Underwriting · Updated Q1 2026
Business Loan Funding Time Benchmarks — 2026
Time-to-funds is the single most under-disclosed variable in commercial lending. This index compares median funding timelines from application to wire across SBA 7(a), bridge, term, working capital, equipment, and CRE — with Inflection Financing benchmarks vs the broader market.
The data
Median days from application to funded wire across every major commercial loan product.
| Product | Inflection Financing median | Market median |
|---|---|---|
| Bridge loan | 1 day | 3 – 7 days |
| Working capital line | 2 days | 5 – 10 days |
| Term loan | 6 days | 14 – 21 days |
| Equipment financing | 5 days | 10 – 18 days |
| SBA 7(a) (PLP) | 28 days | 62 – 120 days |
| SBA 504 | 45 days | 75 – 120 days |
| CRE conventional | 38 days | 55 – 90 days |
Methodology
Median business days from complete application submission to funded wire. Inflection Financing figures from in-house origination log; market figures from Federal Reserve Small Business Credit Survey + industry disclosures.
Key takeaways
- →Preferred Lender (PLP) status alone cuts SBA 7(a) close times by more than half.
- →Bridge and working capital lines routinely fund within 48 hours when documentation is complete.
- →Median funding time is a leading indicator of underwriting depth — faster does not mean looser at PLP-tier lenders.
Cite this — free to embed
<blockquote cite="https://inflectionfinancing.com/data/funding-time-benchmarks-2026"><p><strong>Preferred Lender (PLP) status alone cuts SBA 7(a) close times by more than half.</strong></p><footer>Source: <a href="https://inflectionfinancing.com/data/funding-time-benchmarks-2026">Inflection Financing — Business Loan Funding Time Benchmarks — 2026</a></footer></blockquote>
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Citation: Inflection Financing Commercial Lending Data, "Business Loan Funding Time Benchmarks — 2026" (Q1 2026). Available at inflectionfinancing.com/data/funding-time-benchmarks-2026.
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