Most small business owners assume they need a broker to get a merchant cash advance. They fill out a form, a broker calls them within minutes, and from that point forward the broker controls the process — including the offer they see and what it costs.
That assumption is costing merchants thousands of dollars per deal. You do not need a broker. Here is how to do it yourself.
A broker collects your information, packages your bank statements, and submits your file to lenders they have relationships with. For that service, they earn a commission — typically 3% to 10% of the funded amount — built into your factor rate without your knowledge.
On a $75,000 advance, a broker earning 8 points adds $6,000 to your total repayment. You never see a line item for it. It is simply baked into the factor rate they present you.
The broker's job is to close deals — not to find you the best offer. Those are not the same thing. A broker who earns more from lender A than lender B has a financial reason to push you toward lender A, regardless of which offer is actually better for your business.
The documents lenders need to underwrite an MCA are straightforward. You do not need a business plan, collateral, or years of tax returns. You need:
That is it. A broker does not have access to any documents or information you do not already have. They are simply a middleman who submits what you could submit yourself.
Log into your business bank account and download the last 3 full months of statements as PDFs. Make sure they show the full account number, business name, and all transactions. Do not use screenshots — lenders need official bank-generated PDFs.
Look at your average monthly deposits across those 3 months. Add them up and divide by 3. That number — your average monthly revenue — is the most important figure in your underwriting. Most lenders will offer 75% to 150% of your average monthly revenue as the advance amount.
Do not use a generic funding form — those sell your data to lead aggregators. Use a platform that sends your file directly to lenders without adding a broker layer. At AI MCA Exchange, you upload your statements, our AI underwrites your file, and real lender offers come back to you directly.
When offers arrive, do not just look at how much you are being offered. Compare the factor rate (total cost), the daily payment (cash flow impact), and the holdback percentage. The best offer is the one with the lowest factor rate and a daily payment your business can comfortably absorb.
You have every right to ask: What is the total repayment? Who is the actual funding company? Is there any prepayment discount? Take 24 hours to review the contract. Any offer that expires in hours is a pressure tactic — not a real deadline.
| Advance Amount | With Broker (avg 8pt markup) | Without Broker | You Save |
|---|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $4,000 in hidden commission | $0 | $4,000 |
| $100,000 | $8,000 in hidden commission | $0 | $8,000 |
| $150,000 | $12,000 in hidden commission | $0 | $12,000 |
Upload your bank statements, get AI underwriting, and receive real lender offers. No broker. No markup. No unsolicited calls. You are in control from start to finish.
Start at portal.mcaexchange.ai