A merchant cash advance gives your business capital now, in exchange for a share of the card and EFTPOS sales you’ll make in the weeks and months ahead. There’s no fixed weekly instalment to worry about. When the tables are full and the tap-and-go queue is out the door, you repay faster. When it’s a wet Tuesday in July, repayments shrink to match. FastBiz Loans arranges merchant cash advances from $5,000 to $300,000, with same-day funding possible once you’re approved and have signed.
It’s a product built for businesses that live on card sales. Here’s how it works, how the advance is sized, who it suits, and when you’d be better off with something else.
How does a merchant cash advance work?
A merchant cash advance works by advancing you a lump sum, then collecting an agreed share of your card takings until an agreed total has been repaid. There are three moving parts:
- The advance. A lump sum paid into your business account, sized from your recent card sales.
- The share. An agreed portion of each day’s card and EFTPOS takings that goes towards repaying the advance.
- The total repayable. The fixed amount you’ll repay in all, set out clearly in your agreement before you sign.
How the share is collected depends on the setup. In some arrangements it’s split off automatically through your payment provider before your takings are settled into your account. In others, a regular debit is taken from your business account, calculated from your actual card sales, and adjusted as your sales change. Your lending specialist will explain which method applies and what, if anything, changes at your counter.
Why do repayments flex with trade?
Because the repayment is a share of what you take, not a fixed dollar figure, it automatically rises and falls with your sales. Here’s an illustrative example of how that feels week to week, using an agreed share of 10% of card takings. The share for any real advance is set on the individual business.
| Week | Card and EFTPOS takings | Share towards the advance | What’s left from card sales |
|---|---|---|---|
| School holidays, sunny weekend | $24,000 | $2,400 | $21,600 |
| Ordinary trading week | $15,000 | $1,500 | $13,500 |
| Wet week, road works out front | $8,000 | $800 | $7,200 |
Compare that with a fixed repayment. A fixed instalment is the same in the quiet week as in the busy one, which is exactly when it hurts. With a merchant cash advance, the quiet week asks less of you. The flip side is that you can’t predict precisely when the advance will be fully repaid; that depends on how trade goes.
How is the advance sized?
The advance is sized mainly from your card turnover over recent months. Lenders look at how much flows through your terminals, how consistent it is, and whether there are seasonal patterns. The range is $5,000 to $300,000.
What helps you get a larger or quicker advance:
- Healthy, consistent card sales. Steady takings week after week are the strongest signal.
- A clear seasonal story. A Byron Bay cafe that triples in summer isn’t a risk if the pattern repeats every year and you can show it.
- Clean bank statements. Few overdrawn days or dishonoured payments, and existing finance repayments that are under control.
- Time trading. Six months or more is the usual starting point, so there’s enough history to size the advance fairly.
Have your merchant statements from your payment provider ready alongside 3–6 months of business bank statements. Those two documents tell most of the story.
Who is a merchant cash advance best for?
A merchant cash advance suits businesses where most customers pay by card at the counter or online. That’s a lot of Australian businesses: in the RBA’s 2025 Consumer Payments Survey, cards were used for around three-quarters of consumer payments, while cash had settled at around 15 per cent. If your takings look like that, your card sales are a natural basis for finance.
It’s a particularly good match for:
- Cafes, restaurants and bars — see our page for hospitality businesses.
- Independent retailers — boutiques, bottle shops, gift stores and more; see retail.
- Salons, barbers, gyms and studios — see beauty and wellness.
- Takeaway, bakeries and food vans with high daily card volume.
- Tourism and hospitality in seasonal regions, from the Margaret River wine region to the Tasmanian east coast.
Common reasons owners use one: a fit-out or refurbishment, new kitchen or salon equipment, stocking up before a peak season, a marketing push, or bridging a quiet spell without the pressure of a fixed instalment.
Example scenario — illustrative only. Tom owns a busy Adelaide brunch cafe, where almost every customer taps a card. He wants to expand into the empty shop next door before summer. He applies online on a Monday morning, shares his bank and merchant statements, and his advance is sized from his card turnover. After e-signing, the funds arrive the same day. Through the summer rush, repayments come off his card takings quickly; in the quieter winter months, they ease back automatically.
When a merchant cash advance isn’t the right fit
Being honest about this saves you money and stress. Consider another option if:
- Most of your income isn’t card sales. If you invoice other businesses, invoice finance or a small business loan will usually fit better.
- Your card sales are small or very irregular. The advance is sized from card turnover, so thin takings mean a small advance.
- You want to know exactly when it’s paid off. Because repayments flex, the finish date moves with trade. If a fixed schedule matters more to you, a lump-sum loan gives certainty.
- The funds are for a long-life asset. Equipment finance can be matched to the working life of the equipment.
- You already have several short-term debts. Adding another stacked repayment can squeeze daily cash flow. Talk to your lending specialist about consolidating or choosing one facility.
Five questions to ask before you sign
A merchant cash advance is simple once it’s running, but it pays to be clear on the details first. Ask your lending specialist:
- What is the total amount repayable? This is the single most important number. It shouldn’t change, however fast or slow trade is.
- What share of my card takings goes towards the advance? Picture that share on your quietest week and make sure the rest still covers wages, rent and suppliers.
- How is the share collected? Through a split at your payment provider, or by debits calculated from your sales? And what, if anything, changes at the counter?
- What happens in a really slow patch? Understand how the arrangement handles a closure, a renovation or a run of bad weather.
- Can I pay it out early, and how does that work? If a great season lets you clear it sooner, know the position in advance.
Good answers to these questions mean you can plan with confidence rather than guesswork.
Getting the most from your advance
The owners who do best with a merchant cash advance treat it as fuel for a specific move. Tie the funds to something that lifts takings, such as more seats, a longer trading day, a new product line or equipment that speeds up service, and the advance helps pay for itself through the very sales it repays from. Keep an eye on your card-to-cash mix, too: if more customers start paying cash or by bank transfer, less flows through the share, and the advance will take longer to clear.
Merchant cash advance vs small business loan
| Merchant cash advance | Small business loan | |
|---|---|---|
| Amount | $5k–$300k, sized from card turnover | $5k–$500k, sized from overall revenue |
| Repayments | A share of card takings — flexes with trade | Fixed instalments on a set schedule |
| Finish date | Depends on how trade goes | Known from day one |
| Best for | Card-heavy, seasonal or weather-affected businesses | Businesses wanting predictable repayments |
| Key extra document | Merchant (card) statements | Usually none beyond bank statements, ID and ABN |
For a deeper walk-through of the mechanics and the pros and cons, read merchant cash advance explained.
How fast can I get a merchant cash advance?
Same-day funding is possible once you’re approved and your documents are signed. The fastest applicants connect their business bank account through a secure read-only link, upload photo ID, and have their merchant statements ready to send. If your payment provider needs to set up a split, that step can add a little time, and your lending specialist will tell you up front.
What you’ll need to apply
- 3–6 months of business bank statements, shared securely online
- Recent merchant statements from your card payment provider
- Photo ID and your ABN or ACN
- Financial statements, only for advances over $150,000
Turn your card sales into capital
If your customers tap and go, your future takings can fund today’s plans. Start your 60-second enquiry and a lending specialist will size an advance around your card turnover. Every advance is priced on your business’s individual situation, and we look for the sharpest option available.
Your path to funds
Step 1
60-second online enquiry
Step 2
Share bank statements and recent merchant (card) statements
Step 3
Advance sized from your card turnover; decision made
Step 4
E-sign — same-day funding possible
Step 5
Repay automatically as a share of card sales until the agreed amount is met
Questions we get asked
How is a merchant cash advance repaid?
An agreed share of your card and EFTPOS sales goes towards the advance until the total agreed amount has been repaid. Depending on the setup, the share is split off at the payment terminal or collected by regular debits calculated from your card sales. Either way, bigger trading days mean bigger repayments and quieter days mean smaller ones.
Is a merchant cash advance a loan?
It works differently from a traditional loan because there's no fixed instalment. You receive an advance against future card sales and repay a pre-agreed total as a share of those sales. It's business finance, and the full amount repayable is set out clearly before you sign.
Do I need to change my EFTPOS terminal?
Not always. Some arrangements work through your existing payment provider, while others may involve a terminal linked to the funder. Your lending specialist will explain what, if anything, changes at your counter before you commit.
What if my card sales drop?
Your repayments drop too, because they're a share of what you actually take. That's the main advantage of a merchant cash advance for seasonal or weather-affected businesses. The trade-off is that the advance takes longer to repay in slow periods.
Can I get a merchant cash advance with bad credit?
Past credit issues can be considered case by case. Because the advance is sized from your card turnover, consistent card sales carry a lot of weight in the assessment. There's no promise of approval, but steady takings are a strong starting point.
How much does a merchant cash advance cost?
Every advance is priced on your business's individual situation, including your card turnover, how consistent it is and your trading history. We look for the sharpest option available and show you the total amount repayable before you sign, so there are no surprises.