Current SBA 7(a) Loan Rates — April 2026

April 2026 SBA 7(a) Rate Snapshot

**Base rate (Prime):** 6.75%

**Variable-rate 7(a) all-in range:** 9.50% – 11.75%

**Fixed-rate 7(a) all-in range:** 9.75% – 12.25%

**SBA peg rate (optional alternative base):** ~4.875% (quarterly publication)

**SBA 504 CDC portion (fixed) for comparison:** 5.50% – 6.50%

These rates reflect April 2026 market conditions across our lender network. Individual loan rates depend on borrower credit, loan size, term, collateral, and lender. Strong borrowers (760+ FICO, established cash flow, 10-15% down on acquisitions) typically get the lower end of the range.

SBA 7(a) Maximum Spread Caps

SBA caps the maximum spread above the base rate. Lenders cannot charge more than the cap. Caps in effect April 2026:

**Loans $50,000 or less, under 7-year term:** Prime + 6.50% (max 13.25%)

**Loans $50,000 or less, 7+ year term:** Prime + 6.50% (max 13.25%)

**Loans $25,001–$50,000, all terms:** Prime + 5.50% (max 12.25%)

**Loans over $50,000, under 7-year term:** Prime + 2.25% (max 9.00%)

**Loans over $50,000, 7+ year term:** Prime + 2.75% (max 9.50%)

**Practical implication:** Most institutional acquisitions ($500K-$5M) carry 10-year amortization on goodwill / 25-year on real estate. Maximum rate = Prime + 2.75% = 9.50%. Lenders price below the cap based on credit. Highly bankable deals close at 9.00%; weaker deals at the 9.50% cap.

Variable vs Fixed-Rate 7(a)

**Variable-rate** 7(a) (most common in 2026): - Indexed to Prime, adjusts quarterly - Lower starting rate than fixed - Borrower bears rate-up risk - April 2026: 9.50–11.75% all-in

**Fixed-rate** 7(a): - Locked for term of loan - 50-100 bps premium over variable - April 2026: 9.75–12.25% all-in - Some lenders limit fixed-rate to specific use cases

**Decision framework for April 2026:** - If you expect Fed rate cuts in 2026-2027 → variable wins - If you expect rates to rise or stay flat → fixed wins - If cash flow is tight + you can't tolerate +200 bps shock → fixed for stability - If property is a fix-and-flip or short-hold → variable (refinance before rate-shock)

Forward curve in April 2026 implies modest decline in Prime through year-end, supporting the variable case for borrowers with cash-flow buffer.

How These Rates Are Sourced

PeerSense pulls SBA 7(a) rate quotes weekly from our network of 899+ active SBA lenders, including PLP (Preferred Lender Program) lenders, regional banks, and specialty SBA-only lenders. The ranges shown reflect:

- Top-quartile pricing (lowest 25% of quotes) for highly bankable borrowers - Median pricing for typical acquisition / CRE deals - Bottom-quartile pricing for marginal credits or specialty use cases

We do not list specific lender rates without explicit lender consent. Specific lender quotes are matched to your deal profile during PeerSense engagement.

For real-time rate verification on a specific deal, we send your structured deal summary to 3-5 matching lenders simultaneously. Most respond within 24-48 hours with indicative pricing; full LOI typically follows within 5-10 business days.

Comparison: SBA 7(a) vs SBA 504 vs Conventional CRE in April 2026

**SBA 7(a) variable:** 9.50–11.75% — best for working capital, goodwill, business acquisition, partnership buyouts, $500K-$5M

**SBA 7(a) fixed:** 9.75–12.25% — same use cases, locked rate

**SBA 504 fixed (CDC portion):** 5.50–6.50% — only for owner-occupied real estate or heavy equipment, 50% bank + 40% CDC + 10% borrower

**Conventional CRE (10-yr fixed):** 6.50–8.50% — investor properties, larger deals, full-doc underwriting

**CMBS conduit (10-yr fixed):** 5.60–7.10% — institutional CRE $5M+, non-recourse

**Bridge loans:** 7.80–10.80% all-in — short-term transitional, SOFR-based

SBA 7(a) carries higher rate than SBA 504 because the 7(a) program has wider use cases + higher loss rates. SBA 504 limits its use to owner-occupied real estate where the government-guaranteed CDC bond market provides cheaper funding.