Free tool · No rates needed
1-2-3 Loan Repayment Planner
Work out each repayment, the total you'll hand back and how hard it leans on your monthly turnover. Then walk into step 2 knowing your numbers.
How the planner works
Most loan calculators start with an interest rate. This one starts with dollars, because dollars are what leave your account. You give it four things: how much you want to borrow, over how many months, the total cost of finance a lender has quoted, and the money your business typically banks each month.
The planner adds the cost to the amount borrowed, spreads it across the term at your chosen frequency and tells you three things: what each repayment is, what you hand back in total, and what share of a normal month's turnover the loan eats. Pick "cost during term, principal at the end" and it shows a light regular repayment plus the lump sum you'll need at the finish line.
Reading your comfort rating
The rating is a rough guide, not a lending rule. It compares the monthly cost of the loan with your monthly turnover:
- Cruising — under 8% of turnover. The loan barely registers in a normal month.
- In the groove — 8% to 15%. Workable for many businesses, as long as margins are healthy.
- Tight squeeze — 15% to 25%. Check your margins and a slow month before you commit.
- Stretch alert — over 25%. Consider a longer term, a smaller amount, property security or a different structure.
Turnover isn't profit. A café on thin margins feels a 10% repayment far more than a consultancy with few costs. That's exactly the sort of thing our experts talk through in step 2.
Getting a total cost of finance figure
Ask any lender or broker for the total dollars you'll pay over the life of the loan on top of the amount borrowed, including establishment, legal, valuation, line and account fees, plus any early payout costs. Comparing offers in total dollars over the same term is the cleanest like-for-like test there is. Our guide to the total cost of finance walks through it line by line, and business loan fees explained covers each charge.
What to do with the result
If the repayment sits comfortably, you're ready for step 1: a 60-second enquiry with no credit check. If it's tight, try a longer term or a smaller amount and see how the rating moves, or read how much your business can borrow. Not sure you're ready at all? The Am I loan-ready? quiz takes about a minute.
Repayment planner questions
Why doesn't the planner ask for an interest rate?
Because a rate on its own hides too much. Establishment fees, legal and valuation costs, line fees and the term all change what you really pay. The total cost of finance in dollars captures the lot, so ask any lender for that figure and enter it here.
Where do I find the total cost of finance?
It's the total amount you'll pay on top of the money you borrow: interest plus every fee and charge across the full term. A lender or broker can give it to you as a single dollar figure. If an offer only quotes a rate, ask them to convert it into dollars over your term.
What counts as monthly turnover?
Use the average amount your business actually banks each month from customers over the last six to twelve months. Leave out loan advances, transfers between your own accounts and one-off windfalls, because a lender's assessment will strip those out too.
What does 'cost during term, principal at the end' mean?
Some short-term and property-secured business loans only charge the cost of the loan during the term, then the amount borrowed is repaid in one hit at the end, often from a sale, a refinance or a big payment due to you. Repayments are lighter, but you need a solid plan for that final lump sum.
Is the comfort rating a lending rule?
No. It's our rough, plain-English guide to how hard a repayment leans on your turnover. Lenders look at much more: your margins, other debts, security, credit and the purpose. A low-margin business may find a modest percentage tight, while a high-margin one may cope with more.
Is the result an offer of finance?
No. It's an illustrative estimate to help you plan the amount and term before you talk to anyone. One of our experts can tell you what's realistic for your business once they understand the full picture.
When the numbers look right
Step 1 is a quick enquiry. Fill it in accurately, especially the amount, purpose, turnover and any property you own, so we can match you properly on the first call.
No credit check to enquire
Asking the question costs your credit file nothing. A credit check only comes up once you choose to go ahead.
No spray-and-pray
We don't fire your details at a crowd of lenders. Your enquiry is matched on purpose, not auctioned.
A real expert on the phone
A person reads your enquiry and calls you. Honest answers on the form mean the right match on the first call.
Numbers sorted? Count yourself in.
Step 1 takes about 60 seconds. There's no credit check when you first enquire, your details stay with us rather than going out to a crowd of lenders, and a real expert calls you to talk it through.
No credit check to enquire
No spray-and-pray
A real expert on the phone