Alternatives to SME Invoice Finance
The main UK invoice finance alternatives to SME Invoice Finance are Ultimate Finance, Time Finance, IGF (Independent Growth Finance) and Bibby Financial Services, compared below on product type, minimum turnover, advance rate, typical fee, setup speed and our overall rating.
Pick the alternative that fixes whatever SME Invoice Finance does not do for you: a lower entry point, faster setup, a higher advance or a different product type. More detail + scope
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UK invoice finance alternatives to SME Invoice Finance, compared on product type, minimum turnover, advance rate, typical rate, setup speed and rating
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In-depth single-provider reviews (see /providers/), head-to-head comparisons (see /vs/), general invoice finance education (see /guides/)
SME Invoice Finance vs the 4 alternatives
| Compared on | SME Invoice Finance | Ultimate Finance | Time Finance | IGF (Independent Growth Finance) | Bibby Financial Services |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Product | Invoice finance (factoring, CID) | Invoice finance (factoring, CID), bridging, asset finance | Invoice finance, asset finance, vehicle finance | Invoice finance (ABL, CID), asset-based lending | Invoice finance (factoring, CID, ABL) |
| Cluster | independent | independent | independent | independent | independent |
| Min turnover | £100k | Not published | £250k | £5m | Not published |
| Advance rate | Up to 95% | Up to 95% | Up to 90% | Up to 90% receivables + stock + plant | Up to 85% |
| Typical rate | Negotiated service charge plus discount margin | Quoted per facility (not published) | Not published (quoted per facility) | Bespoke pricing | Not published (quoted per facility) |
| Setup speed | 5 to 10 working days | Within one week (up to 5 working days) | 7 working days | 10 working days | 5 working days |
| Rating | 3.9 | 4.3 | 4.1 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
Ultimate Finance
Within one week (up to 5 working days) · Up to 95%Facility set up within one week, with funds paid within 24 hours of receiving invoices once live, according to Ultimate Finance. Owned by Tavistock Group.
Time Finance
7 working days · Up to 90%AIM-listed UK independent specialist lender whose gross lending book passed £250m in 2026 (company RNS). Multi-product (IF + asset + loans).
IGF (Independent Growth Finance)
10 working days · Up to 90% receivables + stock + plantABL specialist combining invoice finance with stock and plant lending under one facility.
Bibby Financial Services
5 working days · Up to 85%Describes itself as one of Europe's largest independent invoice finance providers, funding over 8,500 businesses; part of the family-owned Bibby Line Group and formed in 1982.
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Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.
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