About SBA Pre-Qual Checker

SBA Pre-Qual Checker is a free screening tool that estimates where a small business stands on SBA 7(a), 504, Express, and microloan eligibility. It answers five questions and returns a prioritized list of programs worth applying for.

Why we built it

SBA loan information is scattered across government pages, lender websites, and listicles that all quote different thresholds. A business owner who searches "do I qualify for an SBA loan" gets ten answers and no clarity. Most of the wasted effort isn't in the application — it's in applying to the wrong program, or to a lender that doesn't fit the business.

This screener narrows that down first.

How the scoring works

Your score is built from five inputs, each weighted by how much lenders actually care:

• Years in business — the single hardest gate. 7(a) and 504 generally require at least 2 years; Express can work earlier for some borrowers.
• Annual revenue — determines which loan size band makes sense and whether debt service coverage is plausible.
• Credit score — 680+ opens the widest range of products and the best rates.
• Number of employees — affects payroll coverage and some program eligibility.
• Use of funds — working capital, equipment, real estate, and franchise financing are treated differently by lenders.

We add a bonus when strong credit coincides with solid revenue, because that combination is what separates "lender-ready" from "worth a try." The output is a band — high, medium, or low likelihood — plus the specific programs that fit.

What we are not

We are not a lender, broker, or loan officer. We are not affiliated with the U.S. Small Business Administration, and nothing here is a pre-qualification, an offer, or a commitment to lend. SBA lenders make final decisions after full underwriting, which includes reviewing your financial statements, tax returns, and credit file.

This tool runs entirely in your browser. We do not see, store, or transmit the answers you give it.

Affiliate disclosure

Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and get funded a loan, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. That is how this tool stays free.

Affiliate status does not change our recommendations. Which programs we suggest is determined by your answers against published eligibility criteria — not by who pays us the most. Where we have no affiliate relationship with a lender we recommend, we say so.

How we make money

1. Affiliate commissions — when you get funded through a lender we refer you to.
2. Display advertising — never placed between an eligibility result and the recommended program.

We do not sell your data. We don't even collect it — see the privacy policy.

Accuracy and updates

SBA requirements and lender criteria change. Our scoring reflects published SBA guidance and common lender underwriting standards as of 2026. When thresholds change we update the scoring and re-stamp the affected pages. If something looks out of date, let us know.