> Free calculator for restaurant cash advances from POS companies, delivery apps and food distributors. See the real yearly rate, payoff time and total cost. Free Tool # What does that cash advance really cost? Enter the terms of an advance from your POS company, a delivery app, a lender or your food distributor. See the real yearly rate, how long payback takes and what it costs you in dollars. ## 1. What kind of offer is it? Try an example: **Paid back from a % of sales**POS and delivery app advances**Fixed daily or weekly payment**Merchant cash advances, online lenders**Cash for a commitment**Distributor signing bonuses, exclusivity deals ## 2. Enter the terms Cash you’ll receive *$* Total you’ll pay back *$* Have a “factor rate” instead? *× cash* Fees taken out upfront optional *$* % of sales taken for repayment *%* Your average sales in that channel *$*per weekper day For a delivery app advance, use that app’s sales only. Payment amount *$*each business dayeach week Compare to a loan or credit line at optional *% a year* Ask your bank what rate they’d offer, then enter it here. Upfront cash (“signing bonus”) *$* Your yearly purchases with them *$* Length of the commitment *years* Rebate on every dollar purchased optional *%* How much higher their prices are than a competitor’s if you know *%* Everything is calculated in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent unless you use the form below. ## 3. What it really costs Total cost Cost per $1 received Estimated payoff Real yearly rate (APR) ### Compared to a regular loan This advance ### If your sales change The payback amount is fixed, so **busier sales mean faster payback and a higher yearly rate**. Slower sales stretch it out. | Sales | Payoff | Yearly rate | | --- | --- | --- | Total cash + rebates Purchases you’re committing Cash per year of lock-in Breakeven price gap ### What’s left of the deal if their prices run higher | Their prices vs. a competitor | Extra you pay over the term | What’s left of the deal | | --- | --- | --- | **Good to know:** a signing bonus is prepaid margin, not free money. On your books it’s a liability that’s spread over the term, not income on day one, and lenders or buyers reviewing your statements will see it that way. ## Before you sign: questions to ask 1. **Does paying early lower the fee?**With most advances the fee is fixed, so paying early saves nothing. 1. **Is the % taken from that channel only, or from all of your sales?**A delivery app advance should only pull from that app’s sales. If it pulls from everything, walk away. 1. **Is there a personal guarantee?**If the business can’t pay, you can be on the hook personally. 1. **What happens if sales drop or you close a location?**Some contracts let the provider demand the full balance at once. 1. **Can they offer you a new advance before this one is paid off?**Stacking or renewing advances is how a one-time fix turns into a permanent payment. 1. **Are there fees that aren’t in the payback amount?**Origination, admin, or “processing” fees taken out of the cash you receive raise the real cost. 1. **For supplier deals: what’s the clawback if you leave early, sell, or close a unit?**Find out whether repayment is pro-rated or due in full. 1. **For supplier deals: what’s left out of the rebate, and does the growth baseline reset each year?**Exclusions and a baseline that resets every January can shrink the rebate to almost nothing. Estimates for education only, based on the numbers you enter. Not financial, tax or legal advice. Your contract’s terms control. The examples are based on real offers FORCS has reviewed, with details changed.