365 Finance and Liberis offer sales-related business funding, but eligibility and payment obligations need to be compared at product level. The most useful decision is based on the amount the business receives, the full cost and the cash left after collections under weaker trading.
Current provider pages checked in November 2026 also show why older comparisons can mislead. Use the live application criteria and written offer, not an outdated threshold or a generic claim that every merchant advance behaves identically.
Start with the current eligibility information
The live 365 Finance FAQ states at least six months of trading and average monthly credit or debit card sales of £5,000. It describes advances from £5,000 to £500,000. Meeting those published criteria does not guarantee approval or a particular amount.
Liberis offers several products and partner routes. Its product comparison page presents different eligibility starting points for different products. Confirm the UK product available through the intended route rather than applying a platform-facing threshold to every applicant.
A business with substantial invoice revenue but little card turnover should pay particular attention to what income is assessed. Total turnover and qualifying sales are not interchangeable measures.
Compare the product before the provider
The reviewed 365 FAQ describes card-sales-percentage collections, an agreed single cost and no fixed repayment term. Liberis's merchant funding page includes a monthly minimum qualification of up to 3% and possible direct-debit collection of a shortfall.
That difference matters when forecasting a quiet period. Obtain the actual agreement's definitions and conditions rather than assuming lower sales remove every payment requirement.
The word flexible is not a complete description of the contract. Ask what happens during a closure, processor interruption, unusually low sales or a change in how customers pay.
A practical comparison checklist
| Decision point | What to establish for each offer |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Relevant trading history, qualifying receipt base and applicant entity |
| Usable funding | Cash received after any deductions |
| Total cost | All contractual payments and any separate charges |
| Collections | Percentage or schedule, eligible receipts and minimum conditions |
| Quiet trading | Cash remaining after collections and fixed operating costs |
| Early settlement | Exact amount payable on the proposed settlement date |
| Obligations | Guarantees, security, default terms and processor restrictions |
Complete the table using written offers. Public pages help identify questions but do not establish which provider will offer the business the lowest cost or best fit.
Understand the information behind an application
The 365 FAQ says a provisional quote does not require a credit check and describes a soft search later in its process. Confirm the search proposed for the actual application and distinguish a provisional indication from completed approval.
For either provider, prepare accurate sales and bank information, current finance commitments and the intended use. If turnover changed recently, explain why and use current figures in the affordability forecast.
Where multiple outlets or legal entities are involved, identify which owns the receipts and which will sign the agreement. Group sales should not be presented as the applicant's own revenue without a clear and accurate explanation.
Compare costs using the same net funding
Consider two hypothetical offers unrelated to either named provider. Both provide £25,000 net. One requires £29,500 total collections and the other £30,250, creating costs of £4,500 and £5,250 respectively before any other charges.
The first has £750 less total cost on those figures, but that alone does not establish that its collection pattern is affordable. A lower-cost offer can still withdraw cash at a rate that leaves too little for wages or stock.
Compare the repayment structures in our guide, Short-Term Business Loans UK: Compare 3–18 Month Options.
If the offers provide different net amounts, compare enough funding to meet the same business requirement. Include fees withheld at payout and any separate broker charge, without counting the same fee twice.
Do not confuse a fee percentage with APR
In the hypothetical £25,000-to-£29,500 example, the £4,500 cost is 18% of the amount received. That is not an 18% APR. An annualised measure depends on the actual timing of advances and collections and the relevant charges.
A fixed fee can remain the same even if collections finish sooner, depending on the contract. Ask for the early-settlement calculation rather than assuming a shorter period produces a proportional reduction.
Compare the full pound cost, collection schedule and business use together. The absence of a conventional interest rate does not mean the arrangement has no financing cost.
Test the percentage against margins
Suppose an illustrative agreement collects 10% of £40,000 eligible monthly sales. Collections would be £4,000 before other contractual conditions. At £25,000 of eligible sales, the percentage calculation gives £2,500.
The remaining receipts must cover product costs, wages, rent, taxes, refunds and existing finance. A business with a small surplus after those costs may struggle even though the deduction percentage looks modest against turnover.
These figures are generic examples, not 365 Finance or Liberis terms. Apply the actual percentage and any minimum-payment rules from each offer to the same forecast so the comparison is fair.
Model the minimum-payment provision explicitly
Where a minimum applies, obtain its calculation base, assessment period and shortfall process. Do not assume the percentage is applied to the original advance, current balance or sales unless the contract says so.
A weak-sales forecast should include any amount that may be collected separately, along with the regular sales-linked deductions. Ask how the provider handles temporary disruption and what information the business must supply.
For an offer described as having no fixed term, still review default provisions and other operating obligations. A flexible collection schedule is not permission to disregard the agreement or divert receipts.
Check the payment route
Identify whether funds are collected through a processor split, settlement account, direct debit or another mechanism. Confirm which sales channels count and whether online and in-store receipts are combined.
A business using marketplace platforms should reconcile gross sales to net payouts and verify compatibility. Customer card payments received by a platform may not enter the merchant's own collection stream in the same way as a terminal transaction.
Check any restriction on changing payment provider, bank account or business ownership. Consider the operational effect as well as the financing price.
Review guarantees and complaint routes
Ask for the exact security and personal-guarantee position. A product marketed as requiring no security should not be interpreted without checking all personal obligations in the agreement.
Review the guarantee questions in our guide, Fast Business Loans Without a Personal Guarantee UK.
Liberis's legal page distinguishes its receivables-finance product from the related payment-services arrangement. Ask each provider to explain the relevant regulatory status, complaint procedure and available protections for the specific product.
Do not assume that a payment-services registration or a familiar payment partner means the business funding is regulated like consumer credit. Resolve material contract questions before accepting the offer.
Compare speed against the real deadline
An initial quote, approved offer and cleared funds are different stages. Ask both providers which stage a stated turnaround describes and what checks remain for the business.
A supplier deadline may also depend on bank processing and the time the recipient treats payment as received. Avoid promising a payment solely because an application has produced an encouraging indication.
Prepare the supporting records using our guide, UK Business Loan Bank Statements: What Underwriters Check.
Prepare records early and confirm any required collection setup. The fastest public headline should not override a materially better cost or a more workable cash-flow arrangement.
Assess renewals as new decisions
A repeat advance or top-up may settle part of an existing balance before new cash reaches the business. Compare the additional usable cash with the entire future obligation.
Compare cash-flow funding structures in our guide, Cash Flow Loans UK: Compare Short-Term Funding Options.
Do not judge a top-up only by the amount displayed as approved. Request a reconciliation of the old balance, any new fee and the net payout, then update the forecast.
Repeated borrowing to cover the same operating deficit needs a wider review. Neither provider's willingness to assess another application proves that the business should take it.
Common questions about 365 Finance and Liberis
Which has easier eligibility?
The public information is not enough to rank approval likelihood for an individual business. Confirm the current product criteria, qualifying receipts and application route.
Which is cheaper?
Compare personalised offers using net proceeds, total payable and any other fees. Public fixed-fee descriptions do not establish a universal winner.
Are payments identical because both relate to sales?
No. The published minimum-payment qualification and the exact contract definitions can change the result. Model each offer separately.
Does meeting a published threshold guarantee funding?
No. Thresholds describe initial criteria, while approval and the final amount depend on assessment and the applicable terms.
Choose the agreement that fits the cash plan
Compare current eligibility and collection conditions, then test each offer against a lower-sales forecast. The right amount is the affordable amount needed for the business purpose, not necessarily the maximum available.
To discuss the requirement, contact Mehmi Financial Group with the intended use, recent sales, existing finance commitments and any written offers.