How can I finance a laser or IPL machine for my salon?

Laser and IPL machines are commonly financed with asset finance or hire purchase, which spread the cost over the equipment's working life rather than paying upfront. The machine itself often supports the agreement, and with hire purchase you own it once payments finish. Terms, deposits and total cost vary by lender and profile, so confirm current figures before committing.

What is a merchant cash advance and does it suit a salon?

A merchant cash advance is funding repaid as a fixed percentage of your daily card takings rather than a set monthly amount. It suits card-heavy salons and spas because repayments flex with busy and quiet periods, easing seasonal dips. The advance is usually sized against recent card volume. Costs use a factor rate, so compare the total repayable with the lender.

Can I get salon finance as a new business?

Newer salons can access finance, though options may be narrower until there is a trading track record. Many lenders prefer around a year of trading and consistent card takings, but some consider younger businesses with strong metrics or an asset supporting the deal. A whole-of-market broker can compare which lenders are realistic for your stage rather than one provider's rules.

How much can a spa or beauty business borrow?

Borrowing amounts depend on turnover, card takings, the funding purpose and any security or asset involved. Merchant cash advances are typically sized against recent monthly card volume, while asset finance links to the value of the equipment. Unsecured loans are assessed on affordability and credit profile. Amounts and terms vary by lender, so confirm what you qualify for directly.

Is it better to lease or buy salon equipment?

Buying with hire purchase means you own the equipment at the end and can be cost-effective for kit you will keep long term. Leasing can lower upfront cost and suit equipment that dates quickly, but you may not own it. The right choice depends on the asset's lifespan, cashflow and tax position, so weigh total cost and ownership before deciding.

Will I need a personal guarantee for a salon loan?

Unsecured business loans and some other facilities often require a personal guarantee, which means a director takes personal responsibility if the business cannot repay. This is common for smaller or newer businesses without significant assets. The extent varies by lender and deal size. Always read what is being guaranteed and understand the liability before signing any agreement.

How do salons handle finance during quiet seasons?

Salons often manage seasonal dips, such as January or mid-summer, using facilities that flex with income. A merchant cash advance repays as a percentage of card takings, so payments fall automatically in quieter weeks. Others hold a working capital buffer or fixed-repayment loan and plan around known dips. The best fit depends on how predictable and card-based your income is.

What does salon finance cost?

Cost varies significantly by trading history, turnover, card volume, security and the product chosen, so there is no single rate. Loans are usually quoted with an interest rate and APR, while merchant cash advances use a factor rate and total repayable. Compare the full amount repayable including fees, and confirm current figures with the lender before committing.

Industry guide

Beauty Salon & Spa Finance

Compare business finance for salons, spas and clinics. Understand asset finance, merchant cash advances and unsecured loans, and what lenders look for.

By Benet Thomas, Marketing Manager · Updated October 2026

Beauty and wellness businesses typically fund growth with asset finance for equipment, merchant cash advances repaid from card takings, and unsecured business loans for refits or working capital. Salons, spas, aesthetic clinics and barbershops use these to buy treatment chairs, laser and IPL machines, fit out new premises, cover quiet seasons and hire staff.

The sector is card-heavy, appointment-driven and often seasonal, which shapes the funding that fits. High-value kit like laser platforms or hydrotherapy equipment can be spread over its useful life, while day-to-day cashflow gaps around quieter months are usually smoothed with shorter facilities. This guide explains the realistic options, what lenders assess, and where the trade-offs sit.

In short

Asset finance and hire purchase suit equipment such as laser and IPL machines, treatment couches, salon chairs and washpoints, spreading cost over the kit’s working life.
Merchant cash advances repay as a percentage of daily card takings, which fits salons and spas with strong card volumes and seasonal peaks.
Unsecured business loans commonly fund refits, marketing pushes, hiring and expansion where no specific asset is being purchased.
Costs vary by trading history, turnover, card volume and security, so always confirm current rates and fees with the lender before committing.
A whole-of-market broker can compare multiple lenders against your card takings, accounts and plans in one go.

What do beauty and wellness businesses use finance for?

Beauty and wellness businesses most often use finance to buy equipment, fit out or expand premises, and bridge seasonal cashflow. The common triggers are a new treatment line, a salon refit, a second site, or a quieter trading period that squeezes working capital.

Equipment purchases: laser and IPL machines, aesthetic devices, treatment couches, styling chairs, backwash units, nail stations, sunbeds, cryotherapy and hydrotherapy kit.
Premises fit-out and refurbishment: flooring, lighting, plumbing for washpoints, reception areas and treatment rooms.
Opening or acquiring a second location, including deposits, kit and initial staffing.
Working capital through quieter months (January and mid-summer often dip for many salons).
Recruitment and training, including onboarding therapists and stylists ahead of demand.
Stock and retail lines such as skincare, haircare and product ranges sold alongside services.
Marketing and rebrands, from booking systems and websites to local advertising campaigns.

What finance options suit beauty and wellness businesses?

The best-fit options are usually asset finance or hire purchase for equipment, a merchant cash advance for card-heavy businesses needing flexible repayment, and an unsecured business loan for refits, hiring and general working capital. The right choice depends on what you are funding, your card volumes and how predictable your income is.

Asset finance

Spreads the cost of treatment machines, chairs and equipment over the asset’s useful life, so you pay as the kit earns.

Learn more →

Hire purchase

Lets you buy high-value equipment like laser or IPL platforms in instalments, owning the asset outright at the end.

Learn more →

Merchant cash advance

Repays as a set percentage of daily card takings, flexing with busy and quiet periods common in the sector.

Learn more →

Unsecured business loans

Funds refits, marketing, hiring and working capital without securing the borrowing against a specific asset.

Learn more →

How do beauty and wellness businesses fund growth? Two examples

An aesthetics clinic adding a laser platform

A clinic wants to add laser hair removal but the machine is a significant capital outlay. Rather than paying upfront, the clinic uses hire purchase or asset finance so the cost is spread over several years, roughly matching the period the machine generates treatment income. The equipment itself often supports the lending, and at the end of a hire purchase agreement the clinic owns the platform outright. Owners should confirm the total cost, any deposit and the term with the lender.

A city-centre salon smoothing a January dip and refitting

A busy salon with strong card takings faces a quieter January and wants to refresh its interior. A merchant cash advance can suit the seasonality because repayments move with daily card volume, easing pressure in slow weeks. Alternatively, an unsecured business loan gives fixed monthly repayments for the refit, which some owners prefer for budgeting. The trade-off is between flexibility and predictability, and the total cost should be compared across both before deciding. YouLend is one of the better-known revenue-based providers, and our YouLend review covers its costs, eligibility and alternatives.

What do lenders look at for beauty and wellness businesses?

Lenders assess trading history, turnover, card takings, the purpose of the funding and any available security, alongside the sector’s typical risk profile. For salons and spas, monthly card volume is often central because so much income is taken by card.

Trading history: many lenders look for a minimum period of trading (often around a year or more), though newer businesses may still have options with stronger metrics elsewhere.
Turnover and card takings: consistent monthly card volume matters for merchant cash advances, where the advance is usually sized against recent takings.
Purpose and asset: for asset finance and hire purchase, the equipment being bought supports the deal, which can widen options.
Affordability: lenders review whether repayments are comfortably covered by trading, especially given seasonal swings.
Security and personal guarantees: unsecured facilities often still involve a personal guarantee, so read what is being asked before signing.
Credit profile: both business and director credit histories are typically considered.

Rates and fees vary widely by profile, so treat any figures as indicative only and confirm current terms directly with the lender.

What should you weigh up?

Total cost, not just the monthly figure: compare the full amount repayable, including any fees, and for a merchant cash advance understand the factor rate rather than an APR.
Repayment structure versus seasonality: percentage-of-takings repayments flex with quiet months, whereas fixed loan repayments stay the same regardless of trade.
Ownership: with hire purchase you own the asset at the end, while some agreements or leases may not transfer ownership, so check the structure.
Equipment lifespan: avoid financing kit over a term longer than its useful working life or reliable resale value.
Personal guarantees: unsecured lending frequently requires one, which puts personal liability behind the borrowing.
Early repayment and exit terms: check whether settling early saves interest or triggers charges.
Card processor tie-ins: some cash advances link to a specific card provider, so understand any switching implications.

How Greenwood helps

Greenwood Capital is a Manchester-based, whole-of-market finance broker that compares options across the lending market for beauty and wellness businesses. Rather than one lender’s view, we look at your card takings, accounts and plans and match them to suitable facilities, whether that is asset finance for a new machine, a merchant cash advance for a seasonal salon, or an unsecured loan for a refit. Explore our Compare Lenders hub, or let us do the legwork and shortlist realistic routes for your situation. This is general help to compare the market, not financial advice.

Frequently asked questions

How can I finance a laser or IPL machine for my salon?
Laser and IPL machines are commonly financed with asset finance or hire purchase, which spread the cost over the equipment's working life rather than paying upfront. The machine itself often supports the agreement, and with hire purchase you own it once payments finish. Terms, deposits and total cost vary by lender and profile, so confirm current figures before committing.
What is a merchant cash advance and does it suit a salon?
A merchant cash advance is funding repaid as a fixed percentage of your daily card takings rather than a set monthly amount. It suits card-heavy salons and spas because repayments flex with busy and quiet periods, easing seasonal dips. The advance is usually sized against recent card volume. Costs use a factor rate, so compare the total repayable with the lender.
Can I get salon finance as a new business?
Newer salons can access finance, though options may be narrower until there is a trading track record. Many lenders prefer around a year of trading and consistent card takings, but some consider younger businesses with strong metrics or an asset supporting the deal. A whole-of-market broker can compare which lenders are realistic for your stage rather than one provider's rules.
How much can a spa or beauty business borrow?
Borrowing amounts depend on turnover, card takings, the funding purpose and any security or asset involved. Merchant cash advances are typically sized against recent monthly card volume, while asset finance links to the value of the equipment. Unsecured loans are assessed on affordability and credit profile. Amounts and terms vary by lender, so confirm what you qualify for directly.
Is it better to lease or buy salon equipment?
Buying with hire purchase means you own the equipment at the end and can be cost-effective for kit you will keep long term. Leasing can lower upfront cost and suit equipment that dates quickly, but you may not own it. The right choice depends on the asset's lifespan, cashflow and tax position, so weigh total cost and ownership before deciding.
Will I need a personal guarantee for a salon loan?
Unsecured business loans and some other facilities often require a personal guarantee, which means a director takes personal responsibility if the business cannot repay. This is common for smaller or newer businesses without significant assets. The extent varies by lender and deal size. Always read what is being guaranteed and understand the liability before signing any agreement.
How do salons handle finance during quiet seasons?
Salons often manage seasonal dips, such as January or mid-summer, using facilities that flex with income. A merchant cash advance repays as a percentage of card takings, so payments fall automatically in quieter weeks. Others hold a working capital buffer or fixed-repayment loan and plan around known dips. The best fit depends on how predictable and card-based your income is.
What does salon finance cost?
Cost varies significantly by trading history, turnover, card volume, security and the product chosen, so there is no single rate. Loans are usually quoted with an interest rate and APR, while merchant cash advances use a factor rate and total repayable. Compare the full amount repayable including fees, and confirm current figures with the lender before committing.