If you’ve searched “amazon loans” recently, you’ve probably hit a wall of articles saying Amazon shut down its lending programme. They’re out of date. Amazon Lending is still available to UK sellers. It just works differently to how it did before March 2024. This guide explains what changed, who the current providers are, how eligibility works, and what your options are if you’re not invited or need something different.
Is Amazon Lending still available in the UK?
Yes, though the structure changed significantly on 6 March 2024. Before that date, Amazon underwrote loans directly through its own in-house lending operation. When Goldman Sachs wound down its Marcus consumer banking unit in 2023, Amazon’s lending partnership with it came to an end too, and Amazon chose not to rebuild its in-house capability. Instead, it turned the programme into a marketplace: eligible sellers are connected with vetted third-party financial partners, rather than borrowing from Amazon itself.
In the UK, the two main partners operating under the Amazon Lending umbrella are TradeBridge and YouLend. TradeBridge offers up to £5 million with terms of 3 to 18 months. YouLend provides merchant cash advances and similar revenue-based products. The Amazon brand is on the programme; the capital comes from these partners.
If you’ve read articles about US providers such as Parafin, Lendistry, or QuickBooks Capital, those are specific to the American programme. UK sellers access TradeBridge and YouLend through their Seller Central account.
How Amazon Lending works for UK sellers
How to find your offer in Seller Central
Amazon Lending is invite-only. There’s no open application. Instead, offers appear automatically in your Seller Central account when Amazon’s eligibility algorithm flags you as suitable. To check whether you have an offer, log into Seller Central and navigate to the Growth or Lending tab. If an offer is available, you’ll see the provider, product type, amount, and terms. If nothing appears, you’re not currently eligible, though that can change as your account metrics improve.
The three types of Amazon Lending product
Three product types are available through Amazon Lending in the UK:
- Term loan: A lump sum at a fixed rate, repaid in fixed instalments over an agreed period. Predictable repayments, suited to a one-off investment such as a large inventory purchase or product launch.
- Merchant cash advance (MCA): A lump sum repaid as a percentage of your future Amazon payouts. Slower sales months mean smaller repayments; stronger months mean the advance is repaid faster. The total cost is set at the start and doesn’t change.
- Flexible credit line: A pre-approved revolving facility. Draw what you need, repay it, and draw again. No charge on undrawn capacity. Repayments are linked to your Amazon sales.
Repayments for all three types are automated from Amazon disbursements — you don’t need to manage separate bank transfers. From approval to funds received typically takes one to three business days.
Who is eligible for Amazon Lending?
Amazon publishes no fixed eligibility threshold, so the widely cited “$10,000 per month in sales” figure from US guides is just a general rule. In practice, eligibility is assessed across several factors.
Selling history
Most providers in the programme expect between six and twelve months of active selling. YouLend may consider sellers with three months of history. New sellers with less than three months of sales data are unlikely to see an offer.
Account health metrics
Late dispatch rates, customer feedback scores, and policy compliance all feed into whether Amazon flags your account as eligible. An account with active warnings or restrictions is unlikely to receive an offer.
Consistent revenue
Providers look for stable, growing sales rather than sporadic peaks. Seasonal businesses can still qualify, but the overall trend needs to be positive.
Credit history
TradeBridge and YouLend assess Amazon sales data as their primary input, not your credit score. Sellers with a less-than-perfect credit history can still receive offers, provided their account metrics are strong.
If you currently have no offer in Seller Central, it’s worth checking again as your metrics develop. Eligibility is reassessed periodically.
Pros and cons of Amazon Lending
Amazon Lending suits some sellers well, and less so others.
Benefits of Amazon Loans
- Integrated with your account: The application and repayment process sits inside Seller Central, so there’s no separate sign-up or bank integration to manage.
- Fast drawdown: Once approved, funds typically arrive within one to three business days.
- Flexible repayments on MCA and credit line: Because repayments scale with your sales, they’re lower during quieter periods.
- No impact from checking eligibility: Reviewing your options in Seller Central doesn’t affect your credit file.
Drawbacks
- Invite-only with no application route: If you’re not flagged as eligible, there’s nothing you can do to apply. This rules out the programme entirely for new sellers and low-volume accounts.
- Limited rate transparency upfront: Rates and fees are only visible once an offer appears in your account. You can’t compare Amazon Lending rates against alternatives before you’re offered a deal.
- Tied to Amazon’s ecosystem: Funds must be used for Amazon-related business expenses — inventory, advertising, product launches. They can’t be used for off-platform operations.
- May cost more than independent alternatives: The convenience of integrated lending comes at a price. It’s worth comparing before accepting.
Alternatives to Amazon Lending for UK sellers
If you’re not invited, need more than the offered amount, want to fund activity outside Amazon, or simply want to compare rates, independent finance is available without a Seller Central invitation. The products below don’t require you to be an Amazon seller at all — they’re assessed on your broader business revenue and trading history.
Repaying Through Your Cash Machine
A merchant cash advance (MCA) works on the same revenue-based principle as Amazon Lending’s own cash advance product, but is available independently and repays against your card machine takings rather than Amazon payouts.
There’s no hard credit check: the lender assesses your card sales via Open Banking. No invitation needed, no collateral required.
Read our full guide to how MCAs work.
If you sell through YouLend as part of the Amazon Lending programme, you can also access YouLend funding through Apt Pay.
Loans Without Collateral
Unsecured business loans provide a lump sum without requiring property or equipment as security. They’re not tied to Amazon sales, so funds can go towards off-platform inventory, warehousing, marketing, or staffing.
Most specialist lenders give decisions within 24 to 48 hours and can fund within a few days of approval.
Invoice finance and asset finance
If you sell wholesale or B2B alongside your Amazon channel, invoice finance unlocks cash from unpaid invoices — typically up to 90% of the invoice value — without waiting for customers to pay. Asset finance is useful for physical infrastructure: warehouse equipment, fixtures, or machinery, with the asset itself often serving as security.
Amazon Lending vs. independent finance: when each makes sense
Amazon Lending works well if you’re invited, the rate is competitive for what you need, and you want the simplicity of repayments automated from your Amazon disbursements. Independent alternatives are worth exploring if:
- You have no offer in Seller Central and need funding now
- You need more than the offered amount
- You want to fund activity outside the Amazon platform
- You want to compare rates before committing
- Your credit history is a concern (MCA lenders focus on card sales, not credit scores)
A specialist finance broker can run the comparison for you across both Amazon Lending and independent alternatives, so you’re not committing to the first offer that appears in your dashboard.
Loans for Amazon Sellers
At AptPay, we understand the frustration of waiting for an Amazon lending invitation when your business needs support quickly. We offer unsecured loans for Amazon sellers via our panel of lenders, linking your business with a finance option that works for you. Our tailored financing solutions are designed to help you scale, grow, and dominate the marketplace.
Explore Amazon Loans or Contact AptPay
Frequently asked questions about amazon loans
Is Amazon Lending still available in 2026?
Yes. Amazon Lending operates in the UK via TradeBridge and YouLend, accessible through Seller Central. Amazon stopped underwriting loans directly in March 2024 but the programme continues through these third-party partners.
Can new Amazon sellers access Amazon Lending?
Typically not straight away. Most providers in the programme expect six to twelve months of selling history. YouLend may consider sellers with three months of history. New sellers with less than three months of data are unlikely to see an offer.
Does Amazon Lending affect my credit score?
Checking for offers in Seller Central does not affect your credit file. A soft credit check may be run during pre-approval, which also has no impact. A hard credit check may apply if you proceed with certain term loan products.
What can Amazon Lending funds be used for?
Inventory, advertising, product launches, and working capital tied to your Amazon operations. Funds are not intended for personal use or for non-Amazon business activities.
What if I have no invitation in Seller Central?
Check again as your sales metrics improve. In the meantime, independent unsecured business loans and merchant cash advances are available without a Seller Central invitation and can be arranged through a commercial finance broker.
What are the rates on Amazon Lending?
Rates are set by TradeBridge and YouLend and are only shown when an offer appears in your account. They’re not publicly disclosed in advance. It’s worth comparing the offer against independent alternatives before accepting, as rates vary depending on your sales profile and the product type.
