Working Capital
Editorial Team
At Working Capital, we believe access to funding should be simple, transparent, and designed around your business not the other way around. We’re committed to helping entrepreneurs make smart financial decisions with tools, guidance, and lending partners they can trust.
Securing funding for a small business rarely comes down to just approval. Business owners need a lender that understands how their business operates and can offer financing that fits. For many owners, that process is frustrating. They feel boxed in by limited options, confusing terms, and financing structures that don’t align with cash flow, all of which are only complicated by long applications and underwriting. The result is often a choice between convenience and control, speed and flexibility.
Square and Bluevine both offer growing companies access to business working capital loans, but they solve the underlying problem in fundamentally different ways. One solution is built into the tools businesses already use. The other is a standalone financing platform. Understanding how those differences play out in real scenarios can help business owners avoid costly mismatches and choose a solution that supports their growth.
Loan offers range from $100 to $350,000, based on Square sales history. Larger amounts reserved for high-volume sellers.1
Line of credit limits start at $5,000 but can go as high as $250,000. Term loans through partners can provide up to $500,000. SBA loans can offer up to $350,000 in funding.4
Once a loan offer is accepted, funds may arrive the next business day or instantly when deposited to a Square Checking account.1
Review process allows for approvals as soon as five minutes after submitting an application. Funding can arrive same-day or within 24 hours. Businesses banking with Bluevine can have instant access to funds.5
Square deducts a fixed percentage of daily sales until repayment is complete. Maximum loan term is 18 months, though 1/18 of the loan must be repaid every 60 days.1
Terms for line of credit draws range from six to 12 months. Repayment is structured as fixed weekly or monthly ACH installments. Payments not a percentage of daily revenue.6
Charges a one-time fixed fee per loan (no interest) which is disclosed upfront. No savings from early repayment as the full fee is owed regardless of payoff speed.1
Simple interest accrues on the amount borrowed with rates for the most-qualified borrowers starting around 7.8%. Borrowers only owe interest on funds drawn for days the balance is outstanding. No draw, origination, maintenance, or prepayment fees.5
No personal credit check. Approval based entirely on Square payment processing history.1
Credit score of at least 625 required.5
No collateral and no personal guarantee required.1
Lines of credit can be secured or unsecured. Personal guarantee may be required.12
Square Checking account available. Instant loan fund deposits with Square Checking. Accessible through the Square Dashboard.2
Bluevine offers Business Checking with approval. Provides instant access to draws, and seamless integration with the Bluevine Business Mastercard.8
Square Credit Card runs on the American Express network. No annual fee, no late fees. Credit limit influenced by Square sales volume. Rewards earned as free Square processing fees.3
Bluevine Business Mastercard earns unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases. No annual fee. Available to Bluevine checking customers by invitation only.8
Primarily offers short-term business loans repaid as a percentage of daily Square sales. Square Credit Card is also an option for qualifying businesses.1
Primary business financing product is a revolving line of credit. Businesses can access term loans and SBA loans through lending partners. Bluevine debit card and business checking account are also available.4
Exclusively available to businesses using Square to process payments. Offers appear in the Square dashboard and amounts are based on the merchant’s sales history. No self-initiated application.1
Small businesses in the U.S. with at least a year in business, a credit score at or above 625, and $10,000+ in monthly revenue ($120,000 annually) can often qualify. Bluevine does not offer funding to businesses in some industries and states (SD, NV, ND).5
Loan offers range from $100 to $350,000, based on Square sales history. Larger amounts reserved for high-volume sellers.1
Line of credit limits start at $5,000 but can go as high as $250,000. Term loans through partners can provide up to $500,000. SBA loans can offer up to $350,000 in funding.4
Once a loan offer is accepted, funds may arrive the next business day or instantly when deposited to a Square Checking account.1
Review process allows for approvals as soon as five minutes after submitting an application. Funding can arrive same-day or within 24 hours. Businesses banking with Bluevine can have instant access to funds.5
Square deducts a fixed percentage of daily sales until repayment is complete. Maximum loan term is 18 months, though 1/18 of the loan must be repaid every 60 days.1
Terms for line of credit draws range from six to 12 months. Repayment is structured as fixed weekly or monthly ACH installments. Payments not a percentage of daily revenue.6
Charges a one-time fixed fee per loan (no interest) which is disclosed upfront. No savings from early repayment as the full fee is owed regardless of payoff speed.1
Simple interest accrues on the amount borrowed with rates for the most-qualified borrowers starting around 7.8%. Borrowers only owe interest on funds drawn for days the balance is outstanding. No draw, origination, maintenance, or prepayment fees.5
No personal credit check. Approval based entirely on Square payment processing history.1
Credit score of at least 625 required.5
No collateral and no personal guarantee required.1
Lines of credit can be secured or unsecured. Personal guarantee may be required.12
Square Checking account available. Instant loan fund deposits with Square Checking. Accessible through the Square Dashboard.2
Bluevine offers Business Checking with approval. Provides instant access to draws, and seamless integration with the Bluevine Business Mastercard.8
Square Credit Card runs on the American Express network. No annual fee, no late fees. Credit limit influenced by Square sales volume. Rewards earned as free Square processing fees.3
Bluevine Business Mastercard earns unlimited 1.5% cashback on all purchases. No annual fee. Available to Bluevine checking customers by invitation only.8
Square’s core financing product is a short-term business loan that functions similarly to a merchant cash advance. Through its platform, Square identifies eligible businesses based on their sales history and extends pre-approved Square Loan offers directly within the Square Dashboard. Funding is available only to those who receive an offer. Merchants cannot apply for a loan.1
Square offers a range of loan sizes starting from as little as $100 up to $350,000. Only businesses with high sales volume can qualify for larger amounts. Square Loans do not accrue interest on the amount loaned. Instead, borrowers pay a fixed fee. Square communicates fee amounts upfront. Early repayment does not change the fee amount.1
Repayment is fully automated. Square deducts a fixed percentage of credit card sales daily until the total repayment is satisfied. Loans do not have a set term length, but the full balance is due within 18 months and pay at least 1/18 of the outstanding loan every 60 days.1
Because approvals are based entirely on the seller’s Square sales volume and processing history, Square does not perform a personal credit check and does not ask for collateral or a personal guarantee. Once an offer is accepted, funds can arrive as soon as the next business day or instantly into a Square Checking account.1
Bluevine’s financial offerings do not include revenue-based financing, such as a merchant cash advance. However, its business line of credit provides short-term financing for business expenses. It is a true revolving facility, and as each draw is repaid, those funds become available to borrow again. There is no fee to draw funds, and interest only accrues on funds drawn. However, repayment terms are short, generally six to 12 months.6
This line of credit is particularly well-suited for businesses with recurring short-term capital needs, such as seasonal inventory builds, payroll bridging, and cash flow gaps between receivables, where the ability to draw and redraw on demand is more practical than applying for a new loan each time. The credit limit can increase over time as the business’s financial strength grows.
Bluevine’s primary lending product is a revolving business line of credit that offers from $5,000 to $250,000.4 Unlike Square’s lump-sum loan repaid as a percentage of daily sales, Bluevine’s line of credit allows businesses to draw funds as needed, repay, and draw again, providing ongoing access to capital for short-term needs. Repayment for draws is typically structured as 26 weekly ACH payments over a term of six months. However, eligible borrowers can choose a 12-month repayment schedule.4
This business line of credit lender charges simple interest, applied only to the balance you carry. Top-qualified borrowers can access rates as low as around 7.8%. Because interest is calculated daily on the outstanding amount, repaying a draw sooner directly lowers the total interest you pay. Plus, there are no hidden costs, including maintenance, origination, draw, or prepayment fees.6 Businesses that open a Bluevine Business Checking account, which gives them access to draws instantly within the dashboard. Funding typically deposit in external accounts within 24 hours.10
Qualifications include a credit score of at least 625, 12 months in business, and a minimum of $10,000 in monthly revenue. The line can be secured or unsecured, with the best terms available on secured lines.6 Certain industries, including cannabis, gambling, adult entertainment, and financial services companies, are ineligible, and Bluevine does not operate in Nevada, North Dakota, or South Dakota.9
While Square does offer short-term loans for business needs, the loan structure more closely resembles a business cash advance. Square Loans have a maximum repayment window of 18 months. There are no multi-year fixed-term options available through Square for longer-horizon capital needs, and no fixed installment schedule. Instead, Square deducts a percentage of daily transactions until the loan is paid in full.
Though it is not an approved SBA lender, Bluevine can provide clients with access to SBA 7(a) loans up to $350,000 through its partner lending network. When an owner submits an application, an SBA lending partner handles the application review, underwriting, approval, and financing.7 While Bluevine uses a fast application and approval process for its lines of credit, approval and funding for SBA products follow standard SBA timelines, which typically span several weeks.
Standard SBA requirements, which include at least two years in business, healthy revenue, and a strong credit history still apply to every loan. Bluevine can help facilitate SBA loan down payments by offering a line of credit. However, their involvement ends there. Bluevine’s partner network cannot accommodate requests for loans above $350,000.7 Businesses seeking larger funding amounts will need to apply elsewhere.
Sellers using the Square platform can access the Square Credit Card, a business credit card for small businesses issued on the American Express network with a credit limit tied to the seller’s Square sales volume. So, as the business grows and payment processing volume increases, so can the credit limit, making the Square Card an option that can grow alongside a business.3
The Square Card keeps fees down, as it carries no annual fee and no late fees. However, there is no mention of cash back on purchases, travel perks, or a low introductory APR. Its primary reward is free Square payment processing. Spending on the card earns credits that offset Square processing fees on future transactions. The Square Credit Card’s rewards are exclusively relevant to businesses that use Square’s payment processing ecosystem.3
Business owners who use Square can conveniently manage their Square Checking account and Square Card within the Square Dashboard. For businesses that do not use Square as their primary payment processor, the card may offer limited practical value.
The Bluevine Business Debit Mastercard is a no-monthly-fee debit card for small businesses that offers up to 4.0% cash back on purchases. It integrates with the Bluevine Business Checking, so owners can manage and track payments through the Bluevine dashboard. Mastercard offers its standard security and fraud protections for owners with Bluevine business cards.8
The Bluevine card is not an open application product. Bluevine only makes it available to business owners with a Bluevine Business Checking account. Invitations come through the Bluevine platform.8 The card’s cashback reward is beneficial for a wide variety of business needs, making it broadly applicable.
Bluevine’s business checking account is offered to business owners when approved for a line of credit and is a central part of Bluevine’s product ecosystem. The no-fee checking account earns interest on balances and allows fast access to funds drawn on their line of credit instantly. Requested funds appear immediately in the Bluevine checking account. Without a Bluevine account, it can take up to 24 hours to access draws.
The account also integrates with the Bluevine Business Mastercard, which works as a functional standalone business banking product in addition to its role supporting the credit line.
At the end of the day, the choice between Square and Bluevine depends on your business specific needs and how you want to access capital. Square offers speed and simplicity, but only within its ecosystem and on its terms. Bluevine provides broader access and more control, but requires a more traditional application and repayment structure.
For small business owners, the goal is not just to get funded; it’s to get funded in a way that supports how cash flows through the business. The right small business working capital loan provider should support that flow. When you understand how each lender finances small businesses, you can look beyond convenience or availability and choose a solution that aligns with your growth strategy, rather than just meeting an immediate need.
1https://squareup.com/us/en/banking/loans
2https://square.site/help/us/en/article/7594-get-started-with-square-checking
3https://squareup.com/us/en/banking/credit-card
4https://www.bluevine.com/business-loans
5https://www.bluevine.com/business-loans/line-of-credit
6https://support.bluevine.com/s/article/What-are-the-Bluevine-Line-of-Credit-repayment-plans-and-their-requirements
7https://www.bluevine.com/business-loans/sba-loan
8https://www.bluevine.com/business-checking/debit-card
9https://support.bluevine.com/s/article/Am-I-potentially-eligible-for-a-Bluevine-Line-of-Credit
10https://www.bluevine.com/guides/line-of-credit/how-to-use-line-of-credit
11https://www.bluevine.com/business-loans/term-loan
12https://www.bluevine.com/blog/how-to-get-business-line-of-credit
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