Bluevine Review
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Bluevine Reviews

9
Bob Phillips

WRITTEN BY

Bob Phillips

Small-medium businesses
Small-medium businesses
About Bluevine

Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services through Bluevine are provided by Coastal Community Bank. The company was founded in 2013 and has its headquarters in Redwood City, CA. Its primary focus is providing banking services to small businesses. Bluevine’s main selling point is traditional banks have underserved small businesses, and Bluevine is here to provide them with the banking services and support that big companies receive from traditional banks and take for granted. Their differentiator is their high-yield checking account with no monthly fees.

8.0

LS SCORE

10

CREDIBILITY

8.0

SUPPORT

10

ACCESSIBILITY

Bluevine Business Loans Review

Bluevine offers business lines of credit to small and medium-sized businesses. Lines of credit vary between $6,000 and $250,000 and can be used for all sorts of working capital needs, including salaries and inventory. Also, Bluevine lines of credit are famed for the speed at which they are issued and for the ease of the application process. The terms associated with the lines of credit are shown below.

Bluevine Business Loans Highlights

LOAN AMOUNT

$6,000 - $250,000

LOAN REPAYMENT TERM

6 or 12 months

FUNDING TIME

24 hours

TIME IN BUSINESS

6 months

ANNUAL REVENUE

$120,000

ORIGINATION FEE

None

PREPAYMENT FEE

None

OTHER FEES

None

MIN CREDIT SCORE

625

SOFT CREDIT PULL

Yes

LENDER TYPE

Direct

Pros & Cons

  • Ultra-fast funding available
  • A low minimum credit score of 625
  • Available to businesses who have been active for 6 months
  • Only pay for the portion of the line of credit that you use
  • The rate of borrowing is expensive
  • Only two repayment terms (6 and 12 months)
  • The monthly revenue requirement of $10,000 will price out many businesses

Business Loans Type

  • Business Line of Credit

Bluevine Business Loans Terms & Requirements

Bluevine offers two different lines of credit, the Flex 6 and the Flex 12. Both have borrowing limits between $6,000 and $250,000.

Firstly, the Flex 6 is for six-month lines of credit and can be obtained by businesses that meet the following criteria:

  • Your business must be at least six months old
  • Your business must generate at least $10,000 a month in revenue
  • Your personal credit score must be 625 or more
  • You’ll need to have had no bankruptcies within the past year

Weekly payments are made against the drawn amounts in 26 weekly installments.

On the other hand, to be considered for the Flex 12 line of credit, you must meet the following conditions:

  • Your business must be at least 2 years old
  • Your business must generate at least $10,000 a month in revenue
  • Your personal credit score must be 650 or higher
  • You’ll need to have had no bankruptcies in the past year

Unlike the Flex 6 product, repayments for Flex 12 are in monthly installments.

Repayment rates start from 1.7% for weekly payments and 7.0% for monthly payments. When converted to annual rates, these equate to around 80% and, as such, are very expensive. Therefore, you should shop around for cheaper financing options if they are available to you.

How to Apply

Bluevine has a reputation for extremely quick business credit funding, so we decided to put this to the test and try the application process for ourselves. We headed to the Bluevine website and went to the “Business Loans” tab to get started.

Step 1

Welcome screen

After selecting “Start Application”, we were taken to the initial application screen.

Interestingly, the Bluevine application allows you to link your business’ QuickBooks Online account to the application at a very early stage to speed up the application process. We decided to apply without linking QuickBooks to see how smooth the process was otherwise. After filling in the basic details on the initial form, we were taken to a new screen where we had to enter details about our business.

After entering our company and industry details, we were invited to link our accounting software to Bluevine. There were no other financial requirements, and we found that this really sped up the application process. Plaid is used to connect the accounting software and multiple accounting software compatible such as QuickBooks and Xero.

After linking our bank account, we had to complete the application by giving personal details, including name, address, date of birth, and social security number. At this point, we could choose to apply. A decision was returned within two minutes of us completing the application.

While Bluevine has higher interest rates attached to its lines of credit, we can see why the product is so popular with small businesses. The application process is brilliantly streamlined, and the accounting software integration makes applying for business funding very straightforward.

Qualification Requirements

  • Must be a US citizen or permanent resident
  • Be in business for at least six months
  • Generate more than $10,000 in revenue per month
  • Have a personal credit score of more than 625

Required Information

You’ll need to provide the following information when applying for a Bluevine line of credit:

  • Proof of ID
  • Date of birth
  • Address
  • SSN
  • Amount of funding required
  • Industry type
  • Company structure
  • Tax ID number
  • Incorporation date
  • A link to your accounting software

Application Steps & Time Frames

Applying for a business line of credit with Bluevine took minutes, and it could be argued that its application process was best in class. The accounting software integration was seamless, and the decision was returned in minutes. Once approved, funding was available within 24 hours. All in all, the application time frames were must quicker than average for business loan funding.

State Availability

Available - Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming.

Not Available - Nevada, North Dakota, South Dakota.

Bluevine Online Banking Review

Bluevine’s online banking administers a limited number of business banking services, which a third party provides: Coastal Community Bank, an FDIC member.

Bluevine Online Banking Highlights

ATM NETWORK

Moneypass & green dot networks

MIN CREDIT SCORE

550

OTHER FEES

Yes

Account Type

  • Business

Bluevine Checking business Highlights

DEPOSIT AMOUNT

No minimum

APY

Min 1.5%

Pros & Cons

  • No fees, no minimum opening deposit or balance requirements
  • Unlimited fee-free transactions
  • 1.50% interest credited on account balances up to $10,000
  • Fee-free ATM access for withdrawals through MoneyPass
  • No joint accounts
  • No physical banking locations
  • A deposit fee of $4.95 per deposit at Green Dot locations

APYs

Starting March 1, 2023, eligible customers can earn interest on higher balances. Specifically, customers with Business Checking accounts can earn 2.0% APY on their total balances up to $250,000. This is an increase from the previous cap of $100,000, which means customers can now earn up to $5,000 per year in interest. This new APY is significantly higher than the national average by 30 times.

However, customers will need to meet one of the two following monthly requirements to qualify for this offer:

  1. They will either have to spend $500 per month using their Bluevine Business Debit Mastercard® at all the places where Mastercard® is accepted
  2. Or receive $2,500 in customer payments per month into their Bluevine Business Checking account via ACH, wire transfer, mobile check deposit, or directly from their merchant payment processing provider.

Features Benefits & Rewards

  • Unlimited fee-free transactions
  • Fee-free ATM access through MoneyPass
  • Free interest-earning business checking account
  • Online account management

Account Types

Blueline offers only business checking accounts. They do not offer savings accounts, Certificates of Deposit (CD), Money Market Deposit Accounts (MMDA), or any other type of business bank account.

In addition to offering business checking accounts, Blueline also provides small businesses revolving lines of credit and bill pay services.

Account Type Key Features
Business Checking
  • Unlimited transactions
  • No monthly service fees
  • 1.5% interest paid on balance up to $100,000
Line of Credit
  • No fees for opening, maintaining, prepayment, or account closure
  • Funds available on demand
  • Credit lines up to $250,000
Bill Pay
  • Bills, transactions, and payee information can be synced with QuickBooks Online
  • Automatically comes with Business Checking
  • Live customer support during business hours

As of March 1st, 2023, Bluevine has introduced Sub-Accounts to aid customers in managing their finances and improving their budgeting. Customers are now able to create up to 5 sub-accounts, in addition to their main account, bringing the total number of accounts to 6. These sub-accounts enable businesses to divide their incoming and outgoing funds for various purposes, such as taxes, payroll, and profits. Each sub-account can be used with direct ACH/wire transfers and dedicated checks. Furthermore, funds held in all sub-accounts are eligible to earn interest.

Opening an Account With Bluevine

Opening an account is done online through the company’s website. It is a simple, four-step process:

Blueving step 1 get started
Step 1

Get started

State Availability

Available in all states

Privacy & Security

BlueVine is a reputable online lender with an A+ rating with the BBB. They’ve been operating since 2013 and have funded over $2 billion to over 15,000 small business owners over the years.

BlueVine has strict policies in place to protect user information, such as the use of secure servers, SSL technology, SSL encryption, and upholding more safety standards required by law.

Customer Support

Bluevine provides a toll-free number on its website for customer support and the choice to communicate with them via email for non-urgent issues. We inquired by email about opening a business checking account and heard back from Bluevine within two hours.

Bluevine representatives are human beings, not bots. We called customer service, and after having to make just two menu choices, we were connected with a live representative. Their reputation for solving customer and prospective customer problems is excellent.

Phone Support
888-216-9619
Mon-Fri
8am-8pm EST
Sat-Sun
Closed

In Conclusion

Bluevine employees are responsive, and the company has branded itself very well through its website and social media. Its major selling points are its personal service for small businesses, competitive interest rates, and lack of business checking account fees. There are no glaring drawbacks to doing business with Bluevine.

FAQ

How long does it take for my funds to be available after I deposit my checks?
Funds become available between 1 to 6 business days after the deposit is made. Customers can’t cancel the deposited check once the depositing process has begun.
Is my account FDIC insured?
Yes, all deposits are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor through Coastal Community Bank.
How do I send and receive money with my Bluevine account?
There are several options for sending and receiving money. Vendors can be paid through ACH or domestic wire transfer. Deposits can be made through a mobile check deposit or a transfer from an external bank account. Outgoing wire transfers are also available.

Bluevine Disclaimer

Bluevine is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking Services provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. Bluevine accounts are FDIC insured up to $250,000 per depositor through Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC. The Bluevine Business Debit Mastercard® is issued by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC pursuant to a license from Mastercard International Incorporated and may be used everywhere Mastercard is accepted. Mastercard is a registered trademark, and the circles design is a trademark of Mastercard International Incorporated.

Application is subject to approval. No monthly or maintenance fees. Card Replacement Fees and Wire Transfer Fees may apply.

Certain Bill Pay funds, including Bill Pay with Credit Card, are held by Silicon Valley Bank, a member of the FDIC and the Federal Reserve System. Silicon Valley Bank is the California bank subsidiary of SVB Financial Group (Nasdaq: SIVB). Banking Services for payments made via ACH or wire from the Bluevine Business Checking Account are provided by Coastal Community Bank, Member FDIC.

Bluevine’s Flex Line of Credit is issued by Celtic Bank, a Utah-chartered Industrial Bank, Member FDIC. Applications are subject to credit approval. Rates, credit lines, and terms may vary based on your creditworthiness and are subject to change. Additional fees apply.

PPP loans are made by one or more approved U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) lenders. Loan agreements will identify the issuing lender to small businesses at signing. Qualified applications will be submitted to the SBA as soon as possible. Bluevine does not guarantee that applications will be processed and submitted before PPP funds are no longer available. Approval and loan forgiveness are subject to your availability to meet government-set eligibility requirements.

Certain financing may be made or arranged pursuant to California Financing Law-License No. 6054789.

Disclosure

This website is an informative comparison site that aims to offer its users find helpful information regarding the products and offers that will be suitable for their needs. We are able to maintain a free, high-quality service by receiving advertising fees from the brands and service providers we review on this website (though we may also review brands we are not engaged with). These advertising fees, combined with our criteria and methodology, such as the conversion rates, our team of reviewer's finding and subjective experience and product popularity, impact the placement and position of the brands within the comparison table. In the event rating or scoring are assigned by us, they are based on the position in the comparison table, or according to other formula in the event specifically detailed by us. See our How we Rate page and Terms of Use for information. The reviews, rating and scoring are provided “as-is” without guaranties or warranties regarding the information contained in our website, which shall not be considered as endorsement. We make the best efforts to keep the information up-to-date, however, an offer’s terms might change at any time. We do not compare or include all service providers, brands and offers available in the market.

WRITTEN BY

Bob Phillips

Having spent over fifteen years helping people plan their lives financially, Bob has a vast amount of knowledge concerning personal finance. During his career, Bob mastered many different financial products to help people achieve their financial goals, including life insurance, disability insurance, mutual funds, and stocks and bonds. He earned the Chartered Life Underwriter (CLU) designation and held numerous securities licenses. Bob is an internationally published poet and is now a freelance writer living in North Texas with his wife and Doberman puppy.