Short answer
Merchant Fund Express funds existing franchise owners with revenue-based financing from $5,000 to $5,000,000. The amount is sized to the location's revenue, and payments track how the business performs, so a slow month does not carry the same fixed obligation as a strong one. It suits seasonal and uneven-revenue franchises: smoothie and dessert shops, fitness studios, tutoring centers, tax and home-service brands. Apply in 4 minutes, decision in 2–4 hours on a complete file, 500+ FICO accepted, no tax returns.
The problem RBF solves
A fixed payment assumes every month looks the same. Franchise revenue rarely does. Frozen-dessert stores peak in summer, gyms sign members in January, tutoring centers follow the school calendar and lawn and pest brands slow down in winter.
Revenue-based financing is sized to revenue and the payment moves with it. You get capital in the busy run-up, and the slow months stay survivable.
Is RBF the right call? Quick table
| Your revenue pattern | Best fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Strong seasonal swings, predictable peaks | Revenue-based financing | Payment follows the curve |
| Steady, card-heavy daily sales and an urgent need | Merchant cash advance | Fastest path to funds |
| Steady sales and you want a set payment | Working capital | Fixed schedule |
| Short gaps that repeat every month | Line of credit | Draw and repay |
| Buying a specific machine | Equipment financing | Asset-backed |
Comparing the two flexible options side by side? See Revenue-based financing vs MCA.
Where RBF works hardest for franchisees
Pre-season inventory
Stock fruit, cups and product before the summer rush. See Inventory.
Off-season payroll
Keep your best crew through the slow months instead of rehiring in spring.
Marketing before the peak
Fund the local campaign that fills the busy season. See Marketing.
Refresh in the slow window
Remodel when traffic is light, repay as traffic returns. See Seasonal cash flow.
How it moves
- Apply in about 4 minutesBrand, location, amount, use and your busy and slow months.
- Send three months of statementsIf your slow season is in those months, say so; context speeds the read.
- Decision in 2–4 hoursThe offer is sized to revenue, with payments that track performance.
- FundingSame-day funding is available; funding often lands the next business day.
Hypothetical example: a smoothie franchise owner applies in March with winter statements and a note that May through August runs well above winter. The reviewer sizes the financing to revenue, and the payment rises with summer sales instead of squeezing the store in February.
RBF mistakes franchise owners avoid
Applying in the peak
Apply before the busy season so the capital arrives in time to stock and staff for it.
Hiding the slow season
Tell the reviewer your slow months. Context turns a dip from a red flag into a pattern.
Funding a structural loss
RBF smooths seasonality. It does not fix a store that loses money in every month of the year.
Ignoring existing payments
List every current advance or equipment payment so the new obligation is sized realistically.
Owners with several seasonal stores should apply per entity. A beach-town location and an inland location can have opposite curves, and each is read on its own deposits. See Multi-unit owners.
Who should skip RBF
Be direct with yourself. If your store's revenue is flat all year and you want the lowest-friction way to plan, a fixed working capital payment is simpler to budget. If the need is a single machine with a quote, equipment financing ties the payment to the asset. And if the store has not opened yet, no revenue product fits; read Existing vs new.
RBF earns its place when the swing is real and predictable: a summer peak, a January rush, a school-year rhythm. Name it on the application and the decision comes back sized to that rhythm.
What to send
Sole proprietors are eligible, and ITIN applicants are accepted. Core product details: MFE Direct revenue-based financing.
Owner questions, answered
What is revenue-based financing for a franchise?
Funding sized to your location's revenue with payments that track performance, so slower months carry a lighter obligation than strong ones.
Which franchise owners use RBF most?
Seasonal and uneven-revenue brands: smoothie and dessert shops, fitness studios, tutoring, tax, lawn and pest franchises.
Is RBF the same as a merchant cash advance?
They both flex with sales. An MCA collects a percentage of daily or weekly deposits; RBF is sized to revenue with payments that track performance. Compare them on the RBF vs MCA page.
How fast can I get revenue-based financing?
A complete file gets a decision in 2–4 hours. Same-day funding is available.
What credit score is needed?
500+ FICO is accepted. No tax returns to apply.
Can I use RBF before my store opens?
No. RBF is sized to existing revenue, so the location must be open and depositing.
Keep going
Merchant Fund Express is a separate company with no franchisor ties. Terms depend on the business's revenue and history.