YouLend Reviews

YouLend provides flexible lending options with positive customer feedback highlighting its user-friendly process and responsive service.

Here are the Trustpilot Reviews from YouLend:

Here are the Reviews from YouLend:

Great customer service, Tom was with us every step of the way and made everything easy. Funds were released quickly.

David Smith

It was very helpful to improve my business to the next level.

Ganeshan Palasubramaniyam

Avoid at all costs. Staff rude and uncompassionate, refused to listen to mitigating circumstances.

Dave Roberts

Smooth and easy transaction, best service ever.

Metin Mersin

Great service and helpful.

Fariboz Poyanseb

Great service, smooth process, second loan, helpful support from Jarno Struys.

Nienke Claassen

Explore YouLend's Finance Solutions:

Flex Pay Revenue-Based Finance (Merchant Cash Advance)

£1,000 – £1,000,000

Fixed Pay Short-Term Business Loan

£1,000 – £1,000,000

Apply Now!

Explore YouLend's Finance Solutions:

Loan Type:

Flex Pay Revenue-Based Finance (Merchant Cash Advance)

Loan Range:

£1,000 – £1,000,000

Loan Terms:

3 to 12 months (repaid automatically as a % of daily card/online sales)

Minimum Turnover and Trading Age:

Minimum 4 months trading and at least £2,500 monthly card or online sales

Interest Rate / Factor Rate:

No interest; single fixed fee typically 6% – 25% of advance

Fees:

Fixed fee agreed upfront; no arrangement, servicing, or early repayment fees

Loan Type:

Fixed Pay Short-Term Business Loan

Loan Range:

£1,000 – £1,000,000

Loan Terms:

3 to 12 months (fixed daily or weekly repayments)

Minimum Turnover and Trading Age:

Minimum 4 months trading and at least £2,500 monthly revenue

Interest Rate / Factor Rate:

No interest; flat fixed fee typically 6% – 25% of advance

Fees:

Single fixed fee; no arrangement or early repayment penalties

Loan Type:

Embedded Finance White-Label Funding (for Platforms & PSPs)

Loan Range:

£1,000 – £1,000,000 per end-merchant

Loan Terms:

3 to 12 months

Minimum Turnover and Trading Age:

End-merchant criteria as per Flex or Fixed products

Interest Rate / Factor Rate:

Fixed fee 6% – 25% (negotiated programme-wide)

Fees:

Revenue share programme fees negotiated with platform partner

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More About the CEO

Mikkel Velin

Co-CEO

CEO since since 2019

Mikkel Velin is the Co-CEO of YouLend, a leading embedded finance provider, where he leads the company's mission to unlock capital for businesses through innovative financial solutions. His leadership focuses on scaling technology-driven lending experiences.

Education

Copenhagen Business School, MSc in International Business; Copenhagen University, BSc in Economics.

Certifications

Information about Mikkel Velin is not public.

Experience

Co-CEO at YouLend (2019–present). Previously, Mikkel held roles at Saxo Bank and Goldman Sachs, focusing on commercial operations and strategy.

Awards

Information about Mikkel Velin is not public.

YouLend Limited — history timeline

Founding

Expansion

Partnership

Regulatory

Funding

Financial

Funding

2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 2026

2016 YouLend was founded YouLend says the business began in 2016 after its founder identified a gap in SME financing. This marks the start of the company’s embedded-finance model for small businesses.

Source → Founding

2018 Launched in the UK and Ireland YouLend expanded from its founding team into commercial operations in the UK and Ireland in 2018. This established its initial operating footprint in its core home markets.

Source → Expansion

2022 Expanded into continental Europe YouLend lists 2022 as the year it expanded into Europe beyond its original UK and Ireland base. The move marked a broader geographic scaling phase for its embedded financing platform.

Source → Expansion

2023 Entered the United States YouLend identifies 2023 as the year it launched in the United States. This was a major step in turning the business from a European lender into a transatlantic embedded-finance platform.

Source → Expansion

2023-06-20 Partnered with Amazon UK on flexible seller financing Amazon and YouLend launched a merchant cash advance product for eligible UK sellers on Amazon.co.uk. The partnership embedded YouLend’s financing into a major commerce platform and broadened SME distribution.

Source → Partnership

2023-06-29 Received FCA Payment Institution authorisation YouLend Limited states it was granted a Payment Institution licence under the UK Payment Services Regulations on 29 June 2023 with FCA reference number 947287. The authorisation enabled it to operate settlement accounts and payment flows tied to merchant financing in the UK.

Source → Regulatory

2024-01-29 Completed £4bn private securitisation with J.P. Morgan YouLend announced a private securitisation transaction with J.P. Morgan as senior lender and Castlelake providing subordinate debt. The deal materially expanded its capacity to originate additional revenue-based financing for SMEs across the UK and Europe.

Source → Funding

2024-10-22 Secured Castlelake financing to scale U.S. originations YouLend signed a three-year financing facility with funds managed by Castlelake to support U.S. SMB originations. The company said the arrangement lifted potential U.S. financing capacity to more than $1 billion over three years.

Source → Funding

2026-01-08 Reached 370,000 businesses funded and reported profitable growth YouLend said it had funded more than 370,000 businesses worldwide and published FY24/25 results showing revenue of $230 million and profit of $12 million. The update signaled that the company had reached meaningful scale while remaining profitable.

Source → Financial

2026-03-03 Added Värde forward-flow facility for U.S. expansion YouLend announced a multi-year forward-flow partnership with Värde Partners under which Värde may purchase up to $225 million of receivables originated by YouLend. The facility deepened the company’s U.S. capital base and extended its latest expansion phase.

Source → Funding

More About YouLend

YouLend Limited, established in 2015 and based in London, is a Financial Conduct Authority-regulated non-bank lender focused on providing revenue-based finance to UK SMEs. The company offers unsecured, short-term funding solutions with flexible repayments typically linked to card and online sales performance. This approach may suit e-commerce, retail, and hospitality businesses needing working capital quickly without providing collateral. For further insights into related lending types, see our guides on cash advance and MCA loans.

Key features of YouLend Limited

YouLend's platform combines rapid, digital onboarding with technology integration to support both direct SME lending and embedded finance programmes for marketplaces and payment platforms.

Fully online application with decisions often made within minutes for quick funding, linked to quick business finance.
Funding up to £1,000,000 with no collateral required, matching the unsecured working capital loan market segment.
Flexible repayment options including revenue-based finance, easing cash flow management compared to fixed-term loans such as those described in short-term business loans.
Single fixed fee structure without compounding interest, providing transparent costs similar to other business loans.
Integration with more than 15 payment platforms enables seamless embedded finance solutions for partners, linking to e-commerce financing.

Funding eligibility

You may qualify for YouLend funding if your business has at least four months active trading with minimum £2,500 monthly card or online sales. Eligibility also requires a UK-registered business with a UK bank account and no recent insolvency or significant County Court Judgements. Personal or director guarantees are commonly requested, aligning with standard personal guarantee requirements. For more about qualifying, see our guide on how to qualify for a business loan and related loan eligibility criteria.

Loan options

YouLend offers three main loan products suitable for businesses with steady card or online turnover, covering loans from £1,000 to £1,000,000 with 3 to 12-month terms and fixed fees between 6% and 25% of the advance amount.

Flex Pay Revenue-Based Finance (Merchant Cash Advance): £1,000 to £1,000,000; 3 to 12 months; repayments taken as a percentage of daily sales. There is no traditional interest, only a fixed fee. Early repayment reduces the fee automatically. See our explanation of MCA loans for similar products.
Fixed Pay Short-Term Business Loan: £1,000 to £1,000,000; 3 to 12 months; fixed daily or weekly repayments. Also features a single fixed fee without early repayment penalties. Ideal for those preferring repayment certainty. Related information is available under short-term business loans.
Embedded Finance White-Label Funding: £1,000 to £1,000,000 per end merchant; 3 to 12 months; customised lending offers through platform integrations. This product is targeted at platforms and payment service providers rather than direct SME borrowers. See e-commerce financing for context.

How to apply

The application process is fully digital, designed for speed and convenience. Typical decisions are made within minutes, with funds usually available in 24 hours after acceptance. YouLend requires identity checks, verification of address, recent business bank statements or Open Banking consent, proof of trading entity, and director ID.

Submit an online application via YouLend's portal or through an embedded partner platform supported by APIs. More on application process available at request funding form.
Provide required documentation such as bank statements and identification to complete verification, see details under eligibility and document requirements.
Wait for real-time decision or manual review within the same business day, accelerating access to funds aligned with norms detailed in business loans application process.

Funding Agent's view on YouLend Limited

YouLend provides rapid, unsecured funding tailored to SMEs with reliable card or online sales, particularly in e-commerce, retail, and hospitality. Its technology-driven model supports embedded finance services for business platforms, streamlining lending access. The short terms and fixed fees are clear but may be costly for capital-heavy or slow-growth businesses requiring longer-term finance. To explore alternatives, use Funding Agent's business loan calculator, check your loan eligibility, or compare lenders on business loans.