Gig worker, freelancer, independent contractor, small business owner. If you work for yourself and need to borrow money, it doesn’t really matter what you call yourself. All your bank knows is that you’re self-employed, and as such, they see you as a risk when it comes to letting you borrow money.
Fortunately, there are FinTech companies out there, like Giggle Finance, that don’t have a problem lending money to 1099 contractors. Unlike their big bank counterparts, they won’t demand years of tax returns or have you fill out a mountain of paperwork before they’ll consider you for a loan.
Giggle Finance helps connect gig workers and the self-employed to loans, providing fast and transparent financing without the hassle we’d get from traditional banks. If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation where you need a loan to tide you over (car repair issues, anyone?), Giggle Finance might be right for you.
This article was sponsored by Giggle Finance, but all opinions are our own.
What is Giggle Finance?
Giggle Finance is an online lending platform that provides fast and transparent financing to help small business owners and independent contractors who need to borrow money quickly but may have trouble getting a loan from a regular bank because they earn 1099 income rather than receive pay from a traditional type of job.
How Does Giggle Finance Work?
In the broadest sense, Giggle Finance is like an advance in which you receive the money you need now, but promise to pay it back once you receive your paycheck. In this case, however, the money you borrow is paid back by selling a portion of your future sales to Giggle Finance until you repay your loan.
To do this, the company gives you the money you need right away (known as a Giggle Advance), but then collects the amount they loaned you through a series of automatic debits from your checking account until you repay the loan. In addition to the loan amount, they will also charge you a service fee and interest on the loan, which they automatically collect through your bank account.
The website does not have information about what happens if you are unable to repay the loan, but they do say that repayment times are flexible and that they do not charge a late fee.
Giggle Finance Services/Product Features
Giggle Finance offers several services to its users, including:
- A simple application process
- Access to your funds in minutes
- Funding up to $5,000
- No credit requirements
- Instant cash available
- Flexible payment schedule
Requirements to Join: Do I Qualify for Giggle Finance?
As long as you are an app-based freelancer, own a small business, operate as an independent contractor, or are an online seller or franchise owner (Etsy, eBay, Avon, etc.), you qualify.
One of the more interesting aspects of Giggle Finance is that unlike most lending institutions, the company does not have any credit requirements. Instead, the company looks at your bank statements to determine how much money they will lend you based on what they think your business can afford to pay back.
The only other requirement you must meet to qualify is that you have been in business for at least three months and that you make at least $3,000 a month.
How To Apply
Applying to Giggle is super quick and easy. The entire process usually takes less than eight minutes. To get started, simply click on “Apply Now” on their website or app, then answer some questions about your business. They do require access to your bank account to determine how much of a loan you can qualify for, but your username and password are kept safe.
Your information is never displayed, viewed, or stored on their site. Once you are approved, you can access your funds in minutes.
Giggle Finance Interest Rate & Fees
Giggle does not state what they charge in interest rates or fees on their website. Through some digging around, we discovered their fees appear to start as low as $100 and go up from there. They also say that the amount of interest charged is determined by your risk profile, along with the amount of money you need to borrow. Still, we did not find any examples of what they consider a typical amount of interest to be.
The company maintains that everything is transparent, and there are never any hidden fees. You’ll know exactly what you’ll have to pay back before you accept their terms and receive the money.
Giggle FAQs
What are the cash advance limits?
Giggle provides up to $5,000 if your business qualifies.
How fast will I get the cash advance?
It takes about eight minutes to get approved. Once approved, you will receive your funds immediately.
How do I repay the cash advance?
Giggle automatically takes the set amount you initially agreed to out of your account as you repay the loan.
Can I still get a loan if I have bad credit?
Giggle does not perform a credit check. Instead, they analyze the activity in your bank account to determine how much money to loan you and how long they think it will take you to pay it back.
Pros and Cons:
Pros:
- You can get approved in as little as eight minutes
- Having bad credit won’t affect your ability to qualify
- You can borrow up to $5,000 (if you qualify)
- No late fees
Cons:
- You won’t know how much your interest rate or fees are until you apply
- You have to make at least $3,000 a month and have been in business for three months to qualify for a loan
- The money gets pulled out of your account automatically. If you run close on the amount you keep in your account, this could potentially create an issue if you already have other payments scheduled to come out of your account around the same time.
Why Choose Giggle Finance?
Borrowing money from a traditional banking institution is often difficult when you are self-employed, work as a gig worker, or own a small business. Giggle Finance can get you the money you need quickly and allows you to repay it back over time.
While cash advances like Giggle Finance aren’t something you should do regularly, they can be helpful if you find yourself caught in a pinch. Here at RSG, we hear from drivers all the time who need some cash to tide them over if they got sick, their car was in an accident, or they simply need to take some time off from driving.
You can check out Giggle Finance here and bookmark it, even if you don’t need their services now. You never know what can happen, and most traditional banks won’t work with gig workers like us.
Have you used Giggle Finance or another FinTech company for a loan or advance? Leave us a comment about your experience below.
-Kate @ RSG
