Why accountants compare Capitalise and Fundably
Capitalise.com is the best-known SME lending platform for accountants in the UK, having built significant market presence over the past decade. However, their subscription-based commercial model has prompted many accountants to look for alternatives — particularly since Fundably launched with a zero-fee, full-commission model.
This guide compares the two directly.
The Capitalise subscription model
Capitalise operates a four-tier subscription model:
| Tier | Monthly fee | Annual cost | Commission rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | £0 | £0 | 10% |
| Starter | £95/month | £1,140/year | 20% |
| Growth | £225/month | £2,700/year | 25% |
| Professional | £395/month | £4,740/year | 30% |
An accountant on the free tier earns 10% commission. To earn the same 30% that Fundably offers every partner for free, they pay £395/month.
Fundably’s model
Fundably charges nothing. Every partner, from day one:
- Zero monthly fees
- Zero setup fees
- Up to 30% commission
- No minimum volumes
- No contract length
The commission maths
Consider an accountant who refers three funded deals per month, averaging £1,500 commission each (£54k/year total commission potential).
| Model | Monthly fee | Annual fees | Commission rate | Annual commission | Net |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Capitalise Free | £0 | £0 | 10% | £5,400 | £5,400 |
| Capitalise Professional | £395 | £4,740 | 30% | £16,200 | £11,460 |
| Fundably | £0 | £0 | 30% | £16,200 | £16,200 |
The accountant on Capitalise’s top tier earns £4,740 less per year than the same accountant on Fundably, for identical commission performance.
Lender panel
Capitalise connects to 100+ lenders. Fundably connects to 50+ lenders.
However, lender panel size is not the most useful comparison metric. What matters is:
- Approval rate — does the panel cover enough lender appetite to approve a high percentage of referrals?
- Product breadth — does the panel cover all relevant product types?
Fundably’s 50+ panel covers all major SME lending product types: term loans, MCAs, invoice finance, RBF, credit lines, asset finance, R&D credit advances, and startup loans. In practice, approval rates across a typical accountancy-firm client base are high.
Portal features
Both platforms offer a partner portal for submitting referrals, tracking applications, and monitoring commission.
Fundably additionally offers:
- Free branded portal (your firm’s branding on the client-facing application)
- iFrame, React, and API integration for firms wanting embedded options
- Dedicated partner manager for every partner at no extra cost
- Co-branded marketing materials
Capitalise offers a dedicated partner manager on paid tiers only.
Switching from Capitalise to Fundably
- Apply to become a Fundably accountant partner — setup takes 24–48 hours
- Get your unique referral link and partner portal
- Brief your team — the referral process is simple and similar to what they already do
- Start referring and earning at 30% from day one
There are no switching fees, no minimum commitment, and no technical migration required. It is possible to run both platforms in parallel while you evaluate.
Summary
For accountants who are already on Capitalise at a paid tier: unless you have specific reasons to remain on the platform (existing deal pipeline, integrated workflows), Fundably offers equivalent commission with zero fee drag.
For accountants not yet using any lending platform: Fundably is the clear starting point — maximum commission rate, zero cost, and you can always add other platforms later.