Sallyport Commercial Finance Review
Sallyport Commercial Finance Ltd is a Glasgow-based invoice finance provider set up in 2023 by former Bibby Financial Services staff. It is the UK arm of Sallyport Commercial Finance, a US and Canadian factoring group founded in Texas in 2014 and bought by Northrim Bank in 2024, so it is newer in the UK but not a standalone start-up. It offers factoring, invoice discounting, confidential invoice finance and bad debt protection to SMEs across the UK, and publishes no rates or minimums.
What this page covers
This page covers
Sallyport Commercial Finance products, ownership, published terms and its Glasgow team
Not covered here
General invoice finance education (see /guides/), sector pages (see /industries/), the full provider directory (see /providers/)
Key Facts
When Sallyport Commercial Finance Fits
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Scottish SMEs seeking local relationship-based invoice finance
The UK team is based in central Glasgow and names relationship managers on its own site, which suits businesses that want to meet their funder.
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Businesses frustrated with slow responses or rigid processes from larger banks
Sallyport's UK arm was set up in 2023 by former Bibby Financial Services staff, and it says it will make an offer within 24 hours of an online application.
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Transport, distribution, wholesale, recruitment and manufacturing businesses
These are among the industries Sallyport lists, alongside services and oil and gas. It also offers bad debt protection, which matters if a few large customers make up most of your ledger.
When to Look Elsewhere
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Multi-million pound international operations requiring global debtor ledger management
Better fit: HSBC Invoice Finance. HSBC's international network and scale better suited to complex cross-border factoring.
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High-volume construction subcontractors needing specialist sector expertise
Better fit: Ultimate Finance. Ultimate Finance has dedicated construction and subcontractor facilities with sector-specific credit management teams.
How Sallyport Commercial Finance Compares
| Provider | Type | Min facility | Fee from | Advance to | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Close Brothers | both | Not published | Not published | 90% | 5-7 days |
| IGF Invoice Finance | both | £2m (£5m+ turnover) | Bespoke | 90% | 10 working days |
| Bibby Financial Services | both | Not published | Not published | 85% | 5 working days |
vs Close Brothers: Close Brothers is part of a long-established UK banking group with a larger UK balance sheet and a longer UK track record; Sallyport's UK team is smaller and Glasgow-based.
vs IGF Invoice Finance: IGF works with larger businesses (£5m+ turnover), whereas Sallyport says it funds everything from new starts to multi-million pound turnover businesses.
vs Bibby Financial Services: Bibby is part of the family-owned Bibby Line Group with broader sector coverage and a much longer UK history; Sallyport's UK founders came from Bibby.
Illustrative worked example
Hypothetical: An Edinburgh engineering consultancy with £1.2m turnover
Not a real client. The charges are illustrative assumptions, not Sallyport Commercial Finance's published rates; Sallyport Commercial Finance quotes each facility individually. Monthly cost = £600 service charge (0.6% of £100,000) plus about £514 discount charge (7.25% a year on £85,000 drawn for a month, at the 3.75% Bank of England base rate).
Setting Up With Sallyport Commercial Finance
- 1
Initial discussion with Glasgow team
Apply online or call the Glasgow office. Sallyport says it will make an offer within 24 hours of an application, based on your aged debtor ledger and typical invoice cycles.
- 2
Credit assessment and facility design
Sallyport reviews your main debtors and trading history and sets the advance rate and debtor limits. It does not publish a typical timescale for this stage, so ask.
- 3
Documentation and first drawdown
Standard facility agreement plus debtor notification (for factoring) or confidential terms (for discounting). Sallyport promises "cash in days not weeks" once signed. Clients have a login for invoice uploads and ledger visibility.
FAQs
How does Sallyport's recent founding affect reliability compared to established providers?
The UK company was set up in 2023, but it is part of a group that has factored in the US and Canada since 2014 and was bought by Northrim Bank, a US bank, in 2024. Its UK founders previously held senior roles at Bibby Financial Services. So the UK track record is short, but the backing is not that of a standalone start-up. Ask for UK client references if the short UK history concerns you.
Do they only work with Scottish businesses, or UK-wide?
While Glasgow-based and strong in the Scottish market, Sallyport serves UK-wide clients. Their local presence is an advantage for Scottish businesses seeking face-to-face relationships, but they assess any UK business with suitable debtor quality. Expect particularly responsive service if your customer base includes Scottish debtors they know well.
What's the typical advance rate and how quickly do they release funds?
Sallyport does not publish an advance rate or setup time. It says it will make an offer within 24 hours of an online application and that clients get "cash in days not weeks". Ask for the advance rate and expected time to first drawdown in writing.
Can they handle confidential invoice discounting, or only full factoring with client notification?
Sallyport offers both confidential invoice discounting and disclosed factoring. Discounting keeps the arrangement private between you and Sallyport, with you managing collections. Factoring involves debtor notification and Sallyport handling the sales ledger. Choice depends on your customer relationships and internal admin capacity. Both structures are available.
Our Verdict
Sallyport is worth a quote, particularly for Scottish businesses that want a local team. Its UK arm is young, but it sits within an established North American factoring group now owned by a US bank, and its founders came from Bibby. It publishes no rates, so compare its offer with at least two others on total cost.
Sources: Sallyport Commercial Finance, about (UK arm founded 2023, group history, Northrim acquisition in 2024) · sallyportcf.co.uk (services, industries, offer within 24 hours, Glasgow office)
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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