A cash advance, explained like a person would.
What you're actually getting
A merchant cash advance isn't a loan. Kindling buys a fixed slice of your future sales at a discount and pays you for it today. You remit a fixed amount each business day (or each week) until the purchased amount is paid. There's no collateral, no compounding interest, and the cost is set up front.
What it costs
Pricing is a factor rate, typically 1.24 to 1.42. Multiply the advance by the factor and that's the total payback. On $50,000 at 1.30 you pay back $65,000 over about six months: roughly $492 per business day. It's more expensive than a bank line, and we say so. It's the right tool when speed and certainty matter more than the lowest possible rate.
What we look at
Your last three months of business bank statements (four in California and New York). We look for steady deposits of about $5,000 a month or more, a healthy average balance, few or no negative-balance days, and room in your daily cash flow for the remittance. 6+ months in business. Open advances are fine as long as the payments fit.
The timeline
- Talk to Ember and see your estimated range. Five minutes, no credit pull.
- Upload statements, confirm the details, e-sign. Ten minutes.
- Underwriting review. Usually under 10 minutes during business hours.
- Offer, contract, funding as soon as the next business day.
Paying it off early
Ask. Early payoff discounts are often available and spelled out in the contract.