Flute
You run a growing business. Payments should be the easy part. For many owners, it wasn’t even a real choice. A sales rep called the previous owner, a deal got done, and you’ve been running on infrastructure that wasn’t built for you.
Or maybe you did pick your processor, but you chose speed over fit. You needed to take payments immediately, so you went with the biggest name you knew. It got you live in an afternoon. But ‘easy to get started’ turned out to be the only thing it was good at, and the barriers you hadn’t considered started showing up fast.
If you run a salon, restaurant, vet clinic, jewelry store, or other growing business, you know exactly what we’re talking about. You do real volume, and you generate real revenue, but the options have been the same:
Up to now, you’ve had to pick which set of problems you can live with.
The people who built Aurora understood this. They built the infrastructure, developed the merchant relationships, and kept improving the platform even when the brand didn’t keep pace.
Everything was already here except the name.
Rebranding to Flute means the platform we spent years building finally has a name that matches it. We built a full-stack payment platform with our own gateway, our own FSP license, sponsored BINs, and multi-processor connectivity. And more features are on the way.
We own every layer, end-to-end. We’re not cobbling together third-party tools and hoping they hold. We own the infrastructure. We control the economics, the experience, and the outcomes for you.
That matters more now than ever.
Look at where the market is. You’re more aware than ever of what you’re giving up under a legacy model. Flat-rate pricing used to feel like simplicity. Now it’s just stifling. When you’re processing high volume, the difference between flexible, transparent pricing and a flat markup is hundreds or thousands of dollars a month.
At the same time, the bar for software has also risen. You know what good technology looks like. You shouldn’t have to go backward just to get a merchant account. We’re the only option that doesn’t ask you to.
The longer you’re on Flute, the more the platform works for you. Working capital is underwritten by your actual processing volume, so it fits your real cash flow. Instant payouts, analytics, and recurring billing all get more valuable the longer you stay.
The same goes for SaaS platforms and ISO partners. The technology is easy to build on, and support actually knows your account.
When you sign up, you get a merchant account in your name. Funds settle on your timeline, disputes get handled by someone who actually knows your business, and you’re never buried in fine print.
Flute is a new name on a platform we’ve been building for years. We built it for owners who’d run out of patience with what the market had to offer. If that’s you, let’s talk.
— Derek
Cash flow is one of the most persistent challenges growing businesses face. You might have strong sales, a loyal customer base, and a product people love, but if money isn’t coming in fast enough to cover what’s going out, growth can stall.
Unfortunately, traditional funding options that are supposed to help often make things harder, with lengthy applications, credit checks, collateral requirements, and weeks of waiting, all for an uncertain outcome.
The good news is that the landscape is shifting. A new generation of working capital solutions has emerged that’s faster, more accessible, and built around how businesses generate revenue.
So, whether you’re eyeing a bulk inventory order, planning to bring on staff before a busy season, or just trying to keep operations steady during a slow stretch, there’s a path forward that doesn’t involve a bank branch or a pile of paperwork: working capital loans.
Working capital, at its most basic, is the money a business has available to fund its day-to-day operations. It’s the difference between your incoming revenue and your short-term expenses — cash on hand versus bills due.
For many growing businesses, that balance is tighter than it should be. According to PYMNTS, roughly 50% of small businesses rely on day-to-day sales or existing cash to stay afloat. That can leave small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) without the funds they need for:
Working capital solutions are funding products designed to bridge that gap. You may also see them described as revenue-based financing or merchant cash advances, depending on the provider. Rather than large, long-term loans intended for capital investments, these products provide shorter-term access to cash that you can put to work right away.
Here’s how it works:
Repayments are based on a small percentage of your daily or weekly sales, which means what you pay back rises and falls with your actual revenue. And because payments are automatic, you never have to keep track of deadlines or invoices.
Traditional bank loans are built around a lending model designed for a different era of business. To qualify, you typically need several years of operating history, strong personal or business credit, collateral like real estate or equipment, and a detailed business plan. Even then, the process can take weeks or months, and approval isn’t guaranteed.
That model leaves a significant portion of businesses behind. Goldman Sachs research found that 77% of small business owners worry about access to capital. And PYMNTS data shows that only about 39% of Main Street SMBs have access to financing sources like business credit cards and working capital loans.
Newer working capital solutions take a fundamentally different approach.
Rather than leading with credit history, they look at actual business performance: how much revenue a business is generating, and how consistently. That shift matters because a business with healthy sales but a limited credit history can still qualify, opening the door to funding for a much broader range of owners.
Speed is another factor. While traditional loans can take 30 or more days to fund, most working capital solutions are designed to provide businesses with funds in one to two business days. In many cases, offers are pre-generated based on existing payment processing data, which means you’re looking at a real, personalized number before you’ve filled out a single form.
Because working capital solutions are built around revenue rather than credit, the eligibility framework is different from what you’d encounter at a bank.
Providers that offer this type of financing typically assess eligibility based on four key factors:
Credit scores and collateral typically aren’t part of the equation. That makes these products accessible to businesses that are operationally strong but may not have a long credit history. It’s also great for newer businesses and those that have dealt with financial setbacks in the past.
One practical upside of this model is that the more consistently you process sales, the stronger your eligibility will be. For instance, some providers update offers dynamically as your revenue grows, so access to capital can scale with your business
SMBs face a lot of challenges when it comes to accessing financing through traditional channels. For instance, the World Bank Group found that there’s a $5.7 trillion financing gap across 119 emerging markets and developing economies. Revenue-based working capital offers a meaningful alternative for the businesses that gap leaves behind.
On the repayment side, it’s important to look for working capital solutions that calculate repayment as a percentage of daily sales rather than a fixed monthly payment. That’s because a fixed payment stays the same whether you had your best week of the year or your slowest. On the other hand, a sales-based repayment adjusts automatically, which means you pay less on slower days and more on days when sales are high. This framework protects your margins on slow days and helps prevent cash flow issues.
The best capital solutions also charge a single, fixed fee (sometimes called a factor rate) rather than an interest rate that compounds over time. That means you know the full cost of your loan upfront, with no surprises as you repay it.
One of the advantages of most working capital solutions is that they don’t come with strict restrictions on how the funds are used. That’s intentional — because every business’s priorities are different, and the most urgent opportunity today may look nothing like the one next quarter. Let’s break down a few examples.
Inventory is one of the first areas businesses often invest their new capital. Whether you’re stocking up ahead of a high-demand season, taking advantage of a bulk-pricing opportunity from a supplier, or trying to avoid stockouts that cost you customers, fast access to capital lets you act when the timing is right rather than when your bank account allows it.
Equipment upgrades follow a similar logic. New equipment often means higher capacity, better efficiency, or services you couldn’t offer before. But the cost is typically front-loaded while the benefit takes time to materialize. Working capital can close that gap without disrupting day-to-day operations.
Staffing and training are other common use cases. Bringing on an extra team member before a busy season gets underway, instead of scrambling to hire once it’s already peaked, requires capital that most businesses don’t have just sitting by. The same applies to training a team on a new system or service.
Marketing and business development round out the picture. Running a campaign, attending an industry event, or investing in a new channel all require upfront spending. Working capital lets businesses act on those opportunities without drawing down the operational reserves they depend on.
Beyond those specific categories, a lot of businesses simply use working capital to strengthen their cash position. A buffer provides flexibility when unexpected expenses hit or when a major customer takes longer than expected to pay.
PYMNTS research found that 90% of SMBs say access to embedded financial products and services is essential to their operations. However, separate PYMNTS data shows that only about 44% have access to the working capital solutions they need.
The best working capital solutions are ones that fit into how your business already operates. Look for providers that evaluate eligibility based on your actual sales volume, offer funding without a drawn-out application process, and structure repayment in a way that adjusts with your revenue. Transparency around fees matters too; a clear, fixed cost upfront is much more manageable than a rate that shifts over time.
If you’re already processing payments through a platform that offers embedded capital, start there. Ideally, your offer will be built around your transaction data, with minimal processes and quick funding.
Flute Capital is designed to do exactly that.
As part of the Flute payments platform, eligible businesses receive working capital offers based on their actual payment processing history — no credit check, no collateral, and no separate application required. The process takes minutes, funding arrives within one to two business days, and repayment adjusts with your daily sales, so your cash flow stays protected.
If you’re already processing with Flute, check your dashboard to see if there’s an offer ready for you. Or reach out to a member of our team to learn how to get started.
Every time a customer swipes their card, money moves. The problem is, it can take a while for those funds to finally get to you.
On average, it takes between two and three business days for card sales to reach your business bank account. That might not sound like much time, but for businesses managing payroll, restocking inventory, and covering daily operational costs, settlement times create a real cash-flow gap.
Research from U.S. Bank found that 82% of growing businesses experience cash flow problems, even though most generate revenue. That means the problem isn’t what’s coming in; it’s when it actually arrives. The Federal Reserve’s Small Business Credit Survey confirms this. They found that access to card payment funds is one of the most frequently cited challenges small business owners face, with most waiting an average of two to three days after a transaction to see those funds.
Running out of cash is a contributing factor in 38% of business failures — a number that speaks more to timing than to performance.
Today, there are tools designed specifically to address this: instant payouts. These solutions give growing businesses access to earned revenue in minutes, any day of the week — including weekends and holidays — without applying for credit or waiting on traditional banking timelines.
Let’s take a look at what instant payouts are, how they work, and how they compare to other funding options.
When you accept a card payment, the transaction doesn’t immediately translate to accessible cash. There’s a settlement period, which is the time it takes for the card networks, the acquiring bank, and your payment processor to complete the transfer of funds. For most businesses, this takes two to three business days.
Instant payout solutions eliminate most of that wait. Instead of holding funds until the settlement cycle finishes, these tools allow businesses to access revenue from their completed card sales on the same day. That means, unlike banks, which operate on strict schedules, instant payouts are available around the clock, including on weekends and holidays.
What makes instant payouts distinct from a same-day ACH transfer or next-day deposit isn’t just speed, but availability. You’re not filing a transfer request during business hours and hoping it clears. Instead, you initiate the payout when you need it, and funds arrive in your debit card or bank account within minutes. Because the process works within your existing payment setup, you don’t have to deal with any third parties. Everything is available in the payment software you already use every day.
Most solutions charge a small fee per transaction, typically a percentage of the amount you access. Look for solutions that show you the exact cost before you confirm, with no hidden fees and no ongoing subscription costs, so you only have to pay when you take out funds.
On the surface, both options put money in your hands more quickly than traditional settlements. But the way they work and what they cost are vastly different.
A merchant cash advance (MCA) provides a lump sum of capital upfront in exchange for a portion of your future sales. You repay it through automatic daily or weekly deductions from your card receipts, plus fees expressed as a factor rate.
Because you’re receiving money you haven’t earned yet, an MCA is a form of financing, which means businesses are often left with a bigger bill than they bargained for. MCA fees often translate to annual percentage rates that are higher than what traditional business loans charge — sometimes reaching triple digits depending on the terms.
An instant payout solution works differently. You’re not borrowing anything; you’re just accessing money from card sales you’ve already completed. There’s no repayment schedule because there’s nothing to repay — the accessed amount reconciles automatically through your normal payout process.
Here’s a quick breakdown of the differences between merchant cash advances and instant payouts:
Merchant cash advances are best for larger capital needs like big expansions, major equipment purchases, or gaps traditional lenders won’t fill.
Instant payouts are best for bridging short-term gaps between when you earn revenue and when it lands in your account
If you’re looking for more capital to fund an expansion or a purchase that exceeds your recent card volume, a business loan or line of credit may be the right option. But if your goal is to close the gap between earning revenue and spending it without taking on new debt, an instant-payout solution is worth a closer look.
Waiting a few days might be manageable in most cases, but when your business runs on tight margins or needs a last-minute replacement, waiting periods can feel like an eternity. Seasonal businesses feel this most acutely. For instance, a restaurant packed every Friday and Saturday still needs to pay suppliers and staff by Monday, and traditional banking timelines weren’t built with that in mind.
The broader issue is that cash flow constraints don’t always signal a struggling business. Many growing businesses that run into cash-flow friction are doing everything right — they’re just waiting longer than they need to for their payouts.
There are typically no restrictions on how funds accessed through instant payouts can be used, so you’re free to use the money however you need to.
A few common use cases include:
When sales are steady, but the settlement timeline creates a gap, having funds on demand can mean the difference between keeping up and falling behind.
Most instant payout solutions are embedded directly within your existing payment platform, so there’s no separate account to open, no new application to complete, and no additional software to learn. Once you’re enrolled (typically a one-time process based on your payment processing history), you can initiate a payout at any time.
First, choose the amount you want to access, up to the available balance from your card sales. Solutions will typically set a per-request maximum to manage risk on both sides. Before you confirm a payout, double-check any associated fees. The best solutions will require a one-time, upfront payment and nothing else. Once everything is approved, funds will be credited to your debit card or bank account within minutes.
One thing to remember is that your standard payout schedule won’t be disrupted by using an instant payout solution. You’re not pulling from future sales; you’re just accessing money from sales you’ve already completed. That means the funds you pull out early are reconciled through your normal settlement process.
Eligibility is generally based on your payment processing history, including how long you’ve been active with your processor and your transaction volume over time, rather than a credit check. That makes the process faster and more accessible to growing businesses that may not qualify for traditional financing.
When evaluating instant payout solutions, look for:
For growing businesses that process card payments, the gap between earning revenue and accessing it is a real operational challenge. Thankfully, it’s one that can be solved. Instant payouts won’t replace your standard settlement process, but they’ll give you a reliable, on-demand option for the moments when timing matters most.
At Flute, our Instant Payouts solution was built for exactly this. Eligible Flute merchants can access up to $10,000 from their daily card sales in minutes, any time, any day — including weekends and holidays — directly from the Flute dashboard. There’s no credit check, no borrowing, and no new tools to learn. We’ll show you a simple, transparent fee upfront, and you only pay when you choose to use it.
If you’re already a Flute merchant, navigate to the “finance” section of your dashboard to see if you’re eligible. If not, reach out to our team to learn more. Your earned revenue shouldn’t have to wait. With Flute, it doesn’t.
The stretch between finishing a job and seeing the money hit your bank can be the most stressful part of the month. The work is done, the customer is happy, and yet payroll, rent, and inventory bills keep coming, whether or not the invoice gets paid.
That gap is wider than it should be. According to the 2025 Intuit QuickBooks report, 56% of U.S. small businesses are currently owed money on outstanding invoices, with an average of $17,500 sitting in unpaid bills per business. Nearly half of businesses reported that some of their invoices were more than 30 days overdue.
Friction is one of the biggest culprits of unpaid invoices. Every step between “here’s what you owe” and “you’ve been paid” is another chance for a payment to slip. That means the fastest way to close that gap is to remove unnecessary steps — and that’s exactly what payment links are built to do.
Business owners feel the pinch of slow payments long before any number on a balance sheet shows it. According to the Federal Reserve’s 2024 Report on Payments, nearly four in 10 small employer firms (39%) said slow-paying customers are a challenge, and another 20% pointed to time-consuming processes like billing customers.
When funds are delayed, owners often turn to higher-interest credit cards, postpone hires they were ready to make, defer equipment purchases, and shelve growth plans. The QuickBooks data shows that businesses hit hardest by overdue invoices are more likely to lean on loans and lines of credit just to cover ordinary operating costs.
There’s also a less visible cost: the time your team spends managing the back-and-forth. Reminder calls, mailed re-statements, and “did you ever get the invoice?” emails take hours away from work that actually grows the company. You’ve probably never put a price on those hours, but the cost is there all the same.
A payment link is a secure URL that a customer can use to pay for a product or service. You generate the link in your payment platform, then share it via email or text. The customer taps the link, lands on a mobile-friendly checkout page, enters their card information, and then the payment is on its way to your account.
Payment links offer a faster, more convenient payment experience, so customers can pay instantly from their phone instead of waiting for a paper invoice. There’s no app for the customer to download, no website to log into, and no special hardware on your end.
Picture a contractor who wraps up a job on Monday and mails the invoice Tuesday morning. Best case, it lands in the customer’s mailbox on Friday. Then it sits. We all know the type — the customer who lets the mail pile up for a week before getting around to it, or the household where half the envelopes go straight to recycling without a second look.
Even the customer who opens the invoice the day it arrives still has work to do. They have to call the office to read off a card number or type a long URL into a browser. Each extra step is another chance to put the payment off until tomorrow, next week, or the next time someone calls to follow up.
Now picture the same scenario with a payment link. The job ends, and the contractor sends a text or email before leaving the driveway. The customer taps the link on their phone, pays however they want to (including by ACH, EFT, or card), and the money is on its way.
Customers have already moved on from paper. One study found that only 7% of consumers paid bills by check in 2024, with half of all bill payments now being made electronically from a bank account. If your customers have moved to digital payments, why hasn’t your business?
Payment links aren’t tied to one type of business. That means that if your company ever needs to send an invoice, request a deposit, or close a sale on the spot, a link will probably be your best option.
Here are a few common use cases:
With payment links, customers can pay where they already are, and you don’t have to deal with long waits. You’ll see a shorter list of unpaid invoices and spend fewer hours chasing payments each week, so you can spend more time focusing on what really matters.
Not every payment link is built the same, and the wrong setup can create new headaches in place of the old ones. Before choosing a provider, be sure to ask about the following:
The goal is to find a tool that fits how your business already works, so you can start accepting digital invoice payments right away.
Customers want to pay digitally, and slow, manual collections are quietly costing you real money. The businesses getting paid faster are the ones making it easier, not harder, to hand over a card.
Payment links meet customers where they already are and shrink the time between “invoice sent” and “money in the bank,” so your team can reclaim the hours that used to go to chasing checks.
If your invoicing process still leans on paper, plastic, or phone calls, the upgrade is overdue. Reach out to Flute to see how we can put faster, more flexible payments to work for your business.