Top 10 Business Loan Lenders in Ireland
Top 10 Business Loan Lenders in Ireland
For Irish SMEs, this guide compares loan sizes, pricing transparency, terms, and business fit across leading lenders. Where a lender does not publish a current verifiable APR on an official page, APR is marked as Unknown. Prices accurate as of 2026-03-30.
1. Bank of Ireland
Bank of Ireland is one of the biggest business lenders in Ireland and offers a broad borrowing range for SMEs, from smaller working capital facilities to larger secured lending and green finance. It is a strong fit for established businesses that want mainstream bank lending, multiple product routes, and a lender with nationwide scale. Its range includes borrowing hub facilities from €1,000 to €120,000, larger business loans up to €500,000, green lending up to €1 million, and business overdrafts.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €1,000
- Max Amount: €1,000,000
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: Up to 15 years ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Business loans, green business loans, overdrafts, working capital
- Industries: General Irish SMEs, growth businesses, sustainability-focused businesses
Pros
- Very wide public product range for Irish businesses
- Small and larger loan tiers are both clearly available
- Green business lending extends up to €1 million
- Official pages publish current interest rates for several products
Cons
- APR is not clearly published across the full product range
- Larger facilities can involve more underwriting and documentation
- Security may be required on some bigger loans
- Not the lightest option for very early-stage businesses
Sources: Borrowing Hub Business Loans Loan Calculator Green Business Loan
2. AIB
AIB remains one of the most visible business lenders in Ireland, with clear products for loans up to €60,000, borrowing from €60,001 to €300,000, and sustainability-focused funding. It suits SMEs that want a major Irish bank, structured products, and relatively clear official pricing pages. AIB also publishes current business lending rates and a representative APR example for its sustainability loan.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €2,000
- Max Amount: €300,000
- Min APR: 5.14%
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: 1 to 7 years ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Business loans, sustainability loans, SME lending, working capital
- Industries: General SMEs, sustainability and retrofit-linked businesses, expansion-stage firms
Pros
- Current business lending rates are published on an official page
- Clear loan tiers for smaller and mid-sized borrowing
- No early repayment charges are stated for loans up to €60,000
- Sustainability product includes a representative APR example
Cons
- APR is not consistently published across every business loan type
- Maximum published amount in the core SME pages stops at €300,000
- Bank underwriting can still be slower than alternative lenders
- Eligibility can be tighter than revenue-based lenders
Sources: Loans up to €60k Loans up to €300k Business Lending Rates Business Sustainability Loan
3. Finance Ireland
Finance Ireland is a major non-bank lender in Ireland with business lending spread across SME, agri, equipment, premium finance, and commercial property. It suits firms that want a large non-bank option rather than a traditional bank, particularly where sector-specific funding matters. Public pages show everything from smaller equipment-style funding to multi-million euro commercial property lending.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €3,000
- Max Amount: €35,000,000
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: 3 years to 12 years, depending on product ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: SME loans, agri finance, equipment finance, premium finance, property lending
- Industries: SMEs, agriculture, equipment buyers, property owners, commercial borrowers
Pros
- Large non-bank lender with multiple business funding lines
- Very broad amount range across different products
- Useful for sector-led finance, especially agri and equipment
- Can suit borrowers that want alternatives to mainstream banks
Cons
- APR is not clearly published on core public product pages
- Product structure is more complex than a single-loan lender
- Some offerings are niche rather than general-purpose SME loans
- Terms and pricing often depend heavily on product line
Sources: Homepage SME & Agri Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme FundEquip Property Lending
4. PTSB
PTSB offers business term loans from €5,000, along with business overdrafts and SBCI-backed options for eligible borrowers. It suits Irish businesses that want a traditional bank relationship but need a clearer route into term finance than some niche lenders provide. Public pages show term loans up to 10 years and current variable pricing for business borrowing.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €5,000
- Max Amount: Unknown
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: Up to 10 years ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Business term loans, business overdrafts, SBCI lending
- Industries: General Irish businesses, sustainability-linked borrowers, day-to-day trading businesses
Pros
- Business term loans start at a practical entry point of €5,000
- Terms can run as long as 10 years
- Official business banking rates are publicly available
- Can combine standard banking with borrowing products
Cons
- APR is not clearly published on the main business lending pages
- Maximum loan size is not clearly stated on the core term loan page
- A facility fee may apply depending on the loan
- Traditional bank process may not be the fastest route
Sources: Business Term Loan Business Rates Business Overdraft SBCI Growth and Sustainability Loan Scheme
5. Linked Finance
Linked Finance is a long-standing digital SME lender in Ireland and remains one of the clearest online-first options for unsecured business borrowing. It suits established smaller businesses that want a faster digital application, transparent entry amounts, and terms up to five years. Linked Finance also promotes fast decisions and no early repayment fees on its core small business loan product.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €10,000
- Max Amount: €500,000
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: 6 to 60 months ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Small business loans, unsecured business loans, bill pay finance, merchant cash advance
- Industries: General SMEs, trading businesses, established companies with turnover over €100,000
Pros
- Strong digital proposition for Irish SMEs
- Published borrowing range up to €500,000
- No early repayment fees are stated on the small business loan page
- Decision can be as fast as 24 hours on promoted pages
Cons
- Official pages usually publish rates starting from a figure, not APR
- Trading history and turnover requirements can exclude earlier-stage firms
- Personal guarantees may apply on some products
- Not every product line publishes full pricing detail in one place
Sources: Small Business Loan Business Loan BillPay Merchant Cash Advance
6. Capitalflow
Capitalflow is one of Ireland’s best-known non-bank lenders and offers business loans, asset finance, and property lending. It suits borrowers that want a non-bank funding route with real people underwriting deals rather than a purely automated process. Capitalflow is also regulated by the Central Bank of Ireland and continues to position itself as a leading specialist business lender.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: Unknown
- Max Amount: Unknown
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: 3 to 24 months on bridging, other terms vary ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Business loans, asset finance, property loans, bridging finance
- Industries: SMEs, property-backed borrowers, asset purchasers, growth businesses
Pros
- Strong non-bank lender position in Ireland
- Direct lender with multiple commercial finance products
- Useful for borrowers that want alternatives to the main banks
- Central Bank of Ireland regulated
Cons
- Public pages do not clearly publish standard APR ranges
- General business loan amount range is not easy to verify publicly
- Some product pages are more product-led than rate-led
- Borrowers may need to enquire directly to compare total cost
Sources: Homepage Bridging Finance Business Lending Brochure
7. Microfinance Ireland
Microfinance Ireland is a specialist lender for micro-enterprises in the Republic of Ireland and is one of the clearest options for very small businesses, start-ups, and firms with difficulty securing bank finance. It suits businesses with fewer than 10 employees that need smaller unsecured funding and want straightforward public pricing. Unlike many lenders, Microfinance Ireland clearly publishes its interest and lower Local Enterprise Office-supported rate.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €2,000
- Max Amount: €50,000
- Min APR: 5.5%
- Max APR: 6.5%
- Loan Duration: Up to 5 years ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Small business loans, start-up loans, cashflow loans, expansion loans
- Industries: Micro-enterprises in the Republic of Ireland, start-ups, very small established firms
Pros
- Very clear official pricing and eligibility
- Strong fit for small businesses that banks often overlook
- No early or late repayment fees are stated in published terms
- Loan use cases include start-up, stock, working capital, and expansion
Cons
- Maximum size is much lower than mainstream banks and larger non-banks
- Only for micro-enterprises, not larger SMEs
- Funding scope is narrower for big capex or acquisition projects
- Not designed for high-growth businesses needing six-figure sums
Sources: Homepage Who We Lend To Loan Packages Terms and Conditions
8. GRID Finance
GRID Finance offers fast and flexible business funding in Ireland and is best known for funding linked to card and platform revenues. It suits businesses with steady transaction flows that want a quicker alternative to traditional bank underwriting. GRID is particularly relevant for trading businesses that can show the right revenue profile and need more flexible repayment mechanics.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €10,000
- Max Amount: €500,000
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: Varies by facility ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Business funding, revenue-based facilities, wholesale loans
- Industries: Republic of Ireland SMEs, card-based and platform-based businesses, trading companies
Pros
- Alternative funding route for revenue-generating SMEs
- Published maximum funding up to €500,000
- Can suit businesses that do not want standard fixed-term bank structures
- Revenue-based model can align better with trading patterns
Cons
- Public pages do not publish a standard APR range
- Eligibility depends heavily on turnover and transaction profile
- Not a fit for every business model, especially low-card businesses
- Cost comparison versus standard term loans can require deeper review
Sources: Homepage Apply for a Business Loan FAQ Wholesale Loan
9. 365 Finance Ireland
365 Finance Ireland positions its funding as an unsecured business loan alternative and revenue-based option for smaller firms that take regular card payments. It suits hospitality, retail, and other transaction-heavy businesses that want speed and flexible repayments. The trade-off is that its public pages explicitly say there is no APR or fixed-term pricing in the way a standard business loan would usually show.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: €10,000
- Max Amount: €250,000
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: No fixed term, repayment linked to card sales ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Unsecured business funding, merchant cash advance, revenue-based finance
- Industries: SMEs with card sales, hospitality, retail, service businesses
Pros
- Fast approval and funding path for card-taking businesses
- No collateral and no fixed monthly repayments
- Borrowing range is clearly published
- Repayments flex with sales activity
Cons
- Not a standard term-loan structure
- No published APR, so direct cost comparison can be harder
- Best suited to businesses with steady card turnover
- Less appropriate for firms wanting long-term fixed repayment certainty
Sources: Unsecured Business Loans SME Financing Business Cash Advance
10. Close Brothers Commercial Finance Ireland
Close Brothers Commercial Finance Ireland is a direct commercial lender in Ireland with business loans, asset finance, and asset-based lending for incorporated businesses. It suits firms that want specialist commercial finance rather than a standard retail-style bank loan. Its business loans page makes clear that, in the Republic of Ireland, business loans are available to incorporated entities only.
Loan Details
- Min Amount: Unknown
- Max Amount: Unknown
- Min APR: Unknown
- Max APR: Unknown
- Loan Duration: Up to 7 years on business loan search snippet, other terms vary by product ⌛
Services & Industries
- Finance Types: Business loans, asset finance, asset-based lending, refinancing
- Industries: Incorporated entities in the Republic of Ireland, asset-heavy businesses, commercial borrowers
Pros
- Direct lender with specialist commercial finance depth
- Useful beyond plain vanilla bank term lending
- Range includes asset finance and asset-based lending
- Clear incorporated-entity focus for Irish business loans
Cons
- Public pricing transparency is limited
- APR is not clearly published on accessible public pages
- Not aimed at sole traders or unincorporated firms for Irish business loans
- Can be a more specialist route than mainstream SME bank lending
Sources: Business Loans Professions Asset Finance Asset Based Lending
How to choose
Start with the amount you actually need, then work out whether you want a mainstream bank, a non-bank lender, or a revenue-based funding option. If cost comparison matters, favour lenders that publish clear pricing and be cautious where only interest rates, fees, or broad marketing claims are shown. Also check whether the lender is best for micro businesses, incorporated companies, card-taking firms, or larger established SMEs, because the best lender in Ireland often depends more on fit than on headline brand recognition alone.
Conclusion
Bank of Ireland and AIB stand out for breadth, scale, and public product visibility. Finance Ireland, Linked Finance, Capitalflow, and other non-bank lenders add useful alternatives for SMEs that want speed, sector fit, or different underwriting styles. The right choice depends on whether you want the lowest friction, the clearest public pricing, a specialist lender, or simply the lender most likely to approve your business profile.
