How do you compare offers for a merchant cash advance side by side?
Owners holding offers: line them up the same way.
Compare offers on the same lines: cash you receive after fees, total payback, pull size and how often it runs, estimated term, and every fee. Then divide the cost by the cash you receive. The biggest offer does not always cost the least per dollar in hand.
By the Afterfirst Editorial Team · Last updated
Which lines should you compare across offers?
Put each offer in its own column and fill in these lines. Leave a blank if an offer does not show a line, then ask for it.
| Line | Where it shows up | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Cash you receive | Funding or disbursement amount | Fees and payoffs come out first |
| Total payback | Purchased amount or total repayment | The full amount collected |
| Cost | Total payback minus cash received | The dollar price of the advance |
| Pull size and schedule | Daily or weekly payment | What the account must cover |
| Estimated term | Estimate based on expected sales | How long the pull runs |
| Other fees | Fee list in the contract | Costs outside the payback |
| Early payoff terms | Prepayment section | Whether paying early saves money |
| Reconciliation | Adjustment section | Whether the pull can follow real sales |
Some states list many of these lines as required disclosures. New York's law lists an estimated annual percentage rate among them (see Sources).
How do you work out the cost per dollar?
Subtract the cash you receive from the total payback. Then divide that cost by the cash you receive. Do this for each offer.
Offers that deduct fees at funding
When fees come out of the funding, the cash you receive is lower. Use that lower figure.
Payoffs inside the offer
If an offer pays off an old advance, subtract the payoff too. Only what lands in your account counts.
Estimated APR on a disclosure
Some disclosures show an estimated APR. It depends on assumed sales, so it can differ from what you end up paying. Our factor rate and APR guide explains why.
When two offers look the same
If the cost per dollar is close, compare pull size and early payoff terms next.
The pull against a slow week
Check each offer's pull against your slowest recent week. A cheaper offer with a pull you cannot carry is not cheaper.
FAQ
What is the true cost of an offer?
It is total payback minus the cash you receive. Divide by the cash received to compare offers of different sizes. Fees outside the payback add to it.
Does collecting several offers hurt my credit?
Each funder that quotes sets its own steps, and they are not the same. Before you sign, ask how any credit review works.
How long do I have to decide on an offer?
Each funder sets its own window, and offers can expire. Ask when yours ends. Take the time to line them up before signing.
How do I compare offers if I already have an advance?
Add the new pull to the one you already pay. Compare that combined total across offers. An offer that pays off the old advance may leave less cash.
Should I pick the offer with the smallest factor rate?
Not by that alone. Fees, the cash you receive and the term change the real cost. Use cost per dollar received.
Next step
Owners can Call 877-FUND-654Email info@afterfirstmca.com and get offers laid out on the same lines. Brokers can send files through the partner program.A person replies within one business day.
Call 877-FUND-654Sources
- New York Financial Services Law section 803: the New York list that includes an estimated annual percentage rate, as cited above the cost-per-dollar steps for comparing offers; fetched 2026-09-24.
- California DFPI, Commercial Financing Disclosures: California's SB 1235 page, the second example of a state disclosure behind the compare offers line list; fetched 2026-09-24.
Send one file.
See what fits.
Start a merchant cash advance application, or write to the desk. Afterfirst MCA is not a lender.
Or write to the desk at info@afterfirstmca.com
A person replies within one business day.