Most inventory financing is not available to a startup, and the guides that say otherwise are the reason founders waste weeks applying for things they cannot get.
Five of the seven providers below publish a minimum revenue figure, a minimum trading history, or both. An earlier version of this page claimed these providers fund brands without demanding collateral, credit or long histories. That is not what they publish. Here is what they actually publish, read from each company's own website on 6 August 2026.
| Provider | Published minimum | Reachable in year one? |
|---|---|---|
| Kickfurther | $400K+ trailing 12-month revenue, or $200K to $400K with retailer POs. US, physical product, positive sales trajectory | Only with major retailer purchase orders |
| Clearco | 12+ months of consistent revenue above $100,000 USD per month | No |
| 8fig | 6+ months in business, $12K+ average monthly revenue, $100K+ annual revenue, US or Canada | Possibly, late in the year |
| Onramp Funds | $10,000 monthly sales, 6+ months selling history, legal US entity | Possibly, from month seven |
| Wayflyer | No published floor. Offers from $5k, typically 1.5 to 3x monthly revenue | Have to ask |
| Settle | No published floor. Working capital from $20K to $15M | Have to ask, and you need real POs and payables |
| Payability | No published floor. Qualifies on marketplace sales history and performance | Yes, if you are selling on Amazon or Walmart |
Out of reach for a genuine startup
Kickfurther is the one most often recommended to early-stage brands, and its published bar is the highest here: US-based brands at $400K+ in trailing 12-month revenue, or $200K to $400K if you have purchase orders from major retailers. It also requires a physical product compliant with state and federal regulations and a positive sales trajectory, and it states plainly that it does not fund every deal it reviews.
The structure is genuinely attractive, which is why it keeps getting recommended. It is a consignment agreement rather than a loan, it funds up to 100% of inventory costs, it pays your supplier directly, and no payments are due until you receive and start selling the inventory. It is also built for scaling CPG brands, not for startups generally. If you are under $200K trailing revenue with no retailer POs, this is a target for later, not an option now.
Clearco requires 12 or more months of consistent revenue above $100,000 USD per month, plus US incorporation and an active US business bank account. That is $1.2M a year. It takes no collateral, asks for no personal guarantees and uses capped weekly payments, all of which is good, and none of which matters until you are well past the startup stage.
Reachable once you have some traction
8fig has the lowest published bar of the inventory-specific options: 6+ months in business, $12K+ average monthly revenue over the last 3 months, $100K+ annual revenue, and a business based in the U.S. or Canada. Note that the $100K annual figure and the $12K monthly figure are both required, so a brand ramping quickly can clear the monthly test and still fail the annual one.
It funds every step of your supply chain rather than issuing a lump sum, and funding is equity-free, takes no collateral and does not affect credit score.
Onramp Funds publishes a legal US business entity, at least $10,000 in monthly sales and at least 6 months of selling history, with no personal credit check, across nine platforms: Amazon, Shopify, TikTok Shop, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, Squarespace, Walmart, Shopline and Stripe.
Being direct about this, because an earlier version of this page was not: Onramp Funds is not built for pre-revenue or first-quarter brands, and the six month history requirement is real. From month seven at $10,000 a month it becomes reachable. The variable option repays as a share of sales that moves with revenue, there is one transparent fee with no hidden costs, and no equity is taken.
The three that publish no floor
No published floor is not the same as no floor. It means you have to ask.
Wayflyer offers financing from $5k to $20m, with typical offers of 1.5 to 3 times monthly revenue subject to underwriting. It does not ask for personal guarantees or take equity, and sends cash directly to your bank account with no spend restrictions. The $5k entry point is the lowest published starting amount on this page.
Settle provides working capital from $20K to $15M and finances large purchase orders, seasonal inventory and supplier payment terms without equity dilution, based on real payables and purchasing data. The practical constraint is not revenue, it is whether you have the purchase orders and supplier invoices for it to underwrite. A brand buying small quantities on card does not.
Payability is the most accessible option here and the most misunderstood. It advances marketplace earnings for Amazon and Walmart sellers, qualifying on marketplace sales history and performance. It is not new capital, it is your own payouts arriving sooner, and the daily payout program carries daily fees for advancing sales. For a startup waiting out a marketplace payment hold, that can still be the difference between reordering and going out of stock.
What to do if you are below all of them
- Fix the timing before you finance it. Payout acceleration solves a delay. Financing solves a shortfall. Work out which one you actually have before paying for either.
- Get to the nearest floor deliberately. The two most reachable published bars are 8fig's $12K monthly plus $100K annual, and Onramp Funds' $10,000 monthly plus six months. Both are months of trading, not years.
- Retailer purchase orders change the picture. Kickfurther drops its floor from $400K to $200K if you hold POs from major retailers. A signed PO is worth more than revenue alone at this stage.
- Do not read silence as permission. Wayflyer, Settle and Payability publish no minimum. Ask each one directly what it is before you build a plan on it.
Frequently asked questions
Can a startup get inventory financing with no revenue?
Not from any provider on this page. Every one of them underwrites on sales history in some form, and five publish a specific minimum. Pre-revenue inventory is usually funded from founder capital, supplier terms, or a retailer purchase order used as leverage.
Which inventory financing option has the lowest published requirement?
Of the inventory-specific products, 8fig publishes the lowest at 6+ months in business, $12K+ average monthly revenue and $100K+ annual revenue. Kickfurther publishes $400K+ trailing twelve month revenue, or $200K to $400K with retailer purchase orders.
Does Onramp Funds fund early-stage brands?
Not pre-revenue and not in the first six months. Onramp Funds publishes at least $10,000 in monthly sales and at least 6 months of selling history, and there is no personal credit check. Below those thresholds it is not an option, which is a more useful answer than the one this page used to give.
Is Kickfurther crowdfunding?
Kickfurther describes itself as a consignment agreement rather than a loan, with a community of buyers funding inventory and funding paid directly to your manufacturer. Calling it crowdfunding obscures who carries the risk and how repayment works.
What if a provider does not publish a minimum?
Ask, and get the answer before you apply. Wayflyer, Settle and Payability publish no revenue floor on their sites. That is a gap in disclosure, not evidence that anyone qualifies.
See the funding structures or read how underwriting works.
Criteria were read from each provider's own website on 6 August 2026. Thresholds change without notice, so confirm current requirements before applying.
