MCA Calculator — Warning: Very High Cost of Capital

This is EXPENSIVE — see the true APR before signing

⚠️ What is an MCA? A Merchant Cash Advance is NOT a loan — it's an advance on future credit card sales. The provider takes a percentage of your daily card receipts (the "holdback") until the advance plus factor fee is repaid.

The trap: MCAs often have effective APRs of 40-350%. A $100K MCA with a 1.49 factor rate means you repay $149K. If your daily holdback is 20%, every $1 you process, $0.20 goes to the MCA provider. You can be paying it off for 18+ months.

Who it's for: Businesses with no other options that need cash immediately. Almost always, a bank line of credit, SBA loan, or even a personal loan is cheaper.
MCA Terms
True Cost of This MCA
Total Repayment
Total MCA Cost
Effective APR
Days to Repay
Annual Cost
Vs SBA Loan Savings

MCA costs are estimates. Actual factor rates and holdback terms vary. MCA is not regulated like bank loans — get legal and financial advice first.

Business Financing & MCA

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is a merchant cash advance (MCA)?

An MCA is a lump-sum cash advance repaid through a percentage of future credit card sales. Unlike loans, MCAs are not subject to interest rate caps, making them expensive but fast to obtain.

How is MCA repayment calculated?

The lender takes a fixed percentage of your daily credit card receipts (typically 10-20%) until the advance plus fee is repaid. If sales are slow, repayment slows with them.

What is the typical MCA factor rate?

Factor rates typically range from 1.1 to 1.5. A factor rate of 1.3 on a $50,000 advance means you repay $65,000 total. This is NOT the same as 30% interest — the effective APR can be much higher.

Is an MCA a good idea?

MCAs are expensive but fast. They're best for short-term cash flow gaps when you can't qualify for traditional financing. The high cost makes them unsuitable for long-term funding.

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