October 16, 2025

Lender Comparisons

Capify vs Nucleus Commercial Finance

Q: What types of financing does Capify offer?

Capify offers business loans and merchant cash advances.

Q: How fast can Capify provide business funding?

Capify can approve and provide funding within 24 to 48 hours, subject to eligibility and checks.

Q: What are the interest rates for Nucleus Commercial Finance loans?

Nucleus Commercial Finance interest rates typically range from 6% to 25%, depending on assessment and product.

Q: Does Nucleus Commercial Finance offer asset finance?

Yes, Nucleus offers asset finance alongside other funding options.

Q: What is the minimum trading history required by Capify?

Capify commonly requires a minimum trading history of 6 months.

Q: Are there any early repayment charges with Nucleus?

Nucleus states that there are no early repayment fees on key loan products, but you should confirm this on your specific offer.

Compare Capify and Nucleus Commercial Finance for SME loans and financial solutions, focusing on speed, flexibility, and tailored services.

James Laden

Co-founder and CEO

This comparison helps UK SMEs choose between Capify and Nucleus Commercial Finance. We look at products, pricing, speed, eligibility, and where each lender fits best. All product facts are linked to official pages or trusted references so you can verify details before you apply.

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TL;DR

Capify focuses on fast unsecured working capital and merchant cash advances with simple daily or weekly repayments; great for short‑term cash flow needs.
Nucleus offers a broader range, including unsecured and secured business loans and asset‑based options, typically over longer terms.
Both promote quick decisions; Capify often targets funding within 24 hours, while Nucleus aims for fast decisions and next‑day funding depending on product.
Early settlement: both state no early repayment fees on key loan products, but always check your agreement.
Digital experience: Capify provides quick online applications; Nucleus adds integrations like Xero and a borrower and partner portal.
Rule of thumb: choose Capify for speed on short‑term working capital; choose Nucleus for larger or longer‑term, more structured needs.

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Products and Terms at a Glance

Capify overview

Capify provides UK small business finance with quick decisions and funding, advertising eligibility checks in seconds and funds as fast as 24 hours for approved applicants (Capify). Core products include a small business loan with frequent, smaller repayments, and a merchant cash advance where repayments flex as a percentage of your card takings (how MCA works). Public pages indicate funding from about £5,000 up to upper six or seven figures depending on product (Capify small business loan info).

Typical sizes, terms and fees

Loan sizes: often from £5,000 upward; MCA sized against card turnover source.
Repayments: daily or weekly for loans; percentage of card sales for MCA source.
Speed: eligibility check online, decisions quickly, funds possible within 24 hours for approved cases source.
Early settlement: site messaging states no early repayment fees; confirm in your agreement source.

Pros of Capify

Very fast access for working capital with simple repayments source.
MCA flexes with takings, helpful for seasonal or card‑heavy sectors source.
Strong recent review profile on Trustpilot source.

Cons of Capify

Shorter terms on many offers can raise monthly cash out.
Headline maximums vary by assessment; large facilities may require additional checks.

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Capify vs Nucleus, visual dashboard

Use this dashboard to compare Capify and Nucleus at a glance. Range bars show minimum and maximum amounts and rates, with a dot for a typical outcome; stacked bars separate decision time from payout; the fees view contrasts arrangement and early repayment charges and adds a line for late fees; the digital radar summarises key features; sentiment pairs rating with review volume; and the risk versus growth bubble sizes each lender by loan book, helping you weigh speed, cost, eligibility and digital experience.

Each bar shows the typical min to max facility size that the lender advertises for a product. It is a capacity band, not a promise. For Capify, the Merchant Cash Advance size flexes with card turnover, and repayments are taken as a set percentage of card takings, which makes the facility more forgiving in quiet weeks and faster to amortise when sales rise learn more seasonality and repayments. Nucleus tends to support larger unsecured and asset finance facilities unsecured loans. The range bars in this chart use a “floating bar” format so you can see both ends of the scale rather than a single point chart method.

The columns show the interest rate band that borrowers might see after underwriting, while the dot marks a representative “typical” rate from the research. Rates move with risk, term, security, and recent trading. Capify serves many short term, unsecured working capital needs, which can push rates higher for speed. Nucleus prices tighter when risk is lower or security is available. Treat the band as possible outcomes, not an average. The typical marker is a single scenario, not a guarantee.

APR includes interest and certain fees, so it is often a better “all in” comparator than the nominal rate APR vs interest explained. APR still depends on term and when fees are paid. For example, an early settlement can shorten the term and change the effective cost. Always compare like for like, and read the offer documents for the exact fee treatment.

Time to cash is split into two parts. The first segment is application to decision, driven by data access, documents, and fraud checks. Open banking can speed this by letting the lender read your account data securely with consent how open banking helps lending. The second segment is decision to funds, which can vary if valuations or legal work are needed. Capify is built for quick unsecured funding, so total time can be a day or two if files are clean. Nucleus can be almost as fast on simpler loans, while secured or asset based facilities naturally take longer.

The stacked bars compare the headline fee mix. Arrangement fees are deducted from the advance in many cases, which slightly reduces net cash in. Early repayment charges matter if you plan to settle ahead of schedule. Capify can apply an early repayment fee on some products; Nucleus states no early repayment fees on key loan lines, though you still pay any outstanding balance policy page FAQ example. The line shows a fixed late fee for missed payments. Small late fees do not mean low risk. Consistent lateness can still trigger covenants and extra costs.

This radar compresses several digital features into a simple shape. A larger area means more digital tooling. Nucleus offers a mobile app and accounting integrations that can streamline uploads and reconciliation product hub. Capify focuses on fast online onboarding and flexible repayment structures for MCA MCA overview. For speed, secure data sharing via open banking reduces manual checks and can lift approval rates where the cash flow pattern is strong open banking UK.

Bars show the latest Trustpilot star rating, and the line shows the number of reviews, which hints at breadth of recent feedback. High ratings with higher review counts are generally more informative than a small sample Capify Trustpilot Nucleus Trustpilot. Always read a few recent reviews to understand the themes, and remember that review platforms verify some signals but cannot reflect your exact profile or use case.

Each bubble is a lender. The x axis is default rate, the y axis is growth rate, and the bubble size is loan book scale. A lower default rate with steady growth suggests disciplined underwriting. A higher default rate can come with faster growth when a lender serves urgent or higher risk needs. This is a snapshot. Default definitions, time windows, and portfolio mix matter, so always cross check the offer against your cash flow and security position.

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Nucleus Commercial Finance overview

Nucleus provides unsecured and secured business loans, short‑term loans, and asset‑based options, with amounts commonly shown from c. £3,000 to £500,000 for many unsecured loans and longer terms available on some products (short‑term loans)(product range). Its pages emphasise quick decisions and no early repayment fees on key loan lines (no early repayment fees).

Typical sizes, terms and fees

Loan sizes: examples from £3,000 to £500,000 on unsecured loans; broader ranges across the full product set source source.
Repayments: fixed monthly schedules on most loans; tailored structures for asset based facilities.
Speed: fast decisions with next‑day funding possible on simpler cases source.
Early settlement: policy pages state no early repayment fees on core loans source source.
Integrations: Xero connection via trusted partner to speed underwriting source.

Pros of Nucleus

Broader product range for growth or asset‑backed needs source.
No early repayment fees on key products, helpful if you plan to settle early source.
Good recent review profile on Trustpilot source.

Cons of Nucleus

More documentation for larger or secured facilities.
Asset‑based or property‑backed options can take longer due to valuations and legal checks.

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Costs and Repayments in Practice

Capify often uses frequent, smaller repayments that smooth cash flow. Nucleus typically uses monthly schedules, with options to repay early without extra fees on core loans. Always read your signed agreement, since exact pricing, fees and repayment patterns depend on assessment.

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Feature	Capify	Nucleus Commercial Finance
Typical loan sizes	From about £5k upward; MCA sized to card takings source	From c. £3k to £500k on many unsecured loans source
Repayment style	Daily or weekly for loans; % of card sales for MCA source	Monthly for most loans; tailored for asset‑backed
Speed	Decision quickly; funds possible within 24 hours source	Fast decisions; next‑day funding possible on simpler cases source
Early repayment fees	Site messaging: none on small business loans; confirm your offer source	None on core loans per policy pages source
Integrations / digital	Online eligibility check and portal source	Xero integration and online portal source source

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Illustrative examples below use rounded figures from the research pack dated 2023‑10‑15; they are not quotes. Always review your actual offer.

Worked example, Capify

Borrow £50,000 over 12 months at a representative 24.9% APR with a typical arrangement fee. Total repayable about £56,900 including fees, using Capify’s frequent, smaller repayments approach (illustrative, based on research data).

Worked example, Nucleus

Borrow £100,000 over 24 months at a representative 15.0% APR with an arrangement fee and no early repayment charge. Total repayable about £117,300 (illustrative, based on research data and lender statements about early settlement).

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Speed and Service

Capify highlights quick eligibility checks, rapid decisions and funding as fast as 24 hours where approved source. Nucleus signposts fast decisions and quick funding timelines on short‑term loans source. Recent Trustpilot pages for both brands show strong satisfaction signals that align with speed and service claims Capify reviews Nucleus reviews.

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Who Each Lender Suits

When Capify often fits

Retail, hospitality or service businesses with steady card takings needing flexible repayments linked to revenue.
Short‑term working capital for inventory, staffing, or marketing where speed is critical.
Firms that prefer daily or weekly bite‑size repayments to avoid large month‑end outflows.

When Nucleus often fits

Established SMEs seeking larger facilities or longer terms for equipment or expansion.
Businesses that may benefit from accounting integrations and a broader menu of funding options.
Borrowers who want the option to repay early without extra fees on core loans.

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How to Apply

Capify steps

Complete the online eligibility check and provide recent bank statements.
Receive a tailored offer; review fees, repayment frequency and any security or guarantees.
Sign digitally; funding can arrive quickly if approved.

Nucleus steps

Start an application and consent to open banking or connect Xero, if requested, to speed underwriting source.
Provide financials and any documents required for the facility type.
Review the offer terms; if you plan to settle early, confirm no early repayment fee applies to your product source.

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Final Verdict, Which Lender Fits Your Business Best

Choose Capify if…

You need working capital very quickly and can support daily or weekly repayments.
Your sales are card‑heavy and an MCA that flexes with turnover suits your cash flow.
You value frequent, smaller repayments over monthly lumps.

Choose Nucleus if…

You want a wider choice of unsecured and secured options.
You may repay early and want to avoid early repayment fees on core loans.
You want accounting integrations and structured term finance for growth.

If you want a neutral comparison and help matching to the right lender, speak to Funding Agent or send details via our enquiry form. We will assess your profile against multiple lenders and explain the trade‑offs in plain English.

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