Lendistry is a minority-led Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and SBA Preferred Lender that offers conventional business term loans from $10,000 to $350,000 and SBA 7(a) loans up to $5 million. It publishes starting rates (fixed from 11.99% on term loans, variable from 7.75% on larger SBA loans), a 620 minimum FICO score and a 2-year time-in-business minimum. It is also the lender behind Amazon Community Lending, a term-loan program for Amazon sellers. It suits established businesses that want monthly payments and published terms, and can wait days rather than hours.
This review is part of the SMB Compass lender reviews series. SMB Compass is a financing broker, not a lender: we help owners compare offers from a panel of lending partners. The figures below come from Lendistry’s own website and from Amazon’s own pages, checked on September 21, 2026.
Lendistry at a glance
| Product | Amount | Term | Rate (as Lendistry quotes it) | Published minimums | Processing time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Business term loan | $10,000 to $350,000 | 1 to 5 years | Fixed, “as low as 11.99%” | 2 years in business (or 1 year plus 5 years’ industry experience); 620 FICO | 3 to 7 business days |
| SBA 7(a) business term loan | $10,000 to $350,000 | 10 years | Variable, “as low as 8.25%” | 2 years in business; 620 FICO; debt service coverage of 1.1 or more | 5 to 20 business days |
| SBA 7(a) standard loan | $350,001 to $5,000,000 | 10 to 25 years | Variable, “as low as 7.75%” | 2 years in business (acquisitions may qualify); 620 FICO; debt service coverage of 1.1 or more | 35 to 90 business days |
| Amazon Community Lending | Not published on Lendistry’s program page | Not published | Fixed interest rate, according to Amazon | Amazon US store sellers | Not published |
Lendistry’s footnotes say the displayed rates “represent the lowest available rates and are not available to all borrowers,” and that “fees, including origination fees and, for SBA loans, guarantee fees, may apply.” Processing times are estimates “to close based on loan type selected.”
Who Lendistry is
Lendistry was founded in 2015. Its About page describes it as “a minority-led Community Development Financial Institution” focused on “underserved urban and rural small business borrowers and their communities,” and says it has deployed $10.5 billion in small business loans and grants and supported 640,000 small businesses. The legal name in its site footer is B.S.D. Capital, Inc. dba Lendistry.
A CDFI is a lender with a community development mission. Lendistry’s own explainer notes that CDFIs “receive funding through the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund or other sources” to serve underserved communities. Lendistry works with its nonprofit affiliate, The Center by Lendistry, which offers technical assistance, business courses and advisors.
Lendistry is also an SBA Preferred Lender. Its website says that, “as an SBA Preferred Lender, Lendistry can approve these loans faster than non-Preferred Lenders.” For how the SBA programs differ, see our guide to SBA 7(a), 504 and microloans.
Lendistry’s products
Business term loan
Lendistry’s conventional term loan is “a short-term, fully amortizing fixed-rate loan designed for established businesses that need capital quickly.” Amounts run from $10,000 to $350,000 over 1 to 5 years, with fixed monthly payments. Typical uses Lendistry lists include working capital, payroll, inventory and refinancing existing debt. Compare it with other business term loans.
SBA 7(a) loans
Lendistry offers two SBA 7(a) products. The smaller one covers $10,000 to $350,000 over a 10-year term; the standard loan covers $350,001 to $5 million over 10 to 25 years and can be used for commercial real estate, large equipment, franchise financing or buying a business. Both have variable rates. Lendistry says both are available only to businesses owned by US citizens or US nationals with a principal residence in the US or its territories, and that lawful permanent residents “are no longer eligible for SBA loan programs.” SBA rules change from time to time, so confirm eligibility with Lendistry when you apply. Our SBA loans page covers the program in more detail.
Amazon Community Lending
Amazon’s Amazon Lending page lists Lendistry as a term-loan provider and describes Amazon Community Lending as “a partnership between Amazon and Lendistry.” The loan is “repaid in equal monthly payments (principal + interest)” at a fixed interest rate. Lendistry’s program page says the program offers “short-term loans at competitive and affordable rates” to businesses selling in the Amazon US store, with a “fully digital” application plus one-on-one consulting, webinars and on-demand classes for sellers.
When Amazon announced the pilot on September 21, 2021, it said Lendistry would provide term loans “targeting a range from $10,000 to $100,000 with periods of up to two years and annual percentage rates generally ranging between 8% and 9.9%,” according to Amazon’s announcement. Those are launch figures from 2021; neither company’s current program page repeats them, so ask for current terms before you apply. For other options, see our guide to loans for Amazon sellers.
Lendistry also lists programs for Walmart Marketplace sellers, airport concessionaires and a Visa & Main partnership.
What Lendistry costs
Lendistry publishes a starting rate for each of its core loan products: 11.99% fixed on its term loan, 8.25% variable on its smaller SBA loan and 7.75% variable on its standard SBA loan. These are interest rates, the yearly cost of the money borrowed, and they are the lowest Lendistry offers; your rate depends on “creditworthiness, loan amount, term, and other factors.” The APR (annual percentage rate) adds fees to the interest rate, so it will be higher once any origination fee or SBA guarantee fee is included.
Lendistry does not publish its origination fee. Ask for it, and for the APR and total repayment, in writing.
Because the SBA loans are variable-rate, payments can rise if the underlying benchmark rate rises. The conventional term loan has a fixed rate, so its payment stays the same.
Who qualifies
Lendistry’s published eligibility criteria:
- Time in business: 2 years; for the conventional term loan, 1 year plus 5 years’ industry experience also qualifies
- A minimum FICO score of 620
- No business or personal bankruptcy, charge-offs or active collections in the last 3 years
- Conventional term loan: a payment-to-income ratio below 25%
- SBA loans: a debt service coverage ratio of 1.1 or more on the latest business tax return, and no prior loss on a federally backed loan
- Every owner with 20% or more ownership completes identity verification and gives a personal guaranty
Documents: a US government-issued ID and the most recent business tax return (3 years for SBA loans). SBA applicants also provide a personal tax return, a personal financial statement, collateral information, business licenses and use-of-proceeds documents. Lendistry says submitting an application “does not impact your credit score.” Our guide to SBA loan credit score minimums explains how lenders look at credit.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Published starting rates and terms for every core product
- Fixed monthly payments on the term loan, not daily or weekly debits
- Longer terms: 1 to 5 years conventional, up to 25 years SBA
- CDFI mission, with technical assistance and business courses through The Center by Lendistry
- SBA Preferred Lender status, which can speed SBA approvals
- Applying does not affect your credit score
Cons:
- Takes days to weeks: 3 to 7 business days for a term loan, up to 90 for a large SBA loan
- 2-year time-in-business minimum on SBA loans
- Personal guaranty required from every 20%+ owner
- Origination fee not published
- Current Amazon Community Lending amounts and rates are not listed on either company’s program page
Who Lendistry suits, and who should look elsewhere
Lendistry suits an established business with fair credit (620+), clean recent credit history and tax returns that show enough income to cover payments, especially an owner who wants predictable monthly payments or an SBA loan with guidance. It also suits Amazon sellers who want a fixed-rate term loan rather than a sales-linked advance.
Look elsewhere if:
- You need money within a day or two. See our Fora Financial and Credibly reviews.
- You want a large SBA loan from a bank with a national SBA focus. See our Live Oak Bank review.
- You sell on Shopify and want repayment tied to sales. See our Shopify business loans guide.
- You want a revolving line of credit. See our Fundbox review.
Pitfalls to avoid
- Treating a starting rate as your rate. 11.99% and 7.75% are floors, not quotes.
- Forgetting fees. Add origination and SBA guarantee fees to compare APRs.
- Relying on 2021 figures for Amazon Community Lending. Ask for current amounts, terms and rates.
- Underestimating SBA timelines. A standard 7(a) loan can take 35 to 90 business days to close; plan around that.
Frequently asked questions
Is Lendistry a CDFI?
Yes. Lendistry describes itself as “a minority-led Community Development Financial Institution,” and Amazon’s pages describe it the same way.
Is Lendistry legit for Amazon sellers?
Amazon’s own Amazon Lending page lists Lendistry as the provider of Amazon Community Lending term loans, and Amazon announced the partnership in September 2021.
What credit score does Lendistry require?
Lendistry lists a minimum FICO score of 620 for its conventional term loan and both SBA 7(a) products.
How long does Lendistry take to fund?
Lendistry estimates 3 to 7 business days to close a term loan, 5 to 20 for its smaller SBA loan and 35 to 90 for its standard SBA loan.
Does Lendistry charge fees?
Lendistry says fees, including origination fees and, for SBA loans, guarantee fees, may apply. Ask for the amounts in writing before you accept an offer.
Next step
If you are weighing a Lendistry offer, compare its APR and total repayment with at least one other offer. Our lender reviews hub covers other lenders, and the business loans page explains how SMB Compass can help you compare offers from our lending partners.
Sources
- Lendistry, homepage, loan products and eligibility: lendistry.com
- Lendistry, About Lendistry: lendistry.com/about/
- Lendistry, business lending: lendistry.com/business-lending/
- Lendistry, Amazon Community Lending: lendistry.com/amazon-community-lending/
- Lendistry, “What Is a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI)?”: lendistry.com
- Amazon, Amazon Lending: sell.amazon.com/programs/amazon-lending
- Amazon, “Amazon Community Lending pilot program to fuel small business growth” (September 21, 2021): aboutamazon.com
About this page. Written by Ezra Cabrera, Content Team Lead at SMB Compass. Figures were checked against each lender’s own website on September 21, 2026; lenders change their terms, so confirm current terms before you apply, and let us know if you spot a figure that has changed. SMB Compass is a business financing broker: we don’t lend our own money, and we are paid by the lenders we place loans with. This page is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice.