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  5. Factoring

Factoring

Selling accounts receivable to a third party at a discount in exchange for immediate cash.

Lending & CreditRevenue Financing

FAQs

What is the difference between factoring and invoice discounting?

In factoring, the factor takes ownership and management of the receivables—they contact customers directly to collect payment, and the seller's customers know the receivables have been sold. In invoice discounting (also called confidential factoring or accounts receivable financing), the business retains control of credit management and collections; the lender simply advances money against the receivables as collateral, and customers continue paying the seller directly. Invoice discounting is confidential (customers are unaware of the financing arrangement), while standard factoring is disclosed. Larger, more creditworthy businesses typically use invoice discounting to preserve customer relationships.

How do you calculate the true cost of factoring?

To calculate the true annualized cost of factoring, consider: (1) the factor fee rate (e.g., 2% of invoice face value), (2) the advance rate (e.g., 85% of invoice value upfront), and (3) the average days until payment (e.g., 45 days). If you sell a $10,000 invoice, receive $8,500 upfront, pay 2% ($200) in fees, and collect the remaining $1,300 after 45 days, your cost for 45 days is $200/$8,500 = 2.35%. Annualized: (1 + 2.35%)^(365/45) - 1 ≈ 21% annual rate. This high effective rate explains why factoring is typically only considered when faster financing options are unavailable or when the working capital benefit outweighs the cost.

Is factoring appropriate for SaaS or service businesses?

Factoring is most appropriate for businesses with tangible, assignable invoices representing completed work or delivered goods—professional services firms, staffing agencies, manufacturers, and freight carriers. SaaS companies with subscription revenue may have difficulty factoring because recurring subscription invoices often represent future performance obligations rather than completed deliverables, making them harder to assign and collect as standalone receivables. However, specialized fintech lenders have developed revenue-based financing products that serve SaaS companies' working capital needs in ways analogous to factoring but better suited to subscription revenue dynamics.

Related Terms

Asset-Based Lending

Commercial lending facility secured by specific business assets, typically receivables and inventory.

Letter of Credit

Bank guarantee ensuring a seller receives payment once specified documentary conditions are met.

Revolving Credit Facility

Flexible bank credit line allowing repeated borrowing and repayment up to an approved limit.

Accounts Receivable

Amounts owed to a business by customers for goods or services delivered but not yet paid for.

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Factoring is a financial arrangement in which a business (the seller) sells its accounts receivable (invoices) to a third-party financial company (the factor) at a discount in exchange for immediate cash. Rather than waiting 30, 60, or 90 days for customers to pay, the business receives a large percentage of the invoice value upfront—typically 80–95%—with the factor advancing the remainder (minus fees) when the customer actually pays.

Factoring differs from a loan: the seller is not borrowing money but selling an asset (the receivable). Credit approval is based primarily on the creditworthiness of the seller's customers rather than the seller itself, making factoring accessible to early-stage companies or those with limited credit history that might not qualify for bank loans.

Two main types: recourse factoring (the seller remains responsible if customers don't pay—the factor can charge back unpaid invoices) and non-recourse factoring (the factor absorbs the credit risk of customer non-payment for approved invoices, typically at a higher fee). Recourse factoring is cheaper; non-recourse factoring provides credit risk protection.

Factoring fees typically consist of a factor rate (1–5% of invoice value per month) and a discount rate applied to the advance. For small businesses with slow-paying customers, factoring can be expensive—effective annual rates often exceed 15–40% when fees are annualized.

Factoring is common in industries with long payment terms: staffing (funding payroll while waiting for client payments), government contracting, manufacturing, and trucking. Modern fintech platforms (Fundbox, BlueVine, Triumph Business Capital) have digitized the factoring process, enabling same-day or next-day funding for approved invoices.