Business Loan & MCA APR Calculator
See your real APR — not the broker’s sales pitch.
Most “business loan calculators” hide the one number that matters most: your annualized cost of capital.
This tool shows you the true Annual Percentage Rate (APR) of your Revenue-Based Loan or Sales-Based Financing (MCA). No jargon. No commission-driven math. Just transparency.
Estimate Your Trust Cost of Capital
Enter your deal details below to see the real Annual Percentage Rate (APR) on your business funding — no broker markup, no guesswork.
About This APR Calculator
This calculator helps you understand the true annualized cost of your business financing. By entering a few key numbers, you can see your actual APR — not just the factor rate or term brokers like to emphasize. It works for both Revenue-Based Loans and Sales-Based Financing (MCAs), showing you the real cost of capital so you can compare options.
Find your best-fit lender with Diogenes
Diogenes isn’t here to push loans — it’s here to tell you the truth. If borrowing doesn’t make sense for your business, it will say so clearly — and help you avoid high-cost, predatory funding that can do more harm than good. When lending is appropriate, Diogenes matches your business with lenders based on your industry, revenue, time in business, use of proceeds, and how urgently funds are needed.
- Warns against borrowing when the math doesn’t add up
- Actively filters out predatory and high-fee lenders
- Matches based on use of proceeds and funding urgency
- Explains reasoning behind every recommendation
- Privacy-first, no commissions, free to use
No broker markup • Honest advice first • Free to use
Understanding Your True Cost of Capital
Your APR isn’t just a number — it’s the full picture of what your funding really costs after fees, payment frequency, and timing. The calculator translates broker-friendly factors into a true, annualized rate so you can compare options on equal footing.
Factor Rate vs APR
Many quotes show a “1.20” or “1.35” factor but never disclose the annualized cost. A 1.20 factor repaid over ~6 months is not 20% — it’s often closer to 70–100% APR once timing and fees are included. Our calculator normalizes the math so you can see the real number that matters.
Why Payment Frequency Matters
Daily and weekly remittances accelerate cash outflow and increase effective cost. Paying 250+ times per year compresses your payback schedule — which makes two offers with the same factor rate perform very differently in the real world. We translate all schedules into a single APR so you can compare apples to apples.
Speed, Use of Proceeds & Fit
Urgency changes pricing. The cheapest capital often requires more time and documentation. Diogenes weighs your timeline, industry, revenue pattern, and use of proceeds to point you toward lenders that actually fit your scenario — and tells you when waiting or not borrowing is the smarter move.
Frequently asked questions
Why don’t brokers usually show APR?
APR makes pricing comparable and transparent — which reduces the ability to anchor you on a friendly-looking factor rate. We always compute APR because it’s the fairest way to evaluate cost across different schedules, fees, and terms.
How do origination fees affect the true cost?
Fees reduce the cash you receive while leaving payments unchanged — increasing your effective APR. The calculator includes both flat and percentage-based fees so the rate reflects your actual take-home amount.
When is borrowing a bad idea?
If payback squeezes cash flow, funds cover losses rather than growth, or pricing crosses predatory lines, borrowing can harm the business. Diogenes will say so — and recommend alternatives like delaying, downsizing scope, or exploring cheaper working-capital options.
What does Diogenes look at to suggest lenders?
Industry fit, time in business, revenue patterns (seasonality/volatility), average ticket sizes, payment tolerance, use of proceeds, urgency, and any fees/terms on the table. The goal isn’t “any approval” — it’s a good approval, or honest advice not to borrow.