How it works
A merchant cash advance gives a lump sum that is repaid from future sales or deposits, commonly through small frequent debits. The process is short: about three months of business bank statements, a five-minute application, no tax returns and a soft credit pull. We do not publish rates or terms, since they depend on the business.
The trade-off is rigidity. A weak week brings the same debit as a strong one.
Where Oakland owners meet the trade-off
Oakland's size and variety make it a place where the same product behaves very differently in different hands. Wikipedia describes it as the most populous city in Alameda County and the Bay Area's third most populous. A restaurant on a busy corridor sees daily card deposits, which is the kind of income an advance is built for. A freight company with large invoices paid monthly sees lumpy income, which is not.
That gap is the whole reason to read your own deposit pattern before applying. Daily deposits tolerate daily debits. Monthly deposits do not.
Match the income pattern
| Income pattern | Example | Advance fit |
|---|---|---|
| Daily card sales | Cafe, retail shop, salon | Closer fit, if margin allows |
| Weekly invoices | Contractor, caterer | Mixed; test the slow week |
| Monthly invoices | Freight, B2B services | Poor; consider a line of credit |
| Seasonal | Event or visitor businesses | Test; or compare revenue-based financing |
The checks that matter
- Total repayment versus amount received. Ask for both in writing.
- Payment in your worst week. Subtract it from your lowest weekly deposits and see what is left for payroll.
- Stacking. A second advance on top of the first is where most trouble starts. If you carry one now, read the relief page first.
A short example (illustration only)
A cafe near downtown deposits about $2,400 a day on weekdays and $3,800 on weekends. A debit of $450 a day takes about 19% of a weekday and 12% of a weekend day, a payment that is tight but manageable. The same debit on a freight subcontractor who collects $40,000 once a month is a different matter: the money leaves daily from an account that is nearly empty for three weeks. Same product, different fit. These figures are examples, not our terms or a typical result.
Better questions to ask any provider
- What is the total repayment amount, in dollars?
- How is the debit calculated and when does it change?
- Is there a penalty for repaying early?
- What happens if a week's deposits fall short?
Write the answers down before signing.
Apply
Funding runs from $25,000 to $5,000,000 and can arrive in as little as 24 hours. FICO scores of 500 and above are considered and sole proprietors can apply. Alternatives: working capital, term loans, Alameda County overview. Apply here.