Optimum Finance Review
Optimum Finance is an independent invoice finance provider now part of the eCapital group. With facilities starting from £50,000, they offer factoring and invoice discounting to UK SMEs. The eCapital backing gives them stronger capitalisation than many standalone independents while retaining the flexibility and personal service that businesses expect from a non-bank provider.
Optimum Finance is an independent UK invoice finance provider now part of the eCapital group, offering facilities from £50,000 with advance rates up to 90% and service charges from 0.75%. More detail + scope
This page covers
Optimum Finance invoice finance products, minimum facility, advance rate, pricing and eCapital backing
Not covered here
General invoice finance education (see /guides/), sector pages (see /industries/), the full provider directory (see /providers/)
Key Facts
When Optimum Finance Fits
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Mid-market businesses with £500k to £5m turnover wanting independent flexibility
Optimum's £50k minimum suits SMEs outgrowing selective discounting but not yet ready for bank-tier underwriting. The eCapital backing means they can fund growth above £1m without facility caps you would hit at smaller independents.
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Recruitment, manufacturing, or distribution with sector-specific debtor concentrations
As an independent, Optimum underwrites case-by-case rather than using rigid sector scoring. Recruitment agencies invoicing a handful of corporate end-clients, and manufacturers with 30 to 40 percent debtor concentration on one buyer, both fit their flexibility.
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Businesses wanting personal service plus group-tier financial strength
Smaller independents can struggle when client cash flow needs jump unexpectedly. eCapital's wider treasury means Optimum can flex facility limits without the multi-week credit committee cycle banks need.
When to Look Elsewhere
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Startups or under 12 months trading
Better fit: Hydr or Triver. Optimum, like most independents, prefer trading history; Hydr and Triver focus on early-stage and spot factoring without minimum trading time.
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Larger facilities above £2m looking for the lowest possible rate
Better fit: Close Brothers or Skipton Business Finance, both bank or building-society backed. Neither publishes its pricing, so compare quotes.
How Optimum Compares
| Provider | Min facility | Fee from | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Optimum Finance | £50k | 0.75% | 5 days |
| Ultimate Finance | £50k | Not published | Within 1 week |
| IGF Invoice Finance | £2m (£5m+ turnover) | Not published | 5 days |
vs Ultimate Finance: Ultimate is similar on setup (within one week vs 5 days) and has a marginally higher fee. Both sit in the same independent tier; choice usually comes down to which underwriter responds faster to your specific sector.
vs IGF Invoice Finance: IGF (part of Investec) targets turnaround and complex files at higher rates. Optimum is cleaner-file friendly with simpler pricing.
Illustrative worked example
Hypothetical: A Manchester recruitment agency with £900k turnover invoicing four corporate clients on 45 to 60 day terms.
Not a real client. The charges are illustrative assumptions, not Optimum Finance's published rates; Optimum Finance quotes each facility individually. Monthly cost = £563 service charge (0.75% of £75,000) plus about £352 discount charge (6.25% a year on £67,500 drawn for a month, at the 3.75% Bank of England base rate).
Our Verdict
Optimum Finance offers a useful combination of independent flexibility with the financial backing of eCapital. The £50k entry point is accessible, and the group backing means they can support growth better than many smaller independents. A good middle ground between a pure independent and a bank-backed provider.
Official site: Optimum Finance
Founder & Managing Director, Muswell Rose, founder and PSC of Best Business Loans Ltd
Adam is the founder and managing director of Muswell Rose and a founder of Best Business Loans Ltd, the company behind Market Invoice. He spent over three years as managing director of Penny, a UK invoice finance business, and his career runs through insurance, mortgages, commercial finance and fintech lending. He writes the Market Invoice library.
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