What Is Invoice Factoring?
Selling receivables to a third party for immediate cash at a discount.
Detailed Explanation
The factor collects from your customer. Costs and customer notice rules vary by deal.
Example
You factor $100k of AR and receive ~$95k next day.
Why It Matters
Bridges long Net 60–90 cycles without equity dilution.
Key facts
- Invoice factoring is the sale of accounts receivable to a third-party (factor) at a discount in exchange for immediate cash.
- Typical factoring costs: 2-5% of invoice value for 30-day collection, 5-10% for 60-90 days. Effective annual cost can run 20-60% APR.
- Two main types: (1) Recourse factoring — you guarantee payment if the customer doesn't pay; cheaper. (2) Non-recourse — the factor absorbs default risk; more expensive.
- Common in industries with long payment cycles: trucking, staffing, manufacturing, government contracting, and some construction.
- Factoring differs from invoice financing (also called AR lending) — factoring sells the invoice; financing uses it as collateral for a loan but you still own and collect it.
How it shows up in practice
A growing trucking company has $340K in receivables from large retail clients with net-60 payment terms. To meet payroll on a 14-day cycle, they factor invoices weekly: receiving 96% of face value upfront, with the remaining 4% (less the factor's fee) paid when the customer eventually pays. Annual cost is roughly 3-4% of revenue — meaningful, but cheaper than rejecting the contracts or going under from cash-flow gaps.
Common mistakes
- Treating factoring as long-term financing instead of bridge funding — the cost compounds quickly.
- Not reading the contract carefully — many factors require minimum monthly volumes, exclusivity, or notification of customers.
- Factoring all invoices when only a few clients are slow — pay factoring fees on customers who would have paid quickly anyway.
- Using factoring to mask collection failures rather than fixing the underlying problem (slow customers, weak terms).
- Failing to disclose factoring relationships to investors/lenders — can trigger covenant breaches.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between factoring and invoice financing?
Factoring: you sell the invoice to a factor who then owns and collects it from the customer. Invoice financing (or AR lending): you borrow against the invoice as collateral, but you still own the invoice and collect from the customer. Financing is typically less invasive but requires stronger creditworthiness.
Will my customers know I'm factoring?
In recourse factoring with notification: yes — customers pay the factor directly. In non-notification or 'spot' factoring: customers may not know, paying you while you remit to the factor. Notification arrangements are simpler but can signal financial distress to customers.
How much does invoice factoring cost?
Typically 2-5% of invoice face value for the first 30 days, plus 0.5-1% for each additional 10-day period customer takes to pay. Effective annualized cost is usually 20-60% APR — much higher than bank financing for businesses that qualify for traditional credit.
When does factoring make sense?
When (1) you have growing demand but can't fund operations from cash flow, (2) bank financing is unavailable due to short business history or weak credit, (3) customer payment terms exceed your operating cycle. Common in trucking, staffing, manufacturing serving large slow-paying buyers.
Can I factor only some invoices?
Yes — 'spot factoring' lets you choose specific invoices to factor rather than your entire AR. More flexible but typically higher per-invoice fees. Most businesses graduate to whole-portfolio factoring contracts as volume grows.
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Last verified: May 2026
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