Lender directory
SBA 7(a) acquisition lenders
A curated directory of lenders that finance SBA 7(a) business acquisitions — ETA specialists, national direct lenders, and brokers. Each lender’s current credit box (minimum DSCR, equity injection, and credit score) is maintained inside Deal14 and checked against your specific deal.
Want each lender’s DSCR, injection, and credit-score requirements matched to your deal? Open the fit-ranked shortlist in Deal14 →
ETA / Search-Fund Specialists
Lenders with dedicated acquisition-entrepreneur teams and deep search-fund experience.
Live Oak Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
#1 SBA 7(a) lender by volume. Largest lender in the ETA/searcher community. Deep acquisition expertise. Dedicated ETA team.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: All 50
ETAAcquisitionSaaSProfessional Services
liveoakbank.com →Huntington Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
#1 SBA lender in the nation by number of 7(a) loans for 7 consecutive years. Licensed in 48 states. Over $20M in SBA loans extended annually. Strong ETA/searcher focus.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: 48 states
ETAAcquisitionNational
huntington.com →First Internet Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Ranked #7 nationwide, #2 on deals over $1M. Lends up to $5M (no pari passu). Known for collateral-lite / airball transactions. Pairs SBA Express LOCs with acquisitions. Licensed all 50 states.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: All 50
AcquisitionNationalCollateral-lite
firstib.com →The Bancorp
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Specialist in SBA 7(a) and 504. Deep SOP 50 10 8 expertise for complex structures. Covers business acquisitions, partner buyouts, owner-occupied RE, ground-up construction, WC and equipment. Nationwide.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: National
ETAAcquisitionSOP 50 10 8National
thebancorp.com →Byline Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Highly active in the ETA/searcher community. Fast decisioning, strong understanding of search fund structures. National reach.
Loan range: $1M – $5MCoverage: National
ETAAcquisitionNational
bylinebank.com →Greenwood Capital Advisors
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Search fund finance specialist since 2018. Offers SBA (PLP), ABL, working capital, CRE, and capital markets for large transactions. More flexible than traditional lenders. Alternative capital focus.
Loan range: $500K – $10M+Coverage: National
ETAAlternative CapitalABLCRENon-SBA
greenwoodcapital.net →Direct SBA 7(a) Lenders
Banks and non-bank lenders that originate SBA 7(a) acquisition loans directly.
First Home Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Nationally active SBA lender with strong acquisition lending programme. Frequently cited by ETA searchers.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionBusiness PurchaseFranchise
firsthomebank.com →Harvest Small Business Finance
PLP (Preferred Lender)
West Coast specialist. Consistent top-10 SBA lender. Strong in acquisitions across tech, services, and manufacturing.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionWest CoastSMB
harvestsbf.com →Sunflower Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Growing presence in the ETA searcher community. Rocky Mountain and national acquisition deals.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionMountain WestETA
sunflowerbank.com →Celtic Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Online-first SBA lender with national reach. Fast processing. Works with brokers and acquirers nationwide.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionNationalOnline
celticbank.com →Readycap Commercial
PLP (Preferred Lender)
National SBA lender with a strong secondary market programme. Active in business acquisitions.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionNationalSBA Secondary Market
readycapcommercial.com →Fountainhead Commercial Capital
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Non-bank SBA lender. Flexible on deal structures. National reach with strong acquisition lending book.
Loan range: $1M – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionCRENational
fountainheadsba.com →Newtek Business Services
PLP (Preferred Lender)
One of the largest non-bank SBA lenders. Full-service business finance. Strong acquisition lending.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionNationalFull Service
newtekbusiness.com →Pacific Premier Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Large California-based SBA lender with national acquisition book. Strong in professional services and tech.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: West Coast
AcquisitionWest CoastProfessional Services
ppbi.com →Stearns Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Consistent top SBA lender. Midwest roots with national reach. Known for efficient processing.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionMidwestEquipment
stearnsbank.com →East West Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Large SBA lender bridging US and Asian business communities. Active in West Coast acquisitions.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionWest CoastInternational
eastwestbank.com →Pinnacle Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Southeast powerhouse. Strong relationships with M&A brokers in the region. Fast SBA decisioning.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: Southeast
AcquisitionSoutheastProfessional Services
pnfp.com →Seacoast Business Funding
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Non-bank SBA specialist. National acquisition deals. Known for working through brokers.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionNationalAsset-Based
seacoastbusinessfunding.com →TotalBank
SBA Standard
Direct SBA lender specialising in business acquisition. BDO is a Certified Business Appraiser (ISBA) offering free early-stage "Sanity Check" valuations. Strong on goodwill-heavy deals. Offers WC via permanent loan or LOC.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionNationalValuation
totalbank.com →Cadence Bank
SBA Standard
Top 15 SBA bank nationwide. All 50 states. Primary criteria: post-closing liquidity, global cash flow, experience. Active in search fund community. Known e-commerce deal closer.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: All 50
AcquisitionNationalE-commerce
cadencebank.com →Milestone Bank
SBA Standard
27-year SBA veteran. Active nationwide including AK, HI, and PR. Business acquisition specialist. Wide variety of loan types.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: All 50 incl AK/HI/PR
AcquisitionNationalAll States
milestonebank.com →First Foundation Bank
PLP (Preferred Lender)
Full-service SBA preferred lender. National coverage. Experienced in business and franchise acquisitions. Multiple SBA programme offerings.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionFranchiseNational
firstfoundationinc.com →Fidelity Bank
SBA Standard
$185M+ in SBA financing 2019–2025. Specialises in complex SBA and M&A deal structures. High closing ratios. Competitive terms. "Do right by you" ethos.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
AcquisitionM&ANational
fidelitybanknc.com →SouthState Bank
SBA Standard
Regional SBA lender covering FL, AL, GA, NC, SC, VA, TX, and CO. Direct lender with strong regional relationships.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: FL/AL/GA/NC/SC/VA/TX/CO
AcquisitionSoutheastTexasColorado
southstatebank.com →SBA Loan Brokers
Brokers that shop your deal across multiple SBA lenders.
GoSBA Loans
SBA Standard
Largest M&A SBA loan broker in the country. Closes 10–12 deals/month. 35+ lender partners. Free to borrowers — bank pays after close. No deposits or exclusivity required. Claims 1–2% rate savings for clients.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
SBA BrokerAcquisitionNational
gosbaloans.com →Pioneer Capital Advisory
SBA Standard
Boutique commercial loan brokerage specialising exclusively in SBA financing for acquisitions. Head of SBA Business Development active in search fund community.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
SBA BrokerAcquisitionNational
pioneercapitaladvisory.com →Commercial Lending X
SBA Standard
16 years in business. 500+ lender relationships including banks, CUs, SBA, non-bank, factoring, ABL, hard money. 80+ SBA lending partners. Free deal reviews. Gets paid referral fee by lender.
Loan range: $250K – $10M+Coverage: National
SBA BrokerAcquisitionABLNon-SBA BridgeNational
commerciallendingx.com →Cardinal Business Financing
SBA Standard
15 years facilitating SBA loans. Vets and works only with dedicated SBA departments (not general banks). Offers LOC, factoring, term loans, bridge, PO financing, CRE, and SBA. Emphasises speed and lender quality.
Loan range: $250K – $5MCoverage: National
SBA BrokerLOCFactoringCRENon-SBA
cardinalbusinessfinancing.com →Alternative & Non-SBA Lenders
Non-SBA or specialty financing options for acquisitions.
Libertas Funding
Non-SBA
Private credit firm providing bridge funding up to $10M. Closes in 2–4 days. Industry agnostic. Useful for bridge-to-SBA or fast close situations.
Loan range: $500K – $10MCoverage: National
BridgePrivate CreditFast CloseNon-SBA
libertasfunding.com →Waltham Capital
Non-SBA
Connects searchers with private credit investors for non-SBA bridge and mezzanine financing at 10–15%. Focus on $1M–$10M EBITDA businesses across North America and Europe. Good for deals near close needing creative debt.
Loan range: $1M – $10MCoverage: National + Europe
Private CreditMezzanineBridgeNon-SBA
walthamcapital.com →Advantage Capital
Non-SBA
Impact investing firm offering Senior, Mezzanine, and Unitranche debt. Comfortable with turnaround stories and high-growth opportunities. Backs experienced searchers/founders in target US geographies.
Loan range: $1.5M – $10MCoverage: National
Impact InvestingMezzanineSenior DebtNon-SBA
advantagecap.com →Ecommerce Lending (FLEX)
Non-SBA
Proprietary FLEX loan for e-commerce acquisitions. Non-SBA product: 5yr Treasury + 3% (currently ~6.92%), 7-year term, 4% fee, 10% injection. Fewer restrictions than SBA — no passive income rules, no US citizenship requirement, faster close. Requires strong collateral (home equity, retirement accounts). Contact: Stephen Speer, CEO.
Loan range: $500K – $5MCoverage: National
EcommerceDTCAmazon FBAShopifySupplement
ecommercelending.com →FAQ
Who are the top SBA 7(a) lenders for business acquisitions?
Lenders active in acquisition financing range from ETA/search-fund specialists (with dedicated acquisition-entrepreneur teams) to national direct SBA 7(a) lenders and SBA loan brokers. The right one depends on your industry, deal size, and how your DSCR and equity injection look — Deal14 ranks the directory to your specific deal.
What credit score, DSCR, and equity injection do SBA lenders require?
SBA 7(a) lenders generally look for a minimum 1.25x DSCR and a 10% equity injection, and most want a personal credit score around 680+ — but each lender sets its own credit box, and those change. Deal14 maintains each lender’s current DSCR, injection, and credit-score thresholds inside the app and checks your deal against them.
How do I choose an SBA lender for my acquisition?
Match the lender to your deal: industry focus, loan size, geographic coverage, and whether your DSCR/injection/credit clear their box. Start with lenders experienced in your sector and deal size, then compare their credit criteria against your model.
See also: a sample SBA lender package and the full SBA tool landscape.
Directory maintained by Deal14 as of July 2026; lender focus and criteria change — verify current terms directly with each lender. Lender names are trademarks of their respective owners; Deal14 is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or partnered with any lender listed. Spot an inaccuracy? Email us.
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