Top 20 SBA Lenders in the USA
Here are the Top 20 SBA Lenders in the USA for 2025, explained in plain language with borrower-focused details that matter when you are trying to secure financing.
1. Small Business Funding (Us)
We are not a bank. We are your SBA loan partner. When you work with us, you don’t get locked into one option. Instead, we prepare your SBA loan application, position your financial statements, and compare your profile across every major SBA lender. From there, we negotiate directly to get you the best possible outcome. That means faster approvals, fewer roadblocks, and more favorable repayment terms.
We handle deals as small as $50,000 for working capital and as large as $5 million for acquisitions or real estate. Because we know how each SBA lender underwrites, from debt service coverage ratios to collateral expectations, we help you avoid delays and increase your chances of approval.
2. Live Oak Bank
Live Oak Bank is the nation’s largest SBA lender by dollar volume. In 2024, it originated more than $5.2 billion in SBA loans, with an average loan size above $1 million. Based in North Carolina, Live Oak is known for its industry-specific approach, funding veterinary clinics, dental practices, funeral homes, and breweries.
If your business fits one of these industries, Live Oak is an excellent option. Their digital-first process makes applications smoother, but they are exacting with documentation. We help package your financials and business plan the way they expect, which improves both speed and approval odds.
3. Newtek Bank
Newtek Bank consistently ranks near the top of SBA lending by total dollars, with more than $2 billion approved in 2024. The average loan size is around $550,000. Newtek is different because it offers other business services like payroll and payment processing, and this broader view influences how they evaluate borrowers.
When we bring a deal to Newtek, we highlight your cash flow stability and operating efficiencies, the metrics they weigh heavily in underwriting. This approach often helps unlock higher loan proceeds and better terms.
4. The Huntington National Bank
Huntington is the leader in SBA lending by number of approvals. In 2024, it closed more than 7,500 SBA loans worth over $1.5 billion, with an average size near $200,000. Many of these went to businesses under two years old, reflecting Huntington’s willingness to work with newer enterprises.
They are strong on smaller loans, including quick-turnaround working capital deals through their Lift Local program. We help ensure your personal financial statement, projections, and collateral position are ready for their review so your request clears their high-volume system smoothly.
5. Northeast Bank
Northeast Bank has become one of the busiest SBA lenders in the country by focusing on small-dollar loans under $500,000. Its partnership with NEWITY allows it to process thousands of applications efficiently.
If you need fast working capital or equipment financing, Northeast is a strong choice. We streamline your file for their automated systems and manage follow-up with underwriters, which helps keep your loan moving without costly delays.
6. ReadyCap Lending, LLC
ReadyCap is a non-bank SBA Preferred Lender with a national footprint. In 2024, it funded just over $1 billion in SBA loans, averaging $292,000 per deal. ReadyCap’s strength is flexibility. It often moves faster than large banks and is open to creative structures for acquisitions, debt consolidation, and real estate.
We prepare your file to highlight repayment ability and collateral support, which aligns with ReadyCap’s underwriting standards. That preparation increases approval odds and helps us negotiate more favorable amortization terms.
7. U.S. Bank
U.S. Bank approved over 3,000 SBA loans worth more than $700 million in 2024, with an average loan size of $227,000. As one of the largest national banks, it offers scale and stability.
For borrowers who value a large bank relationship, U.S. Bank is reliable but sometimes slower to close. Our role is to manage the process, anticipate their requirements, and push your file through underwriting so you get your proceeds on time.
8. First Internet Bank of Indiana
First Internet Bank is an online-only lender that has become a powerhouse for larger SBA deals. In 2024, it funded about $580 million in SBA loans, with an average size of $1.46 million.
This bank is particularly strong for business acquisitions and commercial real estate. We ensure your projections, tax returns, and collateral documentation are detailed and accurate, which matches their higher standards for big-ticket financing.
9. Celtic Bank Corporation
Celtic Bank, based in Utah, is known for working with fintechs and offering SBA Express loans. In 2025, it has already approved nearly $500 million in SBA lending.
Celtic is a good fit for borrowers who need speed or have nontraditional business models. We frame your financials and recurring revenue streams in a way that appeals to their flexible approach, giving you a better chance at approval.
10. JPMorgan Chase Bank
Chase, the nation’s largest bank, has rapidly expanded its SBA division. In 2024, it approved about 2,500 loans worth more than $600 million, with an average size of $245,000.
Chase is best for business owners who want SBA financing alongside a full suite of banking services. Their underwriting is rigid, so we make sure your file is complete before submission. That reduces back-and-forth and helps secure better repayment terms.
11. Meridian Bank
Meridian Bank, based in Pennsylvania, is an SBA Preferred Lender that focuses on larger SBA 7(a) loans, especially for acquisitions and partner buyouts. Its average loan size is close to $900,000, reflecting a willingness to fund complex deals. We prepare your file to highlight debt service coverage and cash flow stability, which are critical in their underwriting process.
12. Berkshire Bank
Headquartered in Massachusetts, Berkshire Bank funds some of the largest SBA loans among regional banks, often exceeding $1 million per loan. They are strong on business acquisitions and commercial real estate. We emphasize your projections and collateral schedules when we bring them a deal, which increases your approval odds for these higher-value loans.
13. WSFS Bank
WSFS Bank, based in Delaware, is known for financing management buyouts, expansions, and owner-occupied real estate. Their average SBA loan size is just under $1 million. When we present to WSFS, we structure your request to show strong repayment ability and long-term viability, which aligns with their conservative credit standards.
14. First Bank
First Bank, headquartered in New Jersey, is a community bank with SBA Preferred Lender status. They fund loans from $250,000 to $5 million, with strengths in franchise expansions and professional practices. We manage the documentation to meet their in-house credit review, helping you move quickly through their approval process.
15. Tompkins Community Bank
Tompkins Community Bank, serving New York and Pennsylvania, offers SBA 7(a), 504, and Express loans. Their strength lies in community-based relationship lending combined with SBA Preferred Lender speed. We prepare your application to highlight local market knowledge and realistic projections, which resonates with their approach.
16. SmartBiz Bank
SmartBiz is the leading online SBA marketplace for smaller loans, often under $350,000. They connect borrowers with SBA lenders in their network and use a streamlined digital process to reduce turnaround times. We make sure your application is positioned to move quickly through their AI-driven system, increasing your chance of fast funding.
17. Bankwell Bank
Bankwell, based in Connecticut, is a community bank that has embraced technology partnerships to speed up SBA approvals. They are ideal for working capital, equipment, and smaller acquisitions. We ensure your documentation aligns with their instant-offer model so you can access loan proceeds more quickly.
18. LoanBud
LoanBud is an SBA-focused broker platform founded by former SBA bankers. They use a network of more than 100 lenders and branded programs like SBA FastTrack for loans under $350,000. When we bring your deal to LoanBud, we guide you through pre-qualification and documentation, which improves your approval chances and reduces turnaround time.
19. Venturus
Venturus is the SBA lending arm of Heritage Bank in Kentucky. Their focus is on 7(a) loans ranging from $25,000 to $5 million, with particular strength in acquisitions, partner buyouts, and franchise financing. With their veteran underwriting team, they value well-structured applications. We manage your projections and financials so your file clears quickly with favorable terms.
20. Other Regional Lenders
Beyond these nineteen, there are many regional banks and community lenders that play an important role in SBA financing. They may not rank in the top tier by volume, but they often provide flexible solutions for local businesses. We maintain relationships with these lenders as well, and when your deal is better suited to a community bank, we know where to take it.
Why We Put Ourselves First in this List
We put ourselves at the top of this list because our role is different. Each bank on this list protects its own interests first. We protect yours.
As SBA loan consultants, we prepare your application, package it for underwriters, and present it to multiple lenders at once. That gives you leverage. Instead of one offer, you get many, and we negotiate for the best rate, term, and loan structure. We know which lenders are quicker with startups, which are flexible on collateral, and which are stronger on acquisitions. That knowledge improves your approval odds and lowers your overall borrowing cost.
When you work directly with a lender, you get only their rules and their offer. When you work with us, you get all twenty of the top SBA lenders competing for your business, with us fighting on your behalf.
