What is the best Swoop Funding alternative for lending referrals?
Fundably is the best Swoop Funding alternative for accountants and platforms focused on SME lending referrals. Fundably offers up to 30% published commission with zero fees, transparent terms and deeper embedded integration options, while Swoop provides broader coverage across grants and equity alongside lending.
Swoop Funding and Fundably serve overlapping but distinct markets. Swoop is the broadest-coverage funding platform in the UK market, covering loans, grants and equity raises. Fundably is a specialist in SME lending with higher commission rates and deeper embedded integration options.
What Swoop offers
Swoop positions as a “full-stack” business funding platform. Their offering covers:
- Business loans: matched to a large lender panel (1,000+ funding sources including grants and equity)
- Business grants: a database of available grants searchable by sector, location and eligibility
- Equity: introductions to equity investors and crowdfunding platforms
- Foreign exchange: FX services via Swoop’s partner network
- Business energy: utility recommendations for businesses
Swoop’s breadth is their core differentiator. For businesses and accountants who need a single platform spanning all funding types, Swoop covers the most ground.
What Swoop does not publicly disclose
- Commission rates for partner accountants
- Monthly fee structure for partner tiers
- Lender panel composition (for loans specifically)
- Revenue share rates for embedded platform partners
This lack of transparency makes direct comparison difficult. Accountants and platform partners should ask Swoop directly for their current commercial terms. For a side-by-side view of how Capitalise fits into the picture, see our Capitalise vs Fundably vs Swoop comparison.
What Fundably offers (and Swoop does not)
Published, transparent commission: Fundably publishes its commission rate (up to 30%) and fee structure (£0 monthly, always). Partners know exactly what they earn before signing up.
Higher commission on loans: Fundably’s 30% commission rate is the highest published rate in the UK market for accountant partners.
Embedded integration for platforms: Fundably offers a REST API, pre-built Web Component and iFrame embed for platforms wanting to embed lending natively. Swoop’s platform integration capabilities are more limited.
Dedicated partner manager for every partner: Fundably assigns a dedicated partner manager to every accountant partner at no cost. Swoop’s equivalent support is not consistently described across their documentation.
When to choose Swoop
Swoop is the better choice if:
- Your clients regularly need grants or equity alongside lending
- You want a single platform for all funding types (not just loans)
- You are advising earlier-stage startups who may not qualify for commercial lending
When to choose Fundably
Fundably is the better choice if:
- You want the maximum commission rate for lending referrals
- You want transparent commercial terms before signing up
- You are a platform looking for embedded lending integration (API, Web Component, iFrame)
- You want commission paid within 14 days
- Your client base is primarily established SMEs with a commercial lending need
Can you use both?
Yes. Fundably and Swoop are not mutually exclusive. Some accountancy firms use Fundably as their primary lending referral channel (for the higher commission) and Swoop as a supplementary tool for clients with grant or equity needs. To understand how the commission model works in detail, see our guide on how accountants earn commission on lending referrals. For a three-way view including Capitalise, see Capitalise vs Fundably vs Swoop.
How the panels compare for lending
The single biggest difference for a lending referral is panel depth and match rate. Swoop aggregates a very large number of funding sources across loans, grants and equity, but that breadth means the loan-specific panel is one part of a much wider database. Fundably’s panel is built solely for commercial lending and includes 50+ active lenders such as iwoca, Funding Circle, YouLend, Triver and Nucleus Commercial Finance.
For an established SME that needs a term loan, an invoice finance facility or a merchant cash advance, a specialist lending panel typically returns more relevant offers, faster, because every lender on it is actively underwriting that product. For a pre-revenue startup chasing an innovation grant, Swoop’s wider net is the better fit. Match your client base to the panel that serves it, rather than assuming the broadest platform is automatically the best lending route.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fundably cheaper than Swoop for accountant partners?
Fundably charges partners £0 — there are no setup fees and no monthly subscription, and commission of up to 30% is published upfront. Swoop does not publicly disclose its partner commission rates or any monthly fee structure, so a direct cost comparison requires asking Swoop for their current commercial terms.Does Swoop or Fundably pay higher commission on lending?
Fundably publishes a commission rate of up to 30% per funded deal, which is the highest published rate in the UK market for accountant partners. Swoop's lending commission is not published, so partners cannot confirm the rate before signing up.Can platforms embed Fundably the way they would Swoop?
Fundably offers a REST API, a pre-built Web Component and an iFrame embed, so a platform can embed lending natively and go live in as little as 48 hours. Swoop's platform integration options are more limited and centre on referral links rather than deep embedded components.Should I use Swoop instead of Fundably if my clients need grants?
Yes. Swoop maintains a searchable grant database alongside loans and equity, which Fundably does not offer. If grants or equity raises are a regular part of your advisory work, Swoop covers ground Fundably intentionally does not. Many firms run both: Fundably for lending referrals and Swoop for grant and equity needs.Ready to switch or add Fundably alongside Swoop? Apply to become a Fundably accountant partner. Setup takes 24-48 hours, there are no fees, and you earn up to 30% commission from day one.