As a business owner, you certainly have choices when it comes to lenders. In addition to traditional lenders like banks, which may be the toughest to secure approvals, your options include alternative lenders like Clear Skies Capital (clearskiescapital.com) and a new breed of lenders that includes PayPal (paypal.com) and Square (squareup.com/us/en). Let’s take a look at these three to ensure you understand how they compare.
Approach
- Clear Skies Capital operates as a direct lender, offering various lending solutions directly to businesses.
- PayPal offers lending services through its PayPal Working Capital program, which provides loans to eligible PayPal merchants.
- Square offers lending services through Square Capital, providing loans to eligible Square sellers.
Focus
- Clear Skies Capital specializes in providing working capital, equipment financing, merchant cash advances, and other business financing options.
- PayPal’s lending program is designed to help small businesses access capital for growth, inventory, marketing, and other business needs.
- Square’s lending program aims to support small businesses by offering capital for equipment, inventory, renovations, and other business expenses.
Process
- Businesses can apply for financing directly through Clear Skies Capital’s website or by contacting its representatives.
- Eligible merchants receive loan offers directly within their PayPal account based on their transaction history and account activity.
- Eligible Square sellers receive loan offers directly within their Square dashboard based on their sales history and account activity.
Benefits
- For Clear Skies Capital, benefits include direct communication with the lender, personalized service, and tailored financing solutions based on business needs.
- For PayPal, benefits include streamlined application process, quick access to funds, and repayment based on a percentage of daily PayPal sales.
- For Square, benefits include seamless integration with Square’s platform, transparent fees, and flexible repayment options tied to daily sales.
Considerations
- For Clear Skies Capital, interest rates, terms, and eligibility criteria may vary based on the type of financing sought and the business’s financial profile.
- For PayPal, loan amounts are limited to a percentage of the merchant’s PayPal sales volume, and eligibility criteria are tied to PayPal account activity.
- For Square, loan amounts are determined by the seller’s Square processing volume, and eligibility criteria are linked to account activity and sales history.
Key Differences
In addition to what’s noted above, here are some other key differences between these three lending options:
Direct vs. Platform-based: Clear Skies Capital offers various competitive lending solutions to all businesses, while PayPal and Square offer lending services through their platforms to eligible merchants/sellers only.
Range of Services: Clear Skies Capital provides a broader range of financing options, including working capital and equipment financing, compared to PayPal and Square’s focus on small business lending.
Application Process: Clear Skies Capital and PayPal have direct application processes, whereas Square’s lending offers are integrated into its platform for eligible sellers.
Repayment Structure: PayPal and Square offer repayment structures tied to daily sales, whereas Clear Skies Capital may have more traditional repayment terms based on the type of financing.
Eligibility Criteria: Each lender has unique eligibility criteria based on sales history, account activity, and financial profile.
Customer Service: You can talk to a real person at Clear Skies Capital immediately. At PayPal or Square, reaching someone when time is of the essence can be very challenging.
The Bottom Line
If you use PayPal and Square, you may want to investigate whether their lending options make sense for your business. If you don’t use either of them or you want more product options, you may find it valuable to contact Clear Skies Capital so a loan specialist can work with you to determine what kind of financing is best for your specific needs.
Clear Skies Capital has helped many business owners secure the financing they need in a timely fashion. Contact us today at 800-230-9822 to discuss your company’s needs.