Satago vs Sonovate: Invoice Finance Comparison 2026

Satago Limited focuses on invoice finance and credit control tools for UK small and medium sized businesses, providing selective and full invoice finance alongside credit risk and debtor management features within a single platform based on its product pages and support content. Sonovate Limited positions itself as a funding platform primarily for recruitment agencies and consultancies and offers invoice finance and related funding solutions backed by a technology platform as outlined on its official site and invoice finance pages. Both lenders use outstanding invoices as the main security and each sets its own approach to eligibility, pricing, contracts and support, which can affect how suitable they are for different sectors and trading patterns. This guide compares Satago and Sonovate across products, costs, speed and service so UK businesses can decide which is closer to their needs, noting that specific pricing and eligibility can vary over time.

1. Products and terms at a glance

Satago

Satago is a UK based fintech lender that provides invoice finance facilities to businesses that trade on credit terms with other UK businesses according to its recruitment invoice finance guidance and eligibility information on its site based on Satago's recruitment invoice finance article. Satago offers both selective or single invoice finance and full ledger invoice finance, allowing companies to fund individual invoices or a whole sales ledger as described on its solutions and product pages based on Satago's invoice finance overview and full invoice finance product page. Satago emphasises that facilities are typically confidential or disclosed and that pricing is set per invoice financed, with no fixed minimum contract period advertised for certain full invoice finance products based on its product description. Eligibility criteria focus on UK limited companies in B2B trade that issue invoices with credit terms and trade with solvent UK counterparties, which is stated in its recruitment invoice finance eligibility information based on this article and supported by partner documentation such as the QuickBooks app listing that notes customer solvency requirements based on the QuickBooks integration page. Satago also integrates debtor management and credit information tools into its platform, so users can monitor credit risk and automate payment reminders alongside funding as set out on its main site based on Satago's homepage description.

Satago structures its facilities against eligible invoices that are within agreed payment terms and meets its internal criteria as indicated on its full invoice finance product page that lists conditions such as invoices being within terms and meeting eligibility rules based on the product page. The platform provides instant indicative pricing per invoice once accounts data is connected and eligibility checks are run, but final terms and facility limits are agreed individually and can vary over time, so businesses need to request a tailored quote based on Satago's invoice finance overview.

Sonovate

Sonovate is a UK headquartered funding platform that specialises in providing invoice finance and related funding to recruitment agencies, consultancies and labour market platforms, with a focus on contractor and temporary worker payroll, as described on its official website based on Sonovate's main site. The firm offers invoice finance that advances funds against approved invoices and timesheets, with up to 100 percent advance on invoice value referenced on its funding solutions pages and product descriptions based on Sonovate's funding services overview. Sonovate highlights that it can combine funding with back office support such as timesheet management and credit control for recruitment businesses, as explained in its product listings and support materials based on its invoice finance page and funding services page. The company states that it funds recruitment agencies of different sizes including start up and smaller firms that place contractors and temps, which is outlined in its start up funding information based on Sonovate's start up funding page.

Sonovate structures its product as an ongoing invoice finance facility governed by a recruitment finance agreement, which includes terms on invoice assignment, facility operation and obligations of the agency as detailed in its published conditions documents based on Sonovate recruitment finance conditions. Specific facility sizes, minimum or maximum terms and advance percentages beyond broad marketing statements are not fully itemised on public product pages, so prospective customers need to review their draft agreement and ask Sonovate for up to date details because these can vary.

How the product scope compares

Both lenders focus on funding unpaid invoices rather than providing traditional term loans, and both base facilities on the strength of the debtor book rather than solely on the borrower's asset base. Satago targets a broad base of B2B SMEs across sectors and emphasises single and full invoice finance plus credit control tools for general business use, while Sonovate focuses more narrowly on the recruitment and contractor market and combines funding with sector specific operational tools, based on their respective product and marketing pages cited above. This means that outside recruitment or labour supply, Sonovate may not be suitable, whereas Satago may be relevant to a wider spread of B2B SMEs that trade on credit terms, although final eligibility can vary.

2. Costs and repayments in practice

How each lender structures pricing

Both Satago and Sonovate treat pricing and fees as facility specific and do not publish comprehensive rate tables as of 2026, so exact costs vary. Satago describes its pricing as per invoice with emphasis on transparency, but detailed fee and rate structures are provided during application and are not fully disclosed on public web pages based on its product overview. Its full invoice finance product page highlights instant pricing for eligible invoices and pricing per invoice funded but does not give headline fee levels or interest margins based on this page. Sonovate highlights that it advances up to 100 percent of invoice value and promotes flexibility on costs compared with traditional banks in its explainer content but, similarly, does not list standard fee percentages or interest margins publicly, stating that terms depend on the business and are agreed via its agreements based on its invoice finance page and its invoice finance explainer article. Therefore, wherever figures appear in this section they are illustrative and not quotes from the lenders.

Typical cost components for invoice finance

In UK invoice finance, lenders usually combine several elements, which may include arrangement or set up fees, service or facility charges as a percentage of invoice value, discount or interest charges on funds drawn, and possible ancillary charges such as audit or reconciliation fees, with structures varying by provider according to secondary market commentary based on Sonovate's guide to invoice finance costs and sector guides from independent advisers based on a Funding Options invoice finance explainer. Satago and Sonovate may use some or all of these components, but neither sets all charges out, so prospective borrowers should request a full fee schedule before signing.

Repayments and how funds are settled

Satago advances funds against eligible invoices and is repaid when the debtor pays the invoice into a designated account, with the lender taking its fees and returning any balance to the client according to its invoice finance overview based on Satago's product description. The facility is typically revolving, so as invoices are raised, funded and repaid, the availability and borrowing level fluctuate with the debtor book. Sonovate operates in a similar way, advancing an agreed percentage of invoice value and then reconciling the balance once the end client pays, as explained in its articles about how invoice financing and receivables financing works based on its invoice finance explainer and its receivables finance guide. In both cases, the business effectively pays for early access to cash rather than a fixed monthly repayment in the style of an amortising loan.

Illustrative comparison table

The table below uses generic illustrative assumptions, not actual pricing, to show how costs could differ between a facility with lower fees but slightly lower advance rates, and a facility with higher advance rates and potentially higher service charges. The Satago and Sonovate columns are labelled for ease of comparison only and do not reflect confirmed pricing.

All percentages and structures in this table are indicative examples only to illustrate differences in emphasis. Businesses should not rely on them as quotes and need to obtain current offers from each lender.

Worked example 1, general B2B SME using Satago style facility

Assumptions for illustration only, not real pricing. A UK B2B services company issues a £50,000 invoice on 30 day terms to a UK limited customer. It uses a selective invoice finance facility similar to Satago's structure. Assume an 80 percent advance rate and a notional all in cost of 2 percent of invoice value for 30 days, covering service and discount charges, which in practice would vary by lender and risk profile.

• Invoice value, £50,000
• Advance at 80 percent, £40,000 advanced shortly after approval
• Illustrative total cost at 2 percent of invoice value for 30 days, £1,000
• When the debtor pays the full £50,000 into the lender's account at day 30, the lender deducts the £40,000 already advanced plus the £1,000 fee
• Net balance of £9,000 is returned to the client

Under this scenario, the business gains early access to most of the invoice value at an effective one month cost of £1,000, allowing it to manage cash flow. Actual costs will depend on Satago's quoted fees and risk assessment for that client and could be lower or higher.

Worked example 2, recruitment agency using Sonovate style facility

Again, assumptions are illustrative only. A recruitment agency supplies contractors to an end client and issues weekly invoices. One weekly invoice is £100,000 on 30 day terms, backed by approved timesheets. The agency uses a Sonovate style facility and, for illustration, we assume a 95 percent advance rate and an all in monthly cost of 2.5 percent of invoice value, though actual Sonovate terms can vary by client, sector and agreement.

• Invoice value, £100,000
• Advance at 95 percent, £95,000 available to meet contractor payroll and other costs
• Illustrative total cost at 2.5 percent of invoice value for 30 days, £2,500
• When the end client pays £100,000 to the lender, the lender recovers the £95,000 advance plus the £2,500 fee
• Net balance of £2,500 is passed back to the agency

Because advance rates for contractor payroll funding are often high, the agency can fund almost all of its payroll and margin upfront, but the effective funding cost in pounds will usually be higher than in a facility with a lower advance rate and lower fee percentage. Actual fees and advance percentages from Sonovate will differ by case.

Using tools to estimate affordability

Since precise fees are only given during underwriting, many businesses model scenarios using internal cash flow and working capital tools. Funding Agent provides explanations of products that complement invoice finance, such as working capital loans, and maintains guides that help businesses understand funding structures and how they compare with term debt or overdraft alternatives. For comparing different funding quotes, companies should consider total cost over time, any minimum usage clauses, notice periods, and potential termination fees, which can vary by agreement and should be set out in each lender's contract or terms.

3. Speed and service

Application and onboarding speed

Satago markets its invoice finance as fast and digital, highlighting that businesses can connect their accounting software, get instant pricing on eligible invoices and proceed through an online application using its support and help guides based on Satago's support centre and its customer support portal. Its help content indicates that there is a defined process for applications, checks, and what happens if a business is declined, but specific timeframes for approval and funding are not guaranteed publicly, so actual speeds vary.

Sonovate positions itself as a technology driven platform that can fund invoices quickly once set up, explaining in its receivables finance and invoice finance articles that funding can take place shortly after invoices and timesheets are approved and debtors are assessed based on its receivables finance explainer and invoice finance guide. Some Sonovate content describing how fast invoice financing can work mentions indicative timeframes such as funding in as little as 24 to 48 hours in generic examples, but these are illustrative and will depend on the particular facility and debtor, so real world approval and payout times can vary.

Ongoing service and support

Satago provides an online support centre with FAQs and guides plus a dedicated support email contact for operational issues as set out on its support page based on Satago's support centre and documentation hub based on its customer support docs. The platform also integrates with accounting systems like QuickBooks and Xero, which can streamline debtor reconciliation and reduce manual workload, according to its integration guides and partner materials based on QuickBooks app listing. Sonovate publishes a help centre and contact channels on its site, including sales and support contact details, and focuses its service offering around recruitment funding workflows and back office processes, as shown in its terms and support navigation based on Sonovate's terms and conditions page and general site structure based on its homepage. For both lenders, the quality of ongoing service will be shaped by account management, response times and integration stability, which are not easily verifiable from published information alone and can vary between clients.

Complaints handling and escalation

Although neither Satago nor Sonovate provides highly detailed public complaints statistics, each sets out processes for raising issues. Satago refers customers to its support centre for help and operational questions and is subject to UK regulatory requirements on record keeping and complaint handling for its invoice finance activities, referenced in its support documentation based on Satago's customer support docs. Sonovate hosts terms and conditions and legal documents which outline responsibilities, confidentiality and dispute resolution mechanisms for its recruitment finance agreements based on its terms page and related documents, and its customer support can also be accessed via phone and email that are listed publicly. Where disputes cannot be resolved directly, businesses may have access to external dispute resolution or legal remedies depending on regulation and contractual terms, which need to be checked in each specific agreement.

4. Who each lender suits

Satago, best fit scenarios

Based on its product scope and eligibility information, Satago is likely to be most relevant for UK B2B SMEs that:

• Trade with other UK businesses on standard credit terms and issue invoices that can be assigned to a financier, as its eligibility guidance specifies B2B credit trade and UK limited company status based on its recruitment invoice finance article
• Want flexibility to fund only selected invoices or a full ledger as needed, rather than committing to a fixed loan structure, because Satago offers both single and full invoice finance options based on its invoice finance overview
• Value integrated credit control, risk scoring and automated reminders as part of the same platform, due to Satago's positioning as a combined cash flow, credit control and finance tool based on its main site
• Prefer a digital first application that connects directly to accounting software and uses data to assess eligibility, reflecting its integrations and onboarding process based on the QuickBooks listing

Sectors such as general B2B services, wholesale and agencies that invoice UK limited companies on 30 to 90 day terms may find this model helpful. However, very small or early stage businesses without consistent invoicing data, or companies that trade heavily with consumers, may find eligibility more challenging because Satago emphasises B2B invoices and UK limited counterparties based on the eligibility guidance already cited.

Sonovate, best fit scenarios

Sonovate is more specialised and is likely to suit:

• Recruitment agencies that place contractors, temps or consultants and issue invoices based on timesheets and contracts, as its platform and marketing focus on being a recruitment funding specialist based on its homepage and invoice finance product page
• Start up or smaller recruitment businesses that want both funding and back office functions such as timesheet management and payroll processing, which Sonovate highlights on its start up recruitment funding page based on its start up funding guide
• Agencies and consultancies that want potentially high advance percentages against invoices to ensure they can meet contractor payroll before clients pay, based on Sonovate's statement that it can offer up to 100 percent advance on invoices on its services page based on this overview
• Businesses that prefer sector specific support and documentation, including conditions tailored to recruitment contracts, as laid out in its recruitment finance agreement terms based on its conditions document

Firms outside recruitment or labour supply may not meet Sonovate's target profile, and even within recruitment, acceptance and terms will depend on the agency's financial strength, debtor quality and contract structures, which Sonovate evaluates as part of underwriting as described in its receivables financing explanations based on its guidance.

Overlap and grey areas

There is some overlap where both providers might be considered, for example a recruitment agency that could use Satago's invoice finance as a more general B2B facility or Sonovate's recruitment focused funding. In these cases, the decision may come down to factors such as whether the agency values deep back office integration and sector expertise or prefers a broader cash flow management platform, as suggested by each provider's marketing focus based on the sources cited above. Because both lenders price on application and may have different risk appetites, agencies in this position would benefit from comparing actual offers side by side, including facility fees, advance rates, notice periods and any additional obligations.

5. How to apply

Applying to Satago

Satago invites businesses to start by connecting their accounting software to its platform, which allows the system to analyse invoices and debtors in order to present indicative invoice finance offers as described in its onboarding guides and integrations based on Satago's invoice finance overview and support centre. Typical steps, as inferred from its help documentation, are:

• Register an account and connect accounting software or upload financial data
• Review indicative pricing for eligible invoices generated by the platform
• Complete an application including details about the company, directors and key debtors
• Undergo credit, anti money laundering and fraud checks, with Satago evaluating debtor quality and trading history based on its support documentation and regulatory obligations described in its customer support docs
• If approved, sign the finance agreement and grant security such as assignment of invoices and, where required, guarantees

The exact list of documents and checks can vary by applicant, but typically includes identification, company accounts and bank statements, consistent with general invoice finance practice referenced in sector guidance based on the Funding Options invoice finance guide. Once a facility is live, funding of individual invoices can often be requested through the platform by selecting eligible invoices, subject to Satago's criteria outlined on its product pages.

Applying to Sonovate

Sonovate provides an online enquiry form and contact channels for recruitment agencies to discuss funding. Its process, as described in its articles on receivables finance and start up funding, usually involves:

• Submitting basic details about the agency, its turnover, client base and contractor volumes through Sonovate's contact or enquiry forms based on its main site
• Providing information on typical contract structures, payment terms and debtor profiles, which Sonovate reviews as part of its assessment of receivables quality based on its receivables finance guide
• Reviewing an indicative funding proposal that sets out advance percentages, fees and any back office services included
• Completing due diligence and signing its recruitment finance agreement and conditions, as detailed in its published terms based on its conditions
• Onboarding operationally, which can include setting up timesheet approval workflows, invoice submission processes and debtor notifications as described on its invoice finance and services pages based on invoice finance product page and funding services page

For start ups, Sonovate's specialist page indicates that it can work with new agencies, but eligibility and limits will still depend on factors such as directors' experience, contracts, and debtor risk, as its start up guide notes based on its start up funding page. Like Satago, it does not publish standard approval timeframes, so these will vary.

Key documents and checks to expect

Both lenders will typically require standard KYC and business documentation, although precise lists are not exhaustively published. Based on general UK invoice finance practice and the limited lender disclosures summarised above, businesses can expect to be asked for:

• Identification and proof of address for directors and beneficial owners, as part of anti money laundering checks, which are referenced generally in Satago's requirement to keep records for regulatory reasons based on its support docs
• Recent filed accounts and management information, to evidence turnover and profitability, consistent with sector guidance on invoice finance due diligence based on Funding Options' guide
• Details of major debtors and sample contracts or terms of business so the lender can assess enforceability and payment risk, which Sonovate discusses in its receivables financing materials based on its guide
• Bank statements and, in recruitment funding, sample timesheets and payroll processes, particularly relevant to Sonovate based on its recruitment focused invoice finance description

Businesses should read each lender's terms and facility documentation carefully before signing because these documents set out any minimum terms, fees, notice periods, security and covenants that will apply.

6. Final verdict

Both Satago and Sonovate are UK based providers of invoice finance that leverage technology platforms to underwrite and administer facilities. Satago focuses on B2B SMEs across sectors and embeds credit control and cash flow tools into its platform, with options for selective and full invoice finance based on its solutions and product pages cited earlier. Sonovate specialises in recruitment and contractor funding, emphasising high advance rates and integrated back office services tailored to agencies, as outlined on its main site and recruitment finance conditions. Since neither publishes full headline pricing tables, cost comparisons must be made using individual quotes and a careful reading of facility documentation, and actual suitability will depend on sector, trading profile and operational needs.

Choose Satago if:

• You run a B2B SME that trades on credit terms with UK businesses and wants to fund invoices selectively or across the ledger
• You value integrated credit risk scoring and automated debtor management tools alongside invoice finance
• You prefer a digital first application that connects to your accounting software and provides instant indicative pricing on invoices
• You are not primarily a recruitment or labour supply firm needing sector specific back office support

Choose Sonovate if:

• You operate a recruitment agency, consultancy or labour market platform that pays contractors or temps before clients pay you
• You need high advance rates against invoices and timesheets to cover payroll and operational costs
• You want funding and back office services such as timesheet handling and credit control from a single specialist provider
• You are comfortable working within a recruitment finance agreement structure tailored to your sector

In both cases, the right choice will depend less on generic headline features and more on how each lender's offer fits your debtor profile, funding requirements and operational processes at the time you apply. Comparing detailed offers, preferably with professional advice where appropriate, will provide the most reliable basis for a decision.

7. Sources

• Satago, company and product overview
• Satago, invoice finance solutions overview
• Satago, full invoice finance product page
• Satago, support centre
• Satago, customer support documentation
• Satago, invoice finance FAQs
• Satago, recruitment invoice finance article and eligibility guidance
• Intuit QuickBooks, Satago integration listing and eligibility notes
• Sonovate, company and platform overview
• Sonovate, invoice finance product page
• Sonovate, funding services overview
• Sonovate, funding for recruitment start ups
• Sonovate, terms and conditions
• Sonovate, how does invoice financing work
• Sonovate, what is receivables financing
• Sonovate, invoice finance costs you can avoid
• Sonovate, invoice financing vs factoring
• Sonovate, glossary guide to invoice finance terms
• Sonovate, recruitment finance agreement terms and conditions
• Funding Options, invoice finance overview and typical structures