Bridge funding is short-term business cash that covers a gap until money you already expect arrives, such as a customer payment, a seasonal rush or a larger loan closing. It is usually structured as a merchant cash advance or revenue-based advance, a short working capital loan, or a draw on a line of credit. It works best when the inflow that repays it is known and close, and the cost is smaller than the cost of missing the opportunity or the obligation.
Review My Funding Options →A bridge connects two points. In business funding, the first point is today, when a bill, payroll or purchase is due, and the second is a date when cash you can reasonably count on lands in your account. Bridge funding is the money that carries you across. It is not a product name in the legal sense; it is a purpose. Several different products can do the job, and the right one depends on how long the gap is and how certain the inflow is.
The key test is simple: can you name the inflow that repays it, and roughly when it arrives? If the answer is yes (a signed contract, receivables from reliable customers, a peak season you have seen several years in a row, an approved loan that has not closed yet), bridge funding can make sense. If the answer is a hope, the funding is no longer a bridge. It is a loan against uncertain future sales, and it should be sized much more carefully.
| Structure | How it is repaid | Typical fit | Watch for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merchant cash advance / revenue-based funding | A share of sales or fixed daily or weekly debits until a set total is delivered | Card-heavy or deposit-heavy businesses that need speed | Total payback is fixed up front; paying early often does not lower it |
| Short working capital loan | Fixed daily, weekly or monthly payments over a set term | Established businesses with steady deposits and fair credit | Payment size relative to a slow month |
| Business line of credit | Interest or fees on what you draw; repay and draw again | Recurring, predictable gaps | Draw fees, renewal terms, stronger credit needed |
| Invoice factoring | Your customer pays the invoice to the factor | B2B or government receivables on net 30 to 90 terms | Customer notification and first-funding setup time |
At Merchant Fund Express (MFE), the products used as bridges are the merchant cash advance, revenue-based funding, working capital loans, business lines of credit and invoice factoring, in amounts from $5,000 to $5,000,000.
$5,000 to $5,000,000. Scores from 500 considered. Same-day decisions are common on complete files.
Review My Funding Options →The numbers below are illustrative only, not a quote. A landscaping company needs $40,000 in March to buy materials and pay crews for spring contracts that start paying in May.
| Option (illustrative) | Cash received | Total repaid | Cost | Payment pattern |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue-based advance, 1.30 factor | $40,000 | $52,000 | $12,000 | About $2,000 per week over about 26 weeks |
| Short working capital loan, 9-month term | $40,000 | $48,800 | $8,800 | Fixed weekly payment of about $1,250 |
| Line of credit, draw $40,000 for 3 months | $40,000 | About $43,000 | About $3,000 | Interest on the balance; repaid when May receivables land |
The cheapest option on paper is often the one with the strictest guidelines. Lines usually need stronger credit and a longer history (MFE's guideline is around 650+, 1+ year and about $17,500 a month in revenue), while advances accept credit scores from 500. Use the funding cost calculator to test your own numbers, and always compare the total repaid in dollars, not only the rate.
Some companies use "Bridge Funding" as a product name. Spring (spring.ai, SpringCash LLC), according to its website, checked October 15, 2026, offers a product called Bridge Funding: up to $500,000 based on verified deposits, structured as a purchase of a share of future receipts, with one fixed fee shown before you accept. A set share of daily receipts is collected by ACH with a weekly ceiling. Spring says it runs a credit check when preparing the offer and does not publish a minimum score, revenue or time in business. Spring's product is a reasonable fit for an owner who wants an online, bank-connected process and a repayment that moves with daily sales. See our Spring review and MFE vs Spring for a side-by-side.
The general idea of bridge funding is broader than any one product. A share-of-receipts advance, a short loan, a line draw and factoring can all bridge a gap.
Same-day decisions are common on complete files, and funding often follows the next business day. To start, apply online or call (305) 384-8391 (English and Spanish).
Skip it if there is no identifiable inflow, if the payment would exceed what a slow month can cover, or if you would need a second advance to make the first one's payments. In those cases, a longer-term product or a cost reduction usually does more good than a fast bridge.
Merchant Fund Express reviews merchant cash advances, working capital, lines of credit, equipment financing, invoice factoring and refinancing of existing advances, from $5,000 to $5,000,000.
Review My Funding Options →Or call (305) 384-8391. English and Spanish.
They overlap. A bridge loan is usually a loan with a fixed term that covers a gap until longer financing or a sale closes. Bridge funding is the broader idea, and it can also be delivered through a merchant cash advance, a line of credit draw or invoice factoring.
With MFE, same-day decisions are common when the file is complete (application, ID, voided check and recent bank statements), and funding often follows the next business day. Invoice factoring can take longer the first time because customer notification has to be set up.
MFE considers credit scores from 500, mostly through merchant cash advance and revenue-based programs. Stronger credit usually means better offers and opens up lines of credit and working capital loans, which tend to cost less.
According to its website, checked October 15, 2026, it is Spring's working capital product: up to $500,000, structured as a purchase of a share of future receipts, with one fixed fee and daily ACH collections capped by a weekly ceiling.
MFE offers $5,000 to $5,000,000 across products. The realistic amount depends mainly on monthly deposits, existing payments and the product. Our how-much-can-I-borrow guide explains the usual sizing math before you apply.
Sources. Spring Bridge Funding; Spring FAQ. Competitor details checked October 15, 2026. Merchant Fund Express publishes this page and offers competing business funding; it has no affiliation with the companies named. Terms change, so confirm them with each company. Spotted an error? Call (305) 384-8391.