Bay Street Lending vs Lendio: which one should you use? (2026)
Full disclosure: we are Bay Street Lending, so we're biased. We say plainly below where Lendio is the better choice, and every Lendio fact links to its source.
Bay Street Lending vs Lendio at a glance
| Bay Street Lending | Lendio | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Broker with one named advisor | Online marketplace with a funding expert |
| Smallest request | $25,000 | $1,000 (line of credit) |
| Startups | Not a fit (6+ months in business) | Startup loans up to $150K |
| Who sees your file | Only funders that fit your file | Lenders, banks and brokers in its network; no published cap |
| Cost to you | No fee from us; the funder pays us | Free to apply; lenders pay Lendio |
| Public reviews | 5.0 on Google from 45 reviews | Trustpilot 4.5 from 21,906; BBB A+ |
| Track record | $250M+ arranged by our team | $17B+ and 520,000+ loans claimed |
1. Lendio
The biggest small-business loan marketplace, and the better pick for small or startup requests.
- Best for
- Startups, requests under $25K, owners who want to compare offers online
- Amounts
- $1K to $5M+ depending on product
- Cost to you
- Free to apply; lenders pay Lendio
- Reviews
- Trustpilot 4.5 (21,906), BBB A+ accredited
Lendio is an online marketplace, not a lender. You fill out one application (Lendio says under 15 minutes, with no impact on your personal credit to apply), a funding expert reviews it, and Lendio matches you with lenders from a network it describes as 100+ lenders on its homepage and 75+ on other pages.
Its menu is wider than ours. Besides term loans, lines of credit, SBA, equipment and receivables financing, Lendio offers startup loans up to $150K, business credit cards, commercial mortgages and acquisition loans. Lines of credit start at $1,000. If your business is new, or you need less than $25,000, Lendio is the better choice: we will not be able to help you.
The trade-off is reach. Lendio's privacy policy says it will share your information with "lenders, business financing providers, banks, and brokers," who "may retain your information, even if you do not enter into an agreement." Its terms also say lender compensation "may impact the placement of financing offers." Recent one-star reviews on Trustpilot describe months of calls and texts after applying, expensive revenue-based offers, and account managers who change. Lendio attributes many unwanted calls to credit-bureau trigger leads and says it does not sell data to data brokers.
How Lendio works ↗2. Bay Street Lending
This is us. Built for established businesses that want an advisor, not a marketplace.
- Best for
- Established businesses needing $25K to $10M
- Amounts
- Working capital $25K–$2.5M; SBA, equipment, factoring and PO financing to $5M–$10M
- Cost to you
- No fee from us; the funder pays us if you fund
- Reviews
- 5.0 on Google from 45 reviews
Bay Street Lending is a broker founded by an investment banker and a partner who has spent his career in commercial finance. You apply once (a soft credit pull, about two minutes), and one named advisor works your file from start to finish. We compare 100+ funding partners, but your file goes only to the ones that fit it, and we never sell your information to other lenders.
Every option comes back priced side by side: total cost, payment and term, in writing, before you sign anything, with no obligation to accept. Working capital can fund as fast as 6 hours; SBA loans take 60 to 90 days. Our team has arranged $250M+.
Where we fall short: we have 45 Google reviews against Lendio's 21,906, we do not serve startups or requests under $25,000, and we do not offer credit cards or commercial mortgages.
Start an application →The differences that matter
- Your data
- Lendio: shared across its network. Us: only funders that fit.
- Who you talk to
- Lendio: a funding expert, plus matched lenders. Us: one named advisor.
- Minimums
- Lendio: about $8K/month revenue per Finder. Us: $25K+/month deposits for working capital.
Control over your file. If you are worried about a flood of calls, ask any marketplace or broker exactly who will see your application before you submit it. Lendio does not publish a cap. We send your file only to funders whose criteria it meets.
Who you deal with. Lendio pairs you with a funding expert and then with lenders directly. With us, the same advisor negotiates and stays your contact through funding and renewal.
Size of business. Lendio's lower revenue bar (Finder cites $8,000 a month) makes it the better route for smaller companies. Our working-capital programs start at $25,000 a month in deposits, so we fit established businesses better than early-stage ones.
Our pick
Choose Lendio if your business is under six months old, you need less than $25,000, or you want to shop many offers online and do not mind hearing from several lenders.
Choose Bay Street Lending if you are established, need $25,000 or more, and want one advisor to put a short list of priced options in front of you without your file traveling further than it needs to.
What we'd do today
- Write down the amount you need, what it is for, and the payment your cash flow can carry each week or month.
- Pull your last 3–6 months of business bank statements; both Lendio and we start there.
- Before you apply anywhere, ask who will see your file and whether they can share or keep it.
- Compare offers on total cost and payment, not only the rate. If an offer is unclear, ask for the total payback in writing.
Questions
Is Lendio a lender?
No. Lendio says it does not make loans or credit decisions. It is a marketplace that matches you with lenders in its network, and lenders pay Lendio for referrals or funded loans.
Does Lendio sell your information?
Lendio says it does not sell data to data brokers or lead generators. Its privacy policy does allow it to share your file with lenders, banks and brokers, who may keep it even if you do not take an offer.
Is Bay Street Lending a lender?
No. Bay Street Lending is a broker. The funder that approves your file pays us; you do not pay us a fee, and you are under no obligation to accept an offer.
Which is better for a startup?
Lendio. It offers startup loans up to $150,000 and business credit cards. Bay Street Lending works with businesses at least six months old and requests of $25,000 or more.
Will applying hurt my credit?
Neither starts with a hard pull. Lendio says applying will not affect your personal credit and accepting an offer may trigger a hard inquiry. Bay Street Lending starts with a soft pull.
See what Bay Street Lending can do for you
One application, one named advisor, and every option priced side by side. Your file goes only to funders that fit, we never sell your information to other lenders, and there is no obligation to accept.
Start your applicationSources
We checked every competitor fact on this page in October 2026. Terms change; confirm on the provider's site before you apply. Bay Street Lending is a broker, not a lender.