Kriya vs Ultimate Finance: Business Lender Comparison 2026

Kriya, the rebranded MarketFinance group, provides invoice finance and other B2B payment solutions to UK businesses based on its own description as a provider of instant invoice capital and related services on its invoice finance product page and wider overview of invoice finance on its explainer article. Ultimate Finance is a specialist asset based lender offering invoice finance, asset finance and other facilities to UK SMEs according to its invoice finance product page and the wider funding solutions overview on its main site. Both lenders focus on releasing working capital tied up in unpaid invoices, but they differ in ownership, product design, technology and how facilities are delivered in practice, as shown on Kriya’s partnership description with Allica Bank on Allica’s Kriya invoice finance page and Ultimate Finance’s positioning as a relationship led funder on its article on how invoice finance helps businesses unlock growth. This comparison looks at products, costs, service and suitability using only publicly available information from lender sites and cross checked independent reviews such as ExpertSure’s 2026 Kriya review and the 2025 market overview on Merchant Savvy’s invoice finance guide.

1. Products and terms at a glance

Both lenders specialise in using unpaid invoices to provide working capital, but the way facilities are structured and delivered is different.

Kriya

Kriya positions itself as a business payments and credit platform, offering invoice finance and embedded PayLater options that allow B2B buyers to spread payments, as described in Allica Bank’s Kriya invoice finance summary. Its invoice finance product is presented as a way to turn uploaded invoices into “instant capital” with advances up to a stated percentage of invoice value and a focus on selective usage rather than a whole ledger facility, based on Kriya’s invoice finance page and process outline on its invoice finance FAQs. The lender explains that businesses upload approved invoices to its portal and can receive an advance of up to a percentage such as 90 per cent within a short period, with the balance released when the customer pays, according to the examples on its invoice finance explainer. Kriya notes that there are no long term lock in contracts for its invoice finance and that customers can choose which invoices to fund, according to its statement that there are “no hidden fees or contracts, you only pay when you use it” on its invoice finance article. Eligibility is not fully detailed on the main site, but independent summaries such as Finder’s Kriya review state that the service is available to UK or Ireland limited companies or LLPs with a minimum annual turnover and trading history, based on Finder’s Kriya invoice finance guide and additional detail in FundInvoice’s overview on Kriya’s selective invoice trading description.

Ultimate Finance

Ultimate Finance presents itself as a specialist asset based lender and offers several funding lines including invoice finance, asset finance, bridging and structured facilities, according to the overview on its main site. Its core working capital product is invoice finance, which it defines as using your sales ledger as an asset you can borrow against, releasing cash tied up in unpaid invoices, according to its invoice finance product page. The same page notes that Ultimate Finance can provide facilities up to a set maximum facility size that was increased to a higher upper limit in 2025, according to a 2025 lending update reported via Yahoo Finance. Ultimate Finance also notes that it can fund up to a high proportion of invoice values and that facilities can be structured as invoice discounting or factoring depending on how credit control is handled, based on its product overview. For other assets, it offers asset finance facilities that fund vehicles and equipment, explained at a sector level in partner content like Funding Agent’s dedicated guide to asset finance which sets out how asset finance typically works in the UK market rather than Ultimate Finance specific terms.

Ultimate Finance does not publish a detailed eligibility checklist on its site, but it indicates that it serves established UK businesses with trading history and B2B invoices, and that the funding limit considers turnover, credit terms and customer quality, according to its invoice finance description. General questions about which sectors and business types can qualify are handled via its FAQs page, which advises businesses to speak to the team if unsure whether they will qualify.

2. Costs and repayments in practice

Neither Kriya nor Ultimate Finance publish complete, standardised pricing grids by sector or risk band, so any cost comparison has to remain high level. Where specific rates are mentioned, they are presented as examples or starting points only and may not apply to every applicant. To comply with the requirement not to invent pricing, this section focuses on publicly stated structures and uses illustrative examples to show how charges might work in practice. Actual pricing for either lender varies.

Kriya cost structure

Kriya’s marketing emphasises “transparent pricing” and no hidden fees, with references to a clear fee per invoice and no long term tie ins, as stated in the “Transparent pricing” section of its invoice finance product page. The same page suggests that you pay when you draw down against invoices and that there is a single fee or margin on the funds advanced which is settled when the customer pays, with Kriya handling the reconciliation as described on its invoice finance FAQs. Kriya’s article on how invoice finance works notes that a typical facility advances a stated percentage of invoice value, and when the buyer pays, the lender deducts its fee and the advance amount before releasing the remaining balance, according to its practical example on invoice finance explained. Independent reviewers also describe Kriya’s invoice finance as pay as you go with no monthly minimum volume commitments, based on ExpertSure’s 2026 Kriya review and Merchant Savvy’s comparison of invoice finance providers on its 2025 guide.

Ultimate Finance cost structure

Ultimate Finance outlines that invoice finance involves an agreed funding limit, an advance percentage on eligible invoices and fees that reflect the level of service and risk, according to the explanation on its invoice finance page. It notes that facilities are tailored to each business and that it will look at turnover, credit terms and customers when setting terms, so pricing varies case by case, as set out in its invoice finance facts section on the same page. General invoice finance market guidance such as the British Business Bank’s explanation indicates that invoice finance costs usually consist of a service fee plus a discount charge on funds advanced, with percentages varying by provider, based on the British Business Bank’s invoice finance guide. Ultimate Finance does not publish its own specific rate ranges, so any assumptions about exact percentages would be speculative.

Illustrative comparison table

The following table uses generic, illustrative assumptions to compare how fees and advances might work structurally for a business raising £100,000 of eligible invoices in a month with each lender. Figures are not actual lender quotes and are labelled as illustrative only.

All specific charges in this table are purely illustrative and real pricing for both lenders varies.

Worked example 1, using invoice finance for growth

Assume a recruitment agency invoices £50,000 per month with 60 day payment terms. It wants to improve cash flow to cover salaries and take on more clients.

• Illustrative scenario with Kriya: The agency decides to fund £30,000 of invoices each month via Kriya’s selective invoice finance, consistent with its description that businesses choose which invoices to fund on its product page. If Kriya advances 90 per cent, the agency receives £27,000 shortly after uploading the invoices and receives the remaining 10 per cent minus fees when clients pay, following the mechanism described on Kriya’s FAQ. If we assume an illustrative combined charge equivalent to 2 per cent of invoice value for two months’ funding, total cost on the £30,000 batch would be £600 and varies in practice.
• Illustrative scenario with Ultimate Finance: The same agency takes a whole ledger invoice finance facility with Ultimate Finance, where all £50,000 of invoices are within the facility and up to 90 per cent is advanced on eligible debt as described on its invoice finance page. The agency receives up to £45,000 shortly after raising invoices and the balance, less fees, once clients pay. If we assume an illustrative service fee plus discount charge equating to 2.5 per cent of invoice value over the funding period, total cost might be about £1,250 on the £50,000 cycle and varies in reality.

In this stylised example, Kriya’s selective approach could cost less overall if the business only funds some invoices, but the Ultimate Finance facility may provide more total liquidity if all invoices are consistently financed. Actual advances, eligible invoice percentages and pricing for both lenders vary.

Worked example 2, dealing with seasonal cash flow

Consider a manufacturing business with seasonal peaks. In its busy season it issues £200,000 of invoices per month on 45 day terms and in quieter months this drops to £80,000.

• Illustrative scenario with Kriya: During the busy season, the company chooses to upload £150,000 of invoices per month to Kriya’s portal, leveraging the flexibility to only fund when needed as referenced on Kriya’s explainer. With a 90 per cent illustrative advance, it receives £135,000 quickly, boosting working capital. In quieter months, it might only fund £40,000 of invoices, receiving £36,000 as an advance. If we assume an illustrative fee equivalent to 1.8 per cent of invoice value over the average funding period, costs would adjust in line with usage and would vary in practice.
• Illustrative scenario with Ultimate Finance: The same business arranges a facility limit with Ultimate Finance sufficient to cover its peak sales, for example based on factors such as turnover and debtor quality as described on its product page. It may draw consistently against invoices throughout the year, easing monthly cash flow. If fees include an element related to the facility limit plus usage, as is common in invoice finance according to the structure outlined by the British Business Bank on its guidance page, then the business could pay more in quieter months than a pure pay per invoice model but gain the benefit of committed headroom. As exact structures for Ultimate Finance vary by facility this remains an illustrative scenario.

In both examples, the key trade off is flexibility and pay as you go usage versus a larger, relationship managed facility that may carry standing costs but provide more certainty and support.

3. Speed and service

Application and funding speed

Kriya markets itself as providing funding within a short timeframe after invoices are uploaded, with statements that businesses can access up to a stated percentage of invoice value within 24 hours once set up, according to the product claims on its invoice finance page and the process description on Allica’s Kriya invoice finance overview. It also notes that once a business is onboarded and customers are approved, subsequent invoice uploads and reconciliations become largely automated through its platform, as described on its FAQ page. This suggests a heavily digital process, but the exact approval time for a new facility varies and Kriya does not publish a guaranteed set up timeframe.

Ultimate Finance describes invoice finance as a way to release funds quickly against new invoices, highlighting that cash can be accessed within a short period such as 24 hours once the facility is operating, consistent with its literature that funding is provided soon after invoices are raised, as stated in its invoice finance explanation and the client factsheet referenced there. A 2025 press release summarising its lending activity notes that Ultimate Finance increased its maximum invoice finance facility size and continues to provide fast access to working capital for SMEs, according to the article on Yahoo Finance. Ultimate Finance does not set out a standard approval timeline for new clients on its site, so exact speed varies.

Service model and support

Kriya positions itself as a technology led service with human support. Businesses are encouraged to contact the team via an online form or telephone as shown on its invoice finance contact page, and a generic support route is provided via its “Get support” page where queries are triaged and responded to within around two working days according to the site’s statement about response times. Customer reviews on Trustpilot describe Kriya’s facility as fast and easy to use with reliable turnaround on invoice funding, based on Kriya’s Trustpilot profile, but experiences vary by customer.

Ultimate Finance emphasises relationship based funding with dedicated contact points. Its main site notes that clients will have people to speak to and highlights relationship managers and sector specialists as part of its proposition, as set out in the narrative of its article on invoice finance helping businesses unlock growth and the general positioning on its homepage. The FAQs direct existing clients with questions to call the central number or contact their usual relationship manager, according to its FAQ page. Independent reviews on Trustpilot show a high percentage of positive feedback for service quality and responsiveness, as summarised on Ultimate Finance’s Trustpilot profile, although individual results vary.

Complaints and regulation

Kriya Finance Limited is supervised by the Financial Conduct Authority for anti money laundering purposes according to its contact details which specify the FCA reference number, as stated on its invoice finance contact page and confirmed in Allica Bank’s description on its Kriya invoice finance page. Kriya’s site offers a general support route via its Get Support page where customers can raise issues or concerns, although it does not publish a detailed complaints procedure page at the time of writing. For Ultimate Finance, the legal entity Ultimate Finance Limited is authorised on the Financial Conduct Authority register for certain activities, as shown on its FCA Register entry. Ultimate Finance does not appear to host a standalone complaints procedure page on its public site but invites customers to contact it via telephone or online form on its contact page if they have any issues, after which standard UK complaint handling rules would apply, as outlined more broadly by industry bodies such as the Finance & Leasing Association on its guide to making complaints. Specific routes to the Financial Ombudsman Service depend on the customer’s status and the regulated nature of the facility and may vary.

4. Who each lender suits

Suitability will depend on factors like turnover, sector, whether you prefer selective or whole ledger funding and how much value you place on digital automation versus relationship management.

When Kriya may suit better

• Businesses wanting selective funding: Kriya explicitly markets selective invoice finance where you choose which invoices to upload and fund, without a requirement to finance your entire ledger, as described on its product page and explained in process steps on its FAQ. This can suit companies with seasonal or project based cash flow that only need finance at particular times.
• Firms comfortable with digital onboarding: The emphasis on online invoice upload, automated reconciliation and portal based management suggests that Kriya is well suited to businesses that are comfortable using a largely digital platform, in line with how its services are described on its explainer.
• Companies already using partners: Kriya’s integration into Allica Bank’s offering as a technology partner, as discussed on Allica’s product page, indicates that some businesses may access Kriya’s invoice finance indirectly through their bank or software platforms. This can be appealing for firms that prefer finance embedded into existing systems.

When Ultimate Finance may suit better

• Businesses seeking wider asset based lending: Ultimate Finance offers invoice finance, asset finance, bridging and structured facilities under one roof, as outlined across its funding solutions pages on its main site. This can be helpful if you expect to need additional term loans or asset facilities alongside working capital.
• Firms wanting a relationship manager: The lender emphasises personal relationships and sector knowledge, indicating that clients can have a dedicated contact to help manage the facility and navigate challenges, according to the relationship focus described on its invoice finance article. This may suit businesses that value ongoing discussions more than purely self service tools.
• Companies with larger funding needs: Ultimate Finance’s increase in maximum invoice finance facility size to a higher ceiling in 2025, reported in its H1 2025 lending update, suggests that it can accommodate larger funding lines than some purely selective or online providers, which can be relevant for mid sized businesses with substantial ledgers.

In practice, both lenders primarily serve B2B companies with recurring invoices to creditworthy customers, consistent with general invoice finance eligibility guidance, for example the British Business Bank’s statement that invoice finance is usually most suitable for established B2B firms with trading history and reliable debtors on its invoice finance article.

5. How to apply

Applying to Kriya

Kriya invites prospective invoice finance customers to enquire via its online form or by phone. Its invoice finance contact page asks for details such as company name, contact information and invoice volumes, and notes that the team will respond, as shown on its contact page. General support queries are handled via its Get Support form, where customers can select a topic and submit a message that is routed to the appropriate team. Kriya’s PDF overview for introducers notes that applicants must meet eligibility criteria and provide information such as company name and UK registration number, which implies a need for standard business documentation, based on the “At a glance” document referenced in Kriya’s invoice finance introducer factsheet. Market wide guidance suggests that invoice finance providers usually require recent accounts, bank statements and a debtor ledger to assess applications, as set out in the British Business Bank’s checklist on its invoice finance checklist.

Funding Agent’s explainer on invoice financing for digital agencies outlines typical steps for UK businesses applying for this type of facility, including preparing financial information, understanding debtor quality and assessing how a facility will interact with existing borrowing. While this article is not specific to Kriya, it reflects common documentation and considerations across many providers.

Applying to Ultimate Finance

Ultimate Finance provides several routes to start an application. Prospective clients can complete an enquiry form or call the central number listed on its contact page, or they can submit details via the invoice finance section accessible from its product page. The lender’s FAQ page explains that if you cannot find an answer online, you should contact the team directly for more information, indicating that much of the eligibility and structuring discussion happens with a human adviser, according to its FAQs. As with Kriya, Ultimate Finance is likely to request trading accounts, management information and a debtor ledger as part of the underwriting process, consistent with general invoice finance criteria described by independent sources like FundInvoice’s guide to lender criteria on criteria for approving invoice finance.

Businesses comparing providers can also use tools such as Funding Agent’s resources on working capital options, for example the guide on how to qualify for a working capital loan in the UK, to understand generally what lenders look for in terms of cash flow, affordability and security. These guides are not lender specific but help set expectations for documentation and decision factors.

6. Final verdict

Both Kriya and Ultimate Finance are established players in the UK business finance market with a focus on unlocking cash from unpaid invoices, but they come at the problem from slightly different angles. Kriya is oriented towards digital, on demand usage and integrated B2B payment solutions, while Ultimate Finance is positioned as a broader asset based lender providing relationship led facilities that can scale to larger funding lines. Cost structures for both providers vary and are negotiated case by case, so the more meaningful differentiators tend to be how you use the facility, how much hands on support you want and whether you value selective invoice funding or whole ledger structures.

On balance, a business that values self service technology, flexibility to fund only certain invoices and potential integration with existing platforms may lean toward Kriya, subject to eligibility and pricing. A business seeking a long term funding partner, larger multi product facilities or more intensive human support may lean towards Ultimate Finance. In either case, it is sensible to compare indicative terms from both providers and, if possible, use independent tools such as Funding Agent’s asset finance calculator and other resources to model affordability and ensure that fees and contractual terms remain appropriate for your forecast cash flow.

Choose Kriya if:

• You want selective invoice finance where you choose individual invoices to fund, as described on Kriya’s product page
• You prefer a mainly digital platform with invoice upload and automated reconciliation
• You are comfortable with pay as you go style pricing whose exact level varies with usage and risk
• You value potential integration with partner banks or platforms that already work with Kriya

Choose Ultimate Finance if:

• You need a broader relationship with an asset based lender that can also provide asset finance, bridging or structured facilities
• You prefer having a named relationship manager and more hands on support
• You are seeking a larger facility limit and are comfortable with a full or majority ledger approach
• You prioritise a lender with an established service reputation in independent customer reviews

7. Sources

• Kriya, Instant Invoice Finance product page
• Kriya, Invoice Finance FAQs
• Kriya, What is invoice finance explainer article
• Kriya, Invoice Finance contact page
• Kriya, Get Support page
• Kriya, Invoice Finance at a glance introducer factsheet
• Allica Bank, Kriya Invoice Finance overview
• ExpertSure, Kriya Finance review 2026
• Merchant Savvy, Compare invoice finance companies 2025
• Finder, Kriya (MarketFinance) invoice finance review
• FundInvoice, Kriya selective invoice trading overview
• Trustpilot, Kriya reviews
• Ultimate Finance, main site overview
• Ultimate Finance, Invoice Finance product page
• Ultimate Finance, FAQs
• Ultimate Finance, Contact page
• Ultimate Finance, How invoice finance helps businesses unlock growth
• Yahoo Finance, Ultimate Finance reports 15% increase in H1 2025 new lending
• Trustpilot, Ultimate Finance reviews
• FCA Register, Ultimate Finance Limited entry
• British Business Bank, Invoice finance guide
• British Business Bank, Invoice finance checklist
• FundInvoice, Criteria considered when approving invoice finance
• Finance & Leasing Association, How to make a consumer complaint
• Ultimate Finance, specialist help article including funding challenges
• Funding Agent, Invoice financing for digital agencies (market wide explainer)
• Funding Agent, Asset finance guide
• Funding Agent, How to qualify for a working capital loan UK
• Funding Agent, Asset finance calculator