Shawbrook vs Aldermore: Specialist Lender Comparison
Shawbrook vs Aldermore compared: products, loan sizes, security, speed and who each suits. Impartial, factual guidance from a whole-of-market broker.
The short version
- Shawbrook and Aldermore are both UK specialist banks that lend where high-street banks often say no, particularly on secured and asset-backed deals.
- Shawbrook is known for larger commercial mortgages, property-backed lending and structured secured facilities for more complex cases.
- Aldermore is strong on asset finance and invoice finance for SMEs, alongside commercial mortgages and buy-to-let.
- Neither is universally cheaper or faster. Pricing is set case by case on the strength of the borrower and the security, so confirm current terms directly.
- The right choice depends on your deal size, security and timescale, which is exactly what a whole-of-market comparison is for.
Shawbrook and Aldermore are two of the best-known specialist banks in UK business finance. Both grew up as alternatives to the big high-street banks, and both concentrate on lending that needs a human underwriter rather than a purely automated decision.
People compare them because their product ranges overlap heavily on commercial mortgages, asset finance and secured business lending. The differences tend to sit in the detail: deal size appetite, the types of security they favour, and how each underwrites a complex or non-standard case.
Compare them at a glance
Shawbrook tends to lean towards larger, property-backed and structured secured deals, while Aldermore is particularly visible in asset finance and invoice finance for growing SMEs. The dashboard below compares published, non-price measures only, so you can see appetite and structure rather than headline rates.
The two lenders in detail
Shawbrook
Shawbrook is a UK specialist bank that focuses on commercial mortgages, property-backed lending, asset finance and structured secured facilities. It has built a reputation for handling more complex cases, larger loan sizes and borrowers who do not fit a standard high-street template.
Its business lending is often intermediary-led, meaning much of its volume comes through brokers who package and present cases. That model tends to suit deals where the story needs explaining, such as portfolio landlords, trading businesses raising capital against property, or acquisitions.
Strengths
- Appetite for larger and more complex secured and property-backed deals.
- Experienced human underwriting rather than purely automated scoring.
- Broad range covering commercial mortgages, bridging, asset finance and development.
- Comfortable with non-standard borrowers and structures when the security is strong.
Watch-outs
- Complex cases can take longer to underwrite than a simple unsecured facility.
- Property-backed lending usually involves valuations and legal work, adding time and cost.
- Pricing is bespoke, so two similar-looking businesses can be quoted differently.
- Much of the business lending is accessed via intermediaries rather than direct.
Aldermore
Aldermore is a UK specialist bank that serves SMEs across asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages and buy-to-let, alongside a savings arm. It positions itself as a flexible lender that backs businesses the mainstream banks can overlook.
Aldermore is especially well known in asset finance, funding vehicles, plant, machinery and equipment through hire purchase and leasing, and in invoice finance that releases cash tied up in unpaid invoices. That makes it a natural fit for businesses managing cash flow and growth rather than one-off large property raises.
Strengths
- Strong, established asset finance proposition across many asset types.
- Invoice finance options that unlock working capital from the sales ledger.
- Commercial mortgage and buy-to-let lending for SMEs and landlords.
- Flexible underwriting that considers the wider business picture.
Watch-outs
- Asset and invoice facilities are tied to specific assets or debtors, not free cash.
- Invoice finance can carry service and facility charges that vary by ledger.
- Very large or highly complex structured deals may suit a different lender.
- Terms and eligibility differ by product, so a blanket comparison is misleading.
Side-by-side comparison
| Feature | Shawbrook | Aldermore |
|---|---|---|
| Core products | Commercial mortgages, bridging, development, asset finance, secured lending | Asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages, buy-to-let |
| Loan amounts | From tens of thousands to multi-million on larger deals | From small facilities upwards, scaling with the asset or ledger |
| Security | Often property or asset-backed, including charges over property | Assets, invoices or property depending on the product |
| Repayment style | Amortising loans, interest-only options on some property products, term facilities | Hire purchase, leasing, revolving invoice facilities, amortising mortgages |
| Typical speed | Fast for straightforward cases, longer where valuations and legals apply | Asset and invoice facilities can move quickly once documents are in |
| Eligibility | Whole-picture underwriting, appetite for complex or larger cases | Whole-picture underwriting, strong SME and asset focus |
| Best for | Larger, property-backed or structured secured borrowing | Equipment funding and cash-flow finance for growing SMEs |
Cost is not shown here on purpose. Both banks price each case individually on the borrower’s strength, the security offered and the product used, so any rate you see quoted elsewhere may not apply to you. Rates vary by profile and security, so always confirm current figures and fees directly with the lender before you commit.
Where Shawbrook tends to win
Shawbrook tends to win where the deal is larger, secured against property, or genuinely complex. If you are a portfolio landlord refinancing several properties, a trading business raising capital against premises, or an investor buying at auction and needing bridging, Shawbrook’s underwriting depth and appetite for structure often make it a natural home. Its willingness to look past a rigid checklist and assess the whole picture helps borrowers whose accounts, income or history do not fit a tick-box model. Because these deals usually involve valuations and legal work, they take a little longer, but the trade-off is access to funding that a scorecard-driven lender might decline outright.
Where Aldermore tends to win
Aldermore tends to win where the need is asset finance or working capital rather than a single large property raise. If you are buying equipment, vehicles, plant or machinery, hire purchase and leasing spread the cost over the useful life of the asset, and the asset itself provides much of the security. If cash is tied up in unpaid invoices, Aldermore’s invoice finance can release a large share of each invoice’s value quickly, smoothing cash flow for businesses with long payment terms. For many growing SMEs, that combination of asset and cash-flow finance is more relevant day to day than a headline-grabbing loan size, and it is an area where Aldermore has long-established expertise.
Who each lender suits
Shawbrook tends to fit if…
- ➤ You need larger or more complex secured borrowing.
- ➤ Your deal is backed by property or substantial assets.
- ➤ Your case needs a human underwriter to understand the story.
- ➤ You are a landlord, developer or investor raising capital.
Aldermore tends to fit if…
- ➤ You are funding equipment, vehicles or machinery.
- ➤ You want to release cash from unpaid invoices.
- ➤ You are a growing SME managing working capital.
- ➤ You want asset-tied finance rather than a large property raise.
How Greenwood helps you choose
Greenwood Capital is a Manchester-based, whole-of-market finance broker, which means we compare lenders across the market rather than pushing one balance sheet. You tell us your situation once, and we look at how it fits lenders such as Shawbrook and Aldermore alongside others, matching the deal size, security and timescale to the lenders most likely to have appetite. This is general help to narrow the field and save you making multiple applications, not financial advice or a recommendation to take a specific product. The final decision, and the terms, always sit with you and the lender.
The verdict
Neither Shawbrook nor Aldermore is universally better. Shawbrook often shines on larger, property-backed and complex secured deals, while Aldermore is a strong choice for asset finance and invoice finance that keeps a growing business supplied and liquid. The best answer depends on what you are funding, what you can offer as security and how quickly you need it, and because both price case by case, a like-for-like comparison of your actual deal matters far more than any general league table. Let Greenwood compare the market against your specific situation so you can see where each fits before you apply.
Sources
- Shawbrook Bank business and commercial lending product pages, covering commercial mortgages, bridging, development and asset finance.
- Aldermore Bank business finance pages, covering asset finance, invoice finance, commercial mortgages and buy-to-let.
- Each lender’s published eligibility criteria, product guides and intermediary resources for loan sizes, terms and security.
- General UK business finance references from reputable industry bodies on how secured, asset and invoice finance work.