze; working capital covers the one-time cooler. Merchant Fund Express looks at deposits, existing payments and the reason for the request, then comes back with the structure, or the combination, that the store carries comfortably.
Do not use a line to fund a long-lived machine. A fryer or a lift is a one-time purchase that lasts years; equipment financing vs working capital covers that choice.
Hypothetical example, not a past deal: a smoothie cafe owner short $6,000 every winter month and also facing a $14,000 blender-and-freezer replacement would be matched to a line for the monthly gap and equipment financing for the machines, not one big lump sum for both.
Size it before you apply
For a line, the useful number is your largest normal gap, not your worst month ever. Look at the last three payroll cycles: how much was short, and for how many days? That is roughly the limit worth asking for. For working capital, the number is the bill itself, plus a small cushion if the work shuts the store for a day or two. Write both on the application and Merchant Fund Express does the rest.
What to send so the decision comes back today
No tax returns to apply. 500+ FICO accepted. Sole proprietors are eligible, Spanish-speaking support is available and ITIN applicants are accepted.
Owner questions, answered
Is a line of credit cheaper than working capital?
You pay only on what you draw from a line, so for a recurring small gap it is usually the more efficient shape. For a one-time need, working capital is simpler.
Can I get a line of credit for my franchise location?
Yes. Merchant Fund Express offers business lines of credit to operating franchise locations from $5,000 to $5,000,000.
How fast is each one?
Both get a decision in 2–4 hours on a complete file, with same-day funding available.
Can I have both?
Yes. Many owners use a line for recurring timing and working capital or equipment financing for one-time needs.
What do I need to apply?
The 4-minute application, three months of business bank statements and ID for each owner. No tax returns.
Keep going
Merchant Fund Express is a separate company with no franchisor ties. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.