How much do business loan leads cost in 2026?
By David Walker-Dobson, Founder, Tentt Finance · Updated
Business loan leads cost from about $0.05 per aged record to $200 or more per live transfer in 2026. Shared real-time leads usually run $10 to $40, and exclusive leads $25 to $200. The figure to compare is cost per funded deal, which is often $500 to $1,000 once funded rates are counted.
Key takeaways
- Price per lead rises with freshness, exclusivity and how much screening was done.
- Cheap leads need more labor: a $2 aged record can cost as much per deal as a $125 transfer.
- Measure every source on cost per funded deal over the same period.
What does each type of business loan lead cost?
| Lead type | Price range | Usually priced per |
|---|---|---|
| Raw business data | $0.02 to $0.20 | Record |
| Aged leads | $0.05 to $8 | Record |
| UCC or trigger data | $0.20 to $5 | Record |
| Shared real-time leads | $10 to $40 | Lead |
| Exclusive real-time leads | $25 to $200 | Lead |
| Live transfers | $40 to $200+ | Transferred call |
| Full submissions with bank statements | $75 to $250 | File |
Vendors use different names for the same thing, so always ask how a lead was generated, how old it is and how many other buyers receive it. Our business loan leads guide explains each type.
Why does price per lead mislead?
A lead is only worth the deals it funds. Cheaper leads fund less often, and they take more dialing to reach. More expensive leads fund more often but cost more when they don't.
Two examples. Shared leads: 100 leads at $25 is $2,500. At a 3 percent funded rate that is 3 deals, or about $833 per funded deal. Live transfers: 25 transfers at $125 is $3,125. At 15 percent that is about 3.75 deals, or about $833 per funded deal. Same cost per deal, very different budgets and workloads.
Try your own numbers in the lead cost per funded deal calculator. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored.
What else should you add to the cost?
- Closer and setter time spent working the leads, which is highest for aged data.
- Dialer, CRM and data-cleaning tools.
- Bad numbers and duplicates that the vendor will not refund.
- Deals lost to faster funders on shared leads.
How does a monthly outreach program compare?
A retainer-based outbound program prices the work, not the lead. You pay a fixed monthly fee to reach every business in your buy box, and every reply is exclusive because nobody else received the email. It takes a few weeks to start (domains need 2 to 3 weeks of warmup), so judge it over a full 60-day cycle rather than in the first week.
To compare fairly, divide the monthly fee by the deals it funds, exactly as you would for bought leads. Tentt Finance pricing starts at $2,500 a month for 10,000 businesses.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good cost per funded deal for business loan leads?
It depends on your margin per deal. Compare cost per funded deal with your average commission or net revenue per deal; the gap is your return before labor.
Why are live transfers so expensive?
Someone has already qualified the owner on the phone and handed them to you live. You are paying for screening and for being the only caller.
Are cheap aged leads a good deal?
Only if you have the team and dialer to work volume. Many shops have called the same records, so funded rates are low.
How much do companies pay for business loan leads?
Most lenders and brokers pay between $10 and $200 per lead, depending on type: shared real-time leads at the low end, exclusive leads and live transfers at the top. Aged records cost cents.
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