Bibby Financial Services vs MarketFinance Factoring Comparison

Bibby Financial Services is a UK based independent invoice finance specialist that provides facilities such as invoice factoring and invoice discounting to businesses that trade on credit terms, with details set out on its invoice finance products page and corporate information on its main site. MarketFinance now operates under the Kriya brand for new UK invoice finance customers, offering technology led invoice finance solutions described on its invoice finance page and broader working capital products on the Kriya website. Both providers focus on unlocking cash tied up in unpaid invoices, although Bibby’s proposition is rooted in traditional whole ledger facilities while Kriya, formerly MarketFinance, is oriented towards flexible, digital invoice by invoice funding, according to Kriya’s FAQs and Bibby’s overview of invoice finance. This guide compares Bibby Financial Services and MarketFinance factoring style facilities across products, practical costs, service experience and fit for different UK businesses, using only information that can be verified as of 2026 from official materials and credible third party sources such as Capitalise and recent independent reviews.

1. Products and terms at a glance

Bibby Financial Services positions itself as a specialist provider of invoice finance solutions, including invoice factoring, invoice discounting and sector specific variants for recruitment, manufacturing and other industries, aimed at UK businesses that raise invoices to other businesses on credit terms, as described in its invoice finance overview. MarketFinance’s factoring style proposition is now delivered through the Kriya brand, which offers a digital instant invoice finance solution that allows businesses to upload invoices and receive an advance on approved invoices, supported by Allica Bank according to Allica Bank’s Kriya invoice finance page and Kriya’s own site.

According to Bibby’s product pages, the core characteristics of its invoice factoring facility include: Bibby advances a percentage of the invoice value and then manages credit control and collections on behalf of the client, with the remaining balance passed on to the client when the end customer pays, as outlined on its invoice factoring page. Bibby also offers invoice discounting, where the business retains control of collections but still draws cash against outstanding invoices, according to its invoice discounting product page. Bibby’s materials describe facilities that can support both domestic and international trade and note that it is part of the UK Finance invoice finance and asset based lending community, as referenced in UK Finance’s description of invoice finance and asset based lending members.

Kriya’s invoice finance product, which represents the MarketFinance factoring style offer in 2026, is structured as a flexible facility where businesses upload invoices through an online portal and receive a cash advance, with Kriya stating that clients can turn unpaid invoices into instant capital by uploading the invoice, authenticating the customer and setting expected payment terms, as outlined on its invoice finance solution page. Kriya’s FAQs state that it typically advances up to 90 per cent of the invoice value and releases the remaining balance, minus fees, when the customer pays, as described on Kriya’s invoice finance FAQ page. Finder’s Kriya review, which reflects the MarketFinance heritage of the product, notes that the facility is aimed at UK based limited companies and LLPs with a minimum annual turnover requirement and that businesses must generally invoice other businesses on credit terms, although precise thresholds vary and should be confirmed at application stage, according to Finder’s Kriya business loans and invoice finance review.

Eligibility details for Bibby are less prescriptive in public marketing materials, but Bibby’s general invoice finance guide indicates that invoice finance may be suitable for businesses that sell to other businesses on credit and wish to improve cash flow, as explained in its Guide to Invoice Finance. A partner accountant’s summary indicates that Bibby typically works with companies that raise invoices for completed goods or services and can demonstrate stable trade, although specific turnover or trading history thresholds are not published for all products and therefore vary, based on Gordon Ferguson & Co’s Bibby partner page.

For MarketFinance factoring facilities delivered via Kriya, eligibility criteria published in secondary sources suggest that the business should usually be UK based, operate as a limited company or LLP and invoice other businesses, with minimum turnover requirements varying by product and facility size, according to Finder’s Kriya eligibility summary and the parameters described in Kriya’s own invoice finance FAQs. Since official Kriya materials do not publish a full eligibility grid for all invoice finance products as of 2026, detailed criteria should be treated as varies and confirmed directly with the lender at enquiry stage.

2. Costs and repayments in practice

Neither Bibby Financial Services nor Kriya (MarketFinance) publishes a comprehensive, up to date tariff of fees, discount charges or exact pricing structures for invoice factoring across all customer segments. Instead, both indicate that pricing is tailored to the individual business, taking into account factors such as invoice volumes, customer quality, sector and perceived risk, meaning costs vary.

Bibby’s marketing materials for invoice factoring refer to a combination of a service fee and a discount charge applied to the funds advanced, without giving firm percentages for all customer types, as can be inferred from its invoice factoring product description and its general invoice finance guide which explain that charges are agreed based on the nature of the facility and credit profile. Third party reviews like ExpertSure’s 2026 Bibby review emphasise that pricing is bespoke and stress the importance of getting a formal quote, confirming that headline rates are not publicly standardised, as summarised by ExpertSure’s Bibby Financial Services review.

Kriya states in its invoice finance FAQs that it advances up to 90 per cent of invoice value and charges fees when the customer pays, but does not publish a single fixed discount rate or fee structure applicable to all applicants, again meaning pricing varies, according to Kriya’s invoice finance FAQs. Independent reviews such as ExpertSure’s 2026 Kriya review note that fees are negotiated individually and depend on factors like the size and risk of the facility and that businesses should expect tailored quotes rather than a single rate card, as indicated in ExpertSure’s Kriya Finance review.

Because precise fee levels and discount percentages are not consistently disclosed for every scenario, the comparison below uses an illustrative structure that follows the general patterns described in lender materials but does not represent actual quotes. Actual pricing can be higher or lower and must always be confirmed directly with each provider.

To illustrate how the two structures typically work in practice, the following examples use hypothetical but realistic assumptions based on lender descriptions and standard invoice finance practice. The numbers are illustrative only, actual figures will vary.

Example 1: Factoring a £50,000 monthly sales ledger

• A manufacturing SME raises £50,000 of eligible B2B invoices each month with 60 day payment terms
• A Bibby style factoring facility advances an assumed 85 per cent of invoice value on day two after invoicing, with a notional combined service and discount cost equating to an illustrative 3 per cent of invoice value over the 60 days (assumption only, actual pricing varies)
• On day two, the business draws £42,500 against the ledger
• When customers pay at day 60, Bibby collects £50,000, deducts an illustrative £1,500 in total fees and charges (3 per cent of £50,000) and the original £42,500 advance, then passes the remaining £6,000 back to the client
• In return, the client benefits from earlier access to most of its cash flow and outsourced credit control

Example 2: Selectively funding invoices with Kriya

• A digital agency occasionally experiences cash flow gaps and chooses to fund only larger invoices via Kriya
• It uploads a £100,000 invoice with 90 day terms to Kriya’s portal
• Kriya approves the debtor and advances 90 per cent of the invoice value within a short period, so the business receives £90,000 soon after approval, based on the advance pattern stated in Kriya’s FAQs
• On payment at 90 days, Kriya receives the full £100,000, deducts an illustrative fee of 4 per cent (£4,000, assumption only) and the £90,000 advance, then remits the remaining £6,000 to the agency
• Because the agency funds only selected invoices, the overall cost of finance as a percentage of total revenue can be lower than for whole ledger factoring used continuously, but the cost on funded invoices remains significant and case specific

In both examples, the effective cost of funding is influenced by the advance rate, the time between advance and payment, sector risk and any additional charges for audits, disputes or concentration limits. Since neither Bibby nor Kriya publish full fee grids for all segments, business owners should treat all numerical illustrations as indicative and seek written terms before committing. When comparing offers, using a dedicated tool or professional adviser to translate discount charges into an equivalent annualised cost measure can make like for like comparison easier, even though invoice finance is structured differently from standard term loans.

3. Speed and service

Bibby promotes itself as an established, relationship led provider, highlighting that it has been supporting UK businesses since 1982 and currently funds thousands of businesses, as noted on its invoice finance overview page and in background material from Bibby Line Group’s company profile. However, Bibby does not publish standardised approval times for new facilities or for advances against invoices, instead emphasising tailored solutions and sector expertise, so timescales vary. Trustpilot reviews of Bibby suggest that many customers highlight personal account management, credit control support and responsiveness, although there are also negative reviews concerning disputes and perceived inflexibility, according to Bibby’s Trustpilot page and summarising comments in independent reviews such as ExpertSure’s Bibby review.

Kriya describes its invoice finance product as a fast, technology led solution that can provide quick access to cash once invoices and debtors are approved, with its product page emphasising streamlined online processes and automation, as outlined on Kriya’s invoice finance page. Kriya’s Trustpilot profile shows a mix of positive and negative customer experiences, with many reviews citing quick turnaround times and ease of use but some mentioning issues with communication or changes in facility terms, as evidenced on Kriya’s Trustpilot listing. ExpertSure’s 2026 review also notes that Kriya is positioned as a relatively fast and flexible option among UK invoice finance providers, while underlining that actual approval times and speed of funding depend on the completeness of documents and debtor quality, based on ExpertSure’s Kriya Finance review. Since neither lender publishes guaranteed decision times, any expectation of same day or next day approvals should be treated as varies and confirmed during discussions.

In terms of support and complaints, Bibby publishes a service promise document in which it commits to acknowledging complaints within a fixed period and to providing updates on progress, although specific timescales for resolution may vary, as described in its Service Promise. Bibby’s main contact page sets out routes to contact local offices and functional teams, as seen on its Contact Us page. Kriya directs customers to get support through its online support channels and contact forms, with details on its Get Support page, and also offers general email and telephone contact from its contact page. Neither provider maintains a separate, detailed public complaints handling webpage beyond these documents, so precise escalation timetables and Financial Ombudsman Service references should be taken from facility agreements and regulatory disclosures at the point of onboarding.

4. Who each lender suits

As a long established invoice finance provider with a broad UK footprint, Bibby appears to be suited to SMEs and mid market firms that:

• Invoice other businesses on credit terms and want to release a significant proportion of their entire sales ledger, as described in its invoice finance product overview
• Value outsourced credit control, collections and, in some facilities, credit protection against bad debts, as suggested by the optional bad debt protection described on Bibby’s solutions page
• Operate in sectors such as manufacturing, recruitment, wholesale distribution or transport, where Bibby has published case studies and sector specific marketing materials, as evidenced by examples on its factoring product page and various PDF guides
• Prefer relationship led account management with regional teams rather than a purely self serve online interface, as implied by the emphasis on local offices and personal contacts on its contact page

Kriya’s invoice finance product, representing MarketFinance factoring in 2026, appears better suited to businesses that:

• Are comfortable with a digital first experience and uploading invoices and documentation through an online portal, as described on Kriya’s invoice finance page
• Prefer to fund selected invoices or draw flexibly against their ledger rather than committing to a fully outsourced, whole ledger factoring arrangement, as implied in the description of instant invoice finance and selective funding options on Kriya’s FAQ page
• Meet the eligibility ranges described in independent summaries like Finder’s Kriya review, which indicates that facilities are targeted at established UK companies with minimum revenue levels, albeit with exact thresholds varying by product, as outlined in Finder’s Kriya eligibility section
• May already bank with or wish to engage with Allica Bank and see value in the combination of a specialist invoice finance platform with the backing of a UK bank, as explained in Allica’s Kriya invoice finance overview and in FinTech Magazine’s article on Allica’s acquisition of Kriya

Independent comparison articles on invoice finance providers, such as Capitalise’s 2026 ranking of leading UK invoice finance companies, describe Bibby as a strong option for maximising cash flow for SMEs with significant recurring invoice volumes and highlight Kriya as a fintech alternative for faster, more flexible access to working capital, reinforcing the segmentation described above, based on Capitalise’s top invoice finance providers comparison and Hello Aria’s invoice financing providers guide.

5. How to apply

Bibby Financial Services invites prospective clients to enquire through its website or by telephone; the main route is via an online form where businesses provide basic details about their company, sector and funding needs, as indicated on the Contact Us page and within its various invoice finance landing pages. Application information for invoice finance often includes recent management accounts, details of the sales ledger and debtor concentration, and legal documents relating to the business, though Bibby’s public pages do not publish a definitive checklist and therefore specific documentation requirements vary; this is consistent with general guidance in its invoice finance guide, which notes that lenders will consider the quality of your customers and contracts as part of underwriting.

Once an enquiry is submitted, Bibby typically arranges a discussion with a regional or sector specialist to understand trading history, customer base and objectives, before issuing a formal offer that sets out advance rates, fees, covenants and security requirements, such as debentures and, where applicable, personal guarantees, as is standard across invoice finance facilities and implied in Bibby’s published standard conditions. The timeline from initial contact to full facility activation is not published and therefore varies according to complexity, sector risk and responsiveness.

Kriya allows businesses to start the process online by requesting a call or demo for invoice finance or by registering directly through its portal, as shown on the invoice finance solution page and contact page. Businesses are usually asked to provide information on company structure, turnover, debtors, and to upload recent bank statements and key contracts, particularly for construction debt where Kriya has published specific additional requirements including three months of bank statements and copies of contracts, as detailed in its invoice finance additional requirements for construction debt. Independent summaries from FundInvoice and Finder indicate that eligible firms can often receive decisions and initial funding relatively quickly once documents are in order, but they avoid giving hard guarantees, instead emphasising that timescales vary, based on FundInvoice’s Kriya overview and Finder’s review.

Regardless of lender, businesses should carefully read facility agreements and any standard conditions to understand security, personal guarantees, notice periods and termination fees. Comparing offers from Bibby, Kriya and other providers can be assisted by independent guidance on documentation and eligibility such as Funding Agent’s loan application process guide, which explains the typical stages involved in UK business finance applications.

6. Final verdict

Viewed side by side, Bibby Financial Services and MarketFinance factoring via Kriya share the same broad objective, releasing cash from unpaid invoices to help smooth working capital, but they differ notably in heritage, delivery model and day to day experience. Bibby brings a long track record as a UK invoice finance specialist with relationship led service and the ability to integrate additional solutions such as bad debt protection and trade finance, features that may appeal to businesses seeking a comprehensive funding and credit management partner. Kriya, carrying forward the MarketFinance invoice finance proposition, positions itself as a digital, flexible alternative that can support selective funding and embedded finance solutions in partnership with Allica Bank, suiting firms that prioritise speed, online access and integration.

Because both lenders price facilities on a case by case basis, there is no universal answer on which is cheaper; real world cost will depend on your turnover, invoice quality, sector and how you use the facility. Independent rankings and reviews suggest that both score reasonably well with customers overall, but the mix of positive and negative feedback on Trustpilot and elsewhere shows that service quality can vary within each organisation. For many businesses, the decision will therefore come down to preferences around relationship depth, digital experience and whether you want to fund your entire ledger or individual invoices.

Choose Bibby Financial Services if:

• You want a traditional invoice factoring or discounting facility with relationship led account management
• Your business has a broad B2B debtor book and you are comfortable with whole ledger funding and outsourced credit control
• You value the option of bolt on services such as bad debt protection and international trade support within the same group
• You prefer dealing with a long established invoice finance specialist that is part of the UK Finance invoice finance and asset based lending community

Choose MarketFinance via Kriya if:

• You prefer a digital first invoice finance facility with the ability to upload and fund invoices through an online portal
• You want the flexibility to finance selected invoices or operate a more usage based approach rather than a fully committed whole ledger arrangement
• Your business meets Kriya’s UK limited company or LLP eligibility profile and can provide the required digital documentation
• You see value in a fintech style platform supported by the balance sheet and oversight of a specialist SME bank such as Allica Bank

7. Sources

• Bibby Financial Services, Invoice finance products
• Bibby Financial Services, Invoice factoring
• Bibby Financial Services, Invoice discounting
• Bibby Financial Services, Invoice finance overview
• Bibby Financial Services, Guide to Invoice Finance (PDF)
• Bibby Financial Services, Standard Conditions for the Purchase of Debts (sample terms, PDF)
• Bibby Financial Services, Service Promise (PDF)
• Bibby Financial Services, Contact Us
• Bibby Line Group, Bibby Financial Services company profile
• Trustpilot, Bibby Financial Services reviews
• ExpertSure, Bibby Financial Services Review UK 2026
• Gordon Ferguson & Co, Bibby Financial Services partner overview
• UK Finance, Invoice Finance and Asset Based Lending
• Kriya, main website
• Kriya, Instant Invoice Finance Solutions
• Kriya, Invoice Finance FAQs
• Kriya, Get Support
• Kriya, Contact Us
• Allica Bank, Kriya Invoice Finance
• FinTech Magazine, Allica Bank acquires Kriya
• Finder, Kriya (formerly MarketFinance) business loans and invoice finance review
• ExpertSure, Kriya Finance Review UK 2026
• FundInvoice, Kriya invoice finance overview
• Trustpilot, Kriya reviews
• Kriya, Financing for sole traders in the UK
• MarketFinance/Kriya, Invoice Finance additional requirements for construction debt (PDF)
• MarketFinance, Introducers Guide (PDF)
• Capitalise, 7 top invoice finance providers UK 2026
• Hello Aria, Top invoice financing providers in the UK
• Funding Agent, Loan application process