Invoice factoring is a fast, flexible, and affordable form of financing that enables small businesses to access capital tied up in unpaid invoices. By selling your accounts receivable to a factoring company, you can get immediate cash flow without taking out a traditional loan or using a line of credit.
At Clarify Capital, we compare 75+ invoice factoring companies to find the best fit for your business, giving you the most competitive factoring rates, transparent terms, and fast approval.
What Is Invoice Factoring?
Invoice factoring is a type of business financing where you sell outstanding customer invoices to a factoring company in exchange for an upfront cash advance. Unlike traditional bank loans, factoring doesn't require strong credit history or additional collateral; your unpaid invoices serve as the asset.
Factoring companies typically advance between 70% and 100% of the invoice amount. Once your customer pays, you receive the remaining balance minus a factoring fee. It's a common solution for businesses that deal with slow-paying customers or long payment terms.
Invoice factoring helps improve cash flow without adding debt, making it a useful tool for managing working capital and pursuing growth opportunities.
How Does Invoice Factoring Work?
Here's how the invoice factoring process typically works:
Submit unpaid invoices. You provide accounts receivable to a factoring company.
Receive upfront cash. You get up to 100% of the total invoice value, often within one business day.
The factoring company collects payment. The factor takes over the invoice and collects directly from your customer.
You get the remaining balance. Once payment is made, the factoring company deducts fees and sends you the rest.
This structure gives small business owners a predictable way to turn outstanding invoices into working capital, without waiting 30, 60, or 90 days.
Types of Invoice Factoring
Not all invoice factoring agreements are the same. Depending on your goals and risk tolerance, you may choose between different types of factoring that impact how payments are handled and who bears the risk if a customer doesn't pay.
Recourse Factoring. In this common arrangement, your business is responsible if the customer fails to pay the invoice. It usually comes with lower factoring fees, but it carries more risk for the business owner.
Non-Recourse Factoring. With non-recourse factoring, the factoring company assumes the risk of non-payment if your customer defaults, offering more protection, but typically at a higher fee.
Spot Factoring (Single Invoice Factoring). Rather than committing to an ongoing agreement, you can factor just one invoice at a time. This is a flexible option for businesses that need occasional access to working capital or want to test the process before scaling.
Clarify Capital helps you compare options from 75+ factoring companies, so you can choose the structure that fits your business best.
What Is Non-Recourse Factoring?
In a non-recourse factoring agreement, the factoring company takes on the risk of non-payment. If your customer fails to pay the invoice due to bankruptcy or other qualifying events, you're not responsible for repayment.
This type of factoring typically comes with a higher factoring fee, but it can reduce risk for business owners concerned about customer payment reliability.
Invoice Factoring vs. Invoice Financing: What's the Difference?
Both invoice factoring and invoice financing are forms of accounts receivable financing. Either one can help a business turn outstanding invoices into immediate working capital, but they each work differently due to how funds are advanced and how money is collected from customers. Understanding the distinction between these types of financing can help you choose the right funding option based on your cash flow needs, customer relationships, and operational preferences.
Invoice financing keeps customer relationships intact, while factoring is better if you want to offload collection duties. Clarify Capital can help you evaluate both options.
| Invoice Factoring vs. Invoice Financing | ||
|---|---|---|
| Feature | Invoice factoring | Invoice financing |
| Who collects payment? | The factoring company | The business (i.e., you) |
| Customer involvement | Customers are notified and pay the factoring company directly | Private (customers are unaware) |
| Structure | Sale of receivables (invoices) | Short-term loan or line of credit |
| Control | The factor manages collections | You retain control over customer communication and collections |
| Flexibility | May require ongoing contracts or monthly minimums | Choose which invoices to finance with no long-term commitment |
| Risk | Non-recourse options shift risk to the factor | Business assumes repayment responsibility |
| Credit requirements | Based on your customers' creditworthiness | Based on your customers' creditworthiness |
| Speed of funding | Fast, often within 24 hours | Fast, often within 24 hours |

