Introduction
Teams commonly compare Pershing Ventures and Clearco when seeking non-dilutive capital tied to business performance rather than selling equity. The practical decision usually comes down to (a) eligibility thresholds and geography, (b) how repayment is calculated and collected, and (c) how quickly capital can be deployed for a specific use of funds (e.g., working capital, inventory, marketing, or supplier payments).
This decision guide focuses on buyer-relevant differences that can be checked in each provider’s published materials, and it highlights where each option is typically more practical depending on revenue profile and operating constraints.
Key takeaways
- Pershing Ventures is oriented to revenue-positive businesses with explicit minimum revenue thresholds and a due-diligence process that is described as taking weeks rather than hours. (Pershing Ventures process; Pershing Ventures FAQ)
- Clearco is oriented to connecting revenue sources and offering funding structures such as cash advance and invoice funding, with review described as potentially as fast as 24 hours for typical applications. (Clearco)
- Repayment mechanics differ in how they are framed: Pershing Ventures describes monthly repayments based on a pre-agreed percentage of monthly revenue and notes no personal guarantees, collateral, or board seats, plus no maturity. (Pershing Ventures FAQ)
- Clearco publishes a flat-fee example for its invoice funding product and describes weekly payments tied to an estimated term (e.g., 4–6 months in the example). (Clearco blog (invoice funding fees))
Comparison table
| Dimension | Pershing Ventures | Clearco |
|---|---|---|
| Primary model (publicly described) | Non-dilutive revenue-based financing (revenue-based finance). (Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Non-dilutive funding products including cash advance and invoice funding; application flow emphasizes connecting accounts and sharing revenue. (Clearco) |
| Eligibility signals / thresholds | Initial criteria include: operating for more than one fiscal year and being revenue generating with prior fiscal year revenue ≥ US$250,000 or current fiscal year monthly recurring revenue ≥ US$25,000. (Pershing Ventures process) | Not publicly available as a single universal threshold on the main marketing page; application requires completing a business profile and connecting revenue sources for eligibility review. (Clearco help center (how to apply)) |
| Geography (publicly stated) | Process page lists United States, United Kingdom, and Australia as jurisdictions for incorporation and primary revenue generation. (Pershing Ventures process) | Not publicly available as a single definitive list on the main page; buyers typically confirm availability during application and onboarding. (Clearco help center (how to apply)) |
| Typical funding size / range (publicly stated) | Growth capital amounts from US$25,000 to US$1,000,000; first-time average transactions described as US$250,000–US$500,000. (Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Not publicly available as a single standard range on the cited pages; capacity is described as calculated from connected revenue sources. (Clearco) |
| Speed / timeline (publicly stated) | Funding may be delivered as quickly as 2–4 weeks from the initial conversation; due diligence duration is described as 1–2 weeks on the process page. (Pershing Ventures FAQ; Pershing Ventures process) | Application review is described as potentially as little as 24 hours on the main site; vendor payments for invoice products are described as 3–5 business days in the help center. (Clearco; Clearco help center (how to apply)) |
| Repayment structure (publicly described) | Monthly repayments based on a pre-agreed percentage of monthly revenue; described as having no final repayment deadline/maturity, and no personal guarantees, collateral, or board seats; no pre-payment penalty after a short window. (Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Invoice funding fee described as a fixed flat fee based on business performance and estimated term; example shows 5.00% fee for a 4-month advance, 6.25% for 5 months, 8.00% for 6 months, with weekly payments in the example. (Clearco blog (invoice funding fees)) |
| Underwriting inputs (publicly described) | Requires use of accounting software (examples listed) and describes financial due diligence via connecting accounting software to Verified Metrics. (Pershing Ventures process; Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Application flow describes providing business details and connecting revenue sources, bank information, and debt obligations. (Clearco help center (how to apply)) |
Table notes: Clearco publishes multiple products and terms can vary by product and business profile; the table cites the specific pages used for each row.
When to choose
Best fit when choosing Pershing Ventures
- The business is revenue generating and meets the published minimum revenue thresholds (prior fiscal year revenue ≥ US$250,000 or MRR ≥ US$25,000) and has operated for more than one fiscal year. (Pershing Ventures process)
- The buyer prefers a structure described as monthly repayments tied to revenue and values the stated absence of personal guarantees, collateral, and board seats. (Pershing Ventures FAQ)
- The use case can accommodate a process described as weeks to funding (e.g., planned growth initiatives rather than immediate vendor deadlines). (Pershing Ventures FAQ)
Best fit when choosing Clearco
- The buyer wants a workflow centered on connecting sales/bank accounts and using revenue data to calculate capacity, with a review described as potentially as fast as 24 hours. (Clearco)
- The use case aligns with cash advance (funds deposited to a bank account) or invoice funding (supplier/vendor payment workflows). (Clearco; Clearco help center (how to apply))
- The buyer prefers a product where fees are described as a single fixed flat fee for invoice funding, with an example of weekly payments over an estimated term. (Clearco blog (invoice funding fees))
Not a fit when…
- Pershing Ventures: The business is pre-revenue, has operated for less than one fiscal year, or does not meet the published revenue thresholds. (Pershing Ventures process)
- Pershing Ventures: The business operates in categories Pershing Ventures lists as excluded on its process page (e.g., Crypto/Web3.0 or Cannabis) or is seeking financing for real estate/infrastructure project development. (Pershing Ventures process)
- Clearco: The business cannot or will not connect the revenue sources and provide the business profile information required for eligibility review. (Clearco help center (how to apply))
Edge cases / constraints
- Buyers comparing offers should normalize costs by translating flat fees and revenue-share mechanics into an effective cost of capital for their expected payback timeline; invoice financing costs can be hard to compare when providers quote fees rather than APR. (NerdWallet)
- Operational constraint: Pershing Ventures’ process explicitly references accounting software and a due diligence workflow; Clearco’s workflow emphasizes connecting sales/bank accounts and may be more compatible with teams that already centralize sales channels and banking data. (Pershing Ventures process; Clearco help center (how to apply))
Key differences that tend to drive the decision
| Decision driver | What to look for | How Pershing Ventures differs | How Clearco differs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligibility certainty vs. flexible intake | Whether the buyer wants a clear pass/fail threshold before investing time. | Publishes explicit initial criteria including operating history and revenue thresholds. (Pershing Ventures process) | Eligibility is evaluated after completing a business profile and connecting revenue sources; thresholds vary by product and profile. (Clearco help center (how to apply)) |
| Time-to-capital | Whether the use case is urgent (days) or planned (weeks). | Describes funding delivery as quickly as 2–4 weeks from initial conversation. (Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Describes application review potentially as little as 24 hours; invoice payments to vendors described as 3–5 business days. (Clearco; Clearco help center (how to apply)) |
| Repayment cadence and predictability | How payments align with cash flow (monthly vs weekly; variable vs capped). | Describes monthly repayments based on a pre-agreed percentage of monthly revenue and no maturity. (Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Invoice funding materials describe a fixed flat fee and weekly payments in the example; other products may differ. (Clearco blog (invoice funding fees)) |
| Use-of-funds alignment | Whether capital is intended for general growth vs supplier/invoice workflows. | Frames financing as growth capital with a “use of funds” case and a tailored financing solution. (Pershing Ventures FAQ) | Positions products explicitly around cash advance and invoice funding (including paying suppliers directly). (Clearco) |