SBA 7(a) Loan Calculator

Calculate SBA loan payments with guarantee fee. Compare SBA vs conventional loan rates.

By Konstantin Iakovlev · Updated September 2026 · Source: U.S. Small Business Administration — 7(a) terms, conditions, and eligibility

$
%
Loan Term

Monthly Payment

$2,586.47

Total Interest

$425,940.74

Total Cost

$783,815.74

SBA 7(a) Loan Breakdown

Monthly Payment$2,586.47
Total Payments Over Life of Loan$775,940.74
Total Interest Paid$425,940.74
SBA Guarantee Fee (3.00% of the guaranteed $262,500.00)$7,875.00
Total Cost (Payments + Fee)$783,815.74

SBA vs Conventional Loan Comparison

Conventional loan estimated at +1.5% higher rate

Conventional Monthly

$2,937.19

Monthly Savings (SBA)

$350.72

Total Interest Savings

$105,215.45

Use the SBA 7(a) Loan Calculator above to calculate your results. Enter your values and see instant results — all calculations run in your browser.

Disclaimer: This calculator is for informational purposes only and does not constitute tax, financial, or legal advice. Results are estimates based on the information you provide and current rates. Always consult a qualified tax professional or financial advisor for advice specific to your situation.

How It Works

Pricing an SBA 7(a) loan means looking past the headline interest rate to the monthly payment you will actually carry, guarantee fee included. The estimate here lets you weigh that real cost against a conventional loan so a financing decision rests on numbers rather than guesswork.

Payments come from a standard amortization formula on the loan amount, with the SBA guarantee fee shown on top. For loans approved in fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026) with terms over 12 months, that fee is 2% of the guaranteed portion on loans of $150,000 or less, 3% on loans of $150,001 to $700,000, and on larger loans 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1 million plus 3.75% of any guaranteed amount above $1 million; manufacturers borrowing $950,000 or less pay 0%. SBA guarantees 85% of loans up to $150,000 and 75% of larger ones. Side by side, the tool lays out total interest and monthly payments for the SBA loan and for a conventional loan assumed to cost 1.5 percentage points more, so the trade-offs are visible at a glance.

That guarantee fee is an upfront charge. The calculator adds it to your total cost rather than to the balance; if you roll it into the loan instead, the principal and the monthly payment rise a little. Closing costs are a separate matter the calculator leaves out, so budget for those on top of whatever figure you see here.

Example: $250,000 SBA 7(a) Loan

  1. 1 Input a $250,000 loan, a 10-year term and an 8.5% rate. A loan this size is 75% guaranteed, and the fiscal 2026 fee is 3% of the guaranteed portion: $250,000 × 0.75 × 0.03 = $5,625.
  2. 2 Monthly payment on $250,000 at 8.5% over 120 months: $3,099.64. Over the term you pay $371,957.07, of which $121,957.07 is interest; with the fee, the total cost is $377,582.07.
  3. 3 The conventional comparison uses 10.0% (8.5% + 1.5 points): $3,303.77 a month and $146,452.21 of interest, so the SBA loan saves $204.13 a month and $24,495.14 in interest.
  4. 4 If you finance the fee instead of paying it upfront, the balance becomes $255,625 and the payment rises to $3,169.38. The comparison is only as good as the assumed 1.5-point gap, so get a real conventional quote before deciding.

Source: U.S. Small Business Administration — 7(a) terms, conditions, and eligibility · Last updated: September 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the SBA 7(a) loan interest rate in 2026?
Lenders set the rate, but SBA caps it. For variable-rate 7(a) loans the maximum is the base rate plus 6.5% for loans of $50,000 or less, plus 6.0% for $50,001 to $250,000, plus 4.5% for $250,001 to $350,000, and plus 3.0% above $350,000. The base rate is the prime rate or an SBA optional peg rate, so the ceiling moves with it.
How much can I borrow with an SBA 7(a) loan?
The SBA 7(a) program allows loans up to $5 million. Terms run up to 10 years, or up to 25 years when the loan finances real estate or equipment with a useful life over 10 years. SBA guarantees 85% of loans up to $150,000 and 75% of larger ones.
What is the SBA guarantee fee?
For loans approved in fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 to September 30, 2026) with terms over 12 months, the upfront fee is 2% of the guaranteed portion for loans of $150,000 or less, 3% for $150,001 to $700,000, and for larger loans 3.5% of the guaranteed portion up to $1 million plus 3.75% of the guaranteed portion above that. Loans of 12 months or less pay 0.25%, and manufacturers borrowing $950,000 or less pay nothing. This fee can be financed into the loan amount.

You might also need

Self-Employment Tax Calculator 2026 — SE Tax & Quarterly Payments

Calculate SE tax, quarterly estimated payments, and total tax burden for freelancers and 1099 contractors. Free, instant results based on 2026 IRS rates.

LLC vs S-Corp Tax Comparison Calculator

Compare tax liability as an LLC vs S-Corp. See how much you can save on self-employment tax with an S-Corp election.

W-2 vs 1099 Comparison Calculator

Compare take-home pay as a W-2 employee vs 1099 contractor. Find the equivalent 1099 rate to match your W-2 salary.