Article Summary: There are a lot of things to consider when applying for a small business loan and whether or not your lender reports your good credit history to the appropriate business credit bureaus should be on that list. Borrowing from a lender that does not report your credit history may help you build credit with that particular lender, but won't do anything to help you build a business credit profile that will be seen by other potential lenders or creditors.
Although most lenders will consider your personal credit score as part of the equation when evaluating your business' creditworthiness, building and maintaining a strong business credit profile is an important part of the equation that can't be ignored—particularly if you anticipate the need for business financing from time to time. Keep reading to learn more.
Does your lender report to the credit bureaus?
Many small business owners don’t realize there can be major differences between online lenders and a business loan – even when the rates look exactly the same.
So, you have a loan offer from two lenders. The offers are fairly similar in the amount they’re willing to loan and their rates. But what you may not know is that one lender doesn’t report your loan to the business credit bureau; the other lender reports your loan to business credit bureaus. Is there an obvious choice?
Although there might be times when a business owner would choose a lender that doesn’t report to the credit bureaus, that may not be the best choice. Even if that loan is slightly more expensive than other options now, it may be cheaper for business in the long run. Let me explain why…
Why?
It might not make a difference with respect to this particular loan, but it could matter if your future business goals include pursuing another loan down the road. If you take a loan from an institution that reports to the business credit bureaus, and if you make timely payments, then these payments should help build your business credit profile, which in turn should lead to better offers if you apply for a loan again in the future. If your lender doesn’t report to the business credit bureaus, you may be building a good customer relationship with that specific lender, but you’re not doing anything to build a strong business credit profile, which is what other lenders will examine when assessing your application. OnDeck reports to three of the major business credit bureaus—Experian, Equifax, and Paynet—so any future lender can see your good business credit profile if you make timely payments and pay down the loan in full.
If building a strong business credit profile is important to you (which it should be), any time you borrow, make sure your good credit behavior is reported the appropriate business credit bureau.
Looking for more info? Here’s our Guide to Understanding Your Business Credit.
Related Articles
