Invoice Factoring Calculator
True cost of selling invoices.
Calculate invoice factoring cost and effective APR from advance rate, factoring fee, days to payment, and ongoing interest charges.
What this tool does
This calculator models the true cost of invoice factoring by combining multiple charges into a single annualised rate. It takes your invoice amount, the percentage of that invoice advanced upfront, the factoring fee applied to the full invoice, the number of days until your customer pays, and an annual interest rate on the advance. The tool then calculates the total cost (factoring fee plus interest accrued during the advance period) and converts this into an effective annual percentage rate, showing what the charges represent when expressed as an annualised figure. The factoring fee and advance period typically drive the result most significantly. This is useful for comparing the cost of factoring against other short-term financing options or understanding how quickly charges accumulate. The calculation assumes the customer pays on the stated day and doesn't account for non-recourse protections, credit risk, or additional fees that some factoring arrangements may include.
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Formula Used
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Calculations or display — let us know.
Disclaimer
Results are estimates for educational purposes only. They do not constitute financial advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.
Invoice factoring converts unpaid customer invoices into immediate cash at a cost. The factor advances 70-90% of invoice value now, charges a factoring fee (1-5% per invoice), and may charge interest on the advance until the customer pays. Effective APRs typically run 15-40% annualised - expensive, but often cheaper than alternative short-term debt or stockouts.
100k invoice at 80% advance = 80k cash now. At 2% factoring fee (2k) and 12% interest over 45 days to customer payment (1,183), total cost is 3,183. Effective APR on the advance: 32.3%. Costly, but unlocks cash immediately instead of waiting 45 days.
Factoring applies when alternatives are worse: missing payroll, losing a growth opportunity, or stockout while waiting on receivables. It's a poor permanent financing choice - 25-40% APR compounds fast. Businesses using factoring consistently need to fix root cause: slow-paying customers, under-capitalisation, or working capital cycle issues. Treat it as tactical bridge, not strategic funding.
Quick example
With invoice amount of 100,000 and advance rate of 80% (plus factoring fee of 2% and days to customer pay of 45), the result is 3,183.56. Change any figure and watch the output shift — it's often more useful to see the pattern than to memorise the formula.
Which inputs matter most
You enter Invoice Amount, Advance Rate %, Factoring Fee %, Days to Customer Pay, and Interest Rate % (annual). Not every input has equal weight. Adjusting one input at a time toward extreme values shows which ones move the result most.
What's happening under the hood
Advance = invoice × advance %. Factoring fee = invoice × fee %. Interest = advance × rate × days/365. Total = fee + interest. APR = total / advance × 365 / days × 100. The formula is listed in full below. If the number looks off, you can retrace the calculation by hand — that's the point of showing the working.
What to do with a low result
A disappointing result is information, not a judgement. Pick the single input that dragged the figure down most and focus the next quarter on that one factor. Breadth-first improvement rarely works; depth-first on the worst input usually does.
What this doesn't capture
The score is a composite of the inputs you provide. Life context — job security, family obligations, health, housing — doesn't appear in the math but shapes the real picture. Use the number as a prompt, not a verdict.
££100,000 invoice, 80% advance × 2% fee + 12% interest over 45 days = 3,183.56.
Inputs
This example uses typical values for illustration. Adjust the inputs above to match a specific situation and see how the result changes.
Sources & Methodology
Methodology
The calculator computes the total cost of factoring by combining two primary charges. The factoring fee is calculated as a percentage of the invoice amount. Interest is charged on the advanced funds at an annual rate, applied for the number of days until customer payment, using a 365-day year. The total cost equals the factoring fee plus the interest charge. The model assumes a constant annual interest rate applied linearly over the specified period, and treats the advance rate and fee rate as fixed percentages. It does not account for additional fees, rebates, changes in interest rates, payment delays beyond the stated timeline, or variations in advance rates based on invoice characteristics.
References
Frequently Asked Questions
When is factoring worth it?
Recourse vs non-recourse factoring?
Does the customer know?
Factoring vs invoice discounting?
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