Top 10 Invoice Factoring Companies in the EU and UK
Invoice factoring gives businesses earlier access to cash tied up in unpaid B2B invoices. This guide compares ten established factoring and receivables-finance providers serving companies in the European Union and United Kingdom.
The best invoice factoring company depends on where your business and customers are located, the quality of your receivables, annual turnover, industry, debtor concentration and whether you want the provider to manage collections.
A UK recruitment company with hundreds of weekly invoices needs a different facility from a European manufacturer seeking a multi-country, non-recourse receivables programme. Some providers focus on SMEs. Others specialise in larger corporates, export receivables or pan-European structures.
How this list was selected: providers were assessed according to their published factoring capabilities, geographic reach, client coverage, international solutions and ability to provide financing, receivables management or credit-risk protection. The order is editorial and does not represent guaranteed approval or the cheapest available pricing.
Invoice Factoring Companies at a Glance
| Provider | Primary Coverage | Best Suited For | Relevant Capabilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bibby Financial Services | UK and international | SMEs and mid-market businesses | Factoring, invoice discounting, export finance and bad-debt protection |
| BNP Paribas Factor | Pan-European | Mid-market and multinational companies | Full-service, non-recourse, export and pan-European factoring |
| Société Générale Factoring | France and international | SMEs, mid-caps and large corporates | Receivables finance, international factoring and supply-chain finance |
| ABN AMRO Commercial Finance | Netherlands, Germany, France and UK | Mid-market and larger cross-border businesses | Receivables purchase, cross-border finance and asset-based lending |
| Eurofactor | France and major EU markets | European businesses with domestic or export receivables | Factoring, credit protection, collections and international coverage |
| Factofrance | France and Europe | French SMEs and larger multinational groups | Full-service factoring, export factoring and pan-European programmes |
| Close Brothers Invoice Finance | United Kingdom | Established UK B2B companies | Invoice factoring, discounting, credit management and asset-based lending |
| eCapital UK | United Kingdom | Growing and specialist-sector businesses | Invoice finance, factoring, selective finance and asset-based lending |
| HSBC Invoice Finance | United Kingdom and export markets | Established companies with larger sales ledgers | Invoice finance, discounting, ledger management and credit protection |
| Novuna Business Cash Flow | United Kingdom | UK SMEs seeking factoring and credit-control support | Invoice factoring, invoice finance and provider comparison |
Top 10 Invoice Factoring Providers
Bibby Financial Services
Bibby Financial Services is a major independent invoice-finance specialist supporting thousands of businesses across the UK and other international markets.
Its offering includes disclosed invoice factoring, confidential invoice discounting, export finance and bad-debt protection. Under a factoring arrangement, Bibby can provide funding against approved invoices while managing credit control and customer collections.
Best suited for: SMEs and mid-market businesses that want an experienced independent provider rather than a conventional high-street bank.
BNP Paribas Factor
BNP Paribas Factor operates an extensive European factoring network and supports domestic, international and cross-border receivables programmes.
Available solutions include full-service factoring, in-house factoring, non-recourse structures, export and import factoring, reverse factoring and pan-European programmes. This breadth makes it relevant for companies with subsidiaries or customers across several European jurisdictions.
Best suited for: established mid-market and multinational companies requiring coordinated receivables financing across multiple European countries.
Société Générale Factoring
Société Générale Factoring is the dedicated factoring subsidiary of Société Générale. It provides receivables and supply-chain finance to SMEs, mid-sized companies and larger corporate groups.
The provider manages both domestic and international invoices and can support businesses requiring financing, receivables management, risk mitigation or broader working-capital optimisation.
Best suited for: established companies with substantial sales ledgers, international debtors or more complex receivables-finance requirements.
ABN AMRO Commercial Finance
ABN AMRO Commercial Finance provides working-capital and receivables-finance solutions through operations in European markets including the Netherlands, Germany, France and the United Kingdom.
Its capabilities include factoring, non-recourse receivables purchase, cross-border facilities and larger multi-country structures. The provider can also work alongside existing lenders in more complex financing arrangements.
Best suited for: mid-sized and larger companies with operations, subsidiaries or debtor books across several European jurisdictions.
Eurofactor
Eurofactor is the factoring brand of Crédit Agricole Leasing & Factoring. It supports companies in France and major European markets, including Germany, Italy, Poland, Portugal, Spain and Belgium.
Its services can combine financing with credit assessment, receivables management, invoice-processing support and protection against approved debtor insolvency risk.
Best suited for: European businesses seeking domestic factoring, export factoring or receivables support across the Crédit Agricole network.
Factofrance
Factofrance is an established French factoring provider and part of Crédit Mutuel Alliance Fédérale. It works with companies ranging from smaller businesses to large corporate groups.
Solutions include factoring, financing of receivables, customer-payment management, credit-risk protection and pan-European programmes for multinational groups.
Best suited for: French companies seeking a domestic factoring relationship or larger groups requiring coordinated European receivables facilities.
Close Brothers Invoice Finance
Close Brothers Invoice Finance is an established provider of invoice finance to B2B companies across the United Kingdom.
Its invoice-factoring product releases funding against approved invoices while its in-house team manages credit control and collects payments. The provider also offers invoice discounting and other asset-based finance structures.
Best suited for: established UK companies in sectors such as manufacturing, recruitment, transport, distribution, business services and food production.
eCapital UK
eCapital UK provides invoice finance and asset-based funding to UK businesses seeking faster access to working capital.
Its solutions are designed for companies dealing with long customer-payment terms, seasonal working-capital pressure or rapid growth. Depending on eligibility, businesses may consider full-ledger or more selective invoice-finance structures.
Best suited for: growing businesses that need a specialist alternative lender with experience in sectors such as transport, staffing, manufacturing and wholesale.
HSBC Invoice Finance
HSBC Receivables Finance provides invoice-finance and asset-based lending solutions to qualifying UK companies. Its offering includes invoice discounting and invoice finance with sales-ledger management.
The sales-ledger management option allows the company to raise finance against approved invoices while HSBC manages customer payments and collections. Credit protection may also be available for eligible receivables.
Best suited for: established UK businesses with larger B2B sales ledgers, particularly those requiring multicurrency or export-receivables support.
Novuna Business Cash Flow
Novuna Business Cash Flow helps UK companies access invoice factoring and other cash-flow finance solutions.
Under a factoring arrangement, eligible businesses can receive an advance against approved invoices while the provider manages credit control and customer collections. Novuna also compares solutions from multiple funding partners.
Best suited for: UK SMEs that want help comparing factoring options or need both funding and outsourced credit-control support.
Invoice Factoring Versus Invoice Discounting
| Feature | Invoice Factoring | Invoice Discounting |
|---|---|---|
| Customer Collections | The factoring provider normally manages collections | The company normally retains control of collections |
| Disclosure | Usually disclosed to customers | May be confidential, depending on the structure |
| Credit Control | Can be outsourced to the factor | Usually remains with the company |
| Typical Applicant | SMEs or businesses needing credit-control support | More established companies with strong internal systems |
| Funding Base | Approved outstanding B2B invoices | Approved outstanding B2B invoices |
Recourse and Non-Recourse Factoring
Recourse Factoring
The company remains responsible if an invoice is not paid. This can provide competitive pricing but leaves more debtor risk with the seller.
Non-Recourse Factoring
The provider assumes specified approved debtor-credit risks, subject to limits, exclusions and policy conditions.
Export Factoring
The facility covers invoices owed by customers in foreign markets and may include collections, risk protection and multicurrency funding.
Important: non-recourse factoring does not transfer every commercial risk. Disputes, defective goods, contractual offsets, dilution, fraud and invoices that fall outside approved debtor limits may remain the seller’s responsibility.
What Invoice Factoring Companies Usually Assess
| Assessment Area | What the Provider Reviews | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Business Model | Products, services, industry, trading history and invoicing process | Confirms that the receivables are suitable for factoring |
| Annual Turnover | Current revenue, projected sales and invoice volume | Determines whether the facility fits provider minimums |
| Debtor Quality | Customer creditworthiness, location and payment history | The provider relies heavily on the ability of customers to pay |
| Debtor Concentration | Percentage of the ledger owed by the largest customers | High concentration can reduce availability or require special approval |
| Invoice Eligibility | Completed delivery, acceptance, payment terms and dispute history | Only eligible and enforceable receivables normally generate funding |
| Dilution | Credit notes, returns, rebates, offsets and invoice adjustments | Frequent adjustments reduce the reliable value of the ledger |
| Existing Security | Bank charges, assignments, liens and existing finance facilities | The factor must obtain an effective claim over the receivables |
How to Compare Factoring Quotes
The provider offering the highest advance rate is not automatically the cheapest or most suitable. Companies should compare the complete commercial structure.
- Advance rate against eligible invoices.
- Service or factoring fee.
- Discount charge or financing margin.
- Minimum annual or monthly fees.
- Debtor-credit limit charges.
- Credit-protection costs and exclusions.
- Concentration limits for major customers.
- Contract length and termination notice.
- Personal guarantees or additional security.
- Export, multicurrency and cross-border capabilities.
- Quality of credit-control and collections support.
Practical point: ask each provider to calculate availability using your actual aged-debtor report. A headline advance rate may look attractive, but exclusions, reserves and debtor limits determine how much cash the facility really releases.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much of an invoice can a factoring company advance?
Advance rates vary according to the provider, debtor quality, industry and concentration. Many facilities advance a substantial portion of eligible invoices, with the balance released after the customer pays and fees are deducted.
Do factoring companies contact customers?
Under disclosed invoice factoring, the provider normally manages collections and communicates with customers. Invoice discounting may allow the company to retain control of collections.
Can a UK company factor invoices owed by EU customers?
Potentially. The provider must be comfortable with the customer’s country, currency, credit quality and legal enforceability. Export or international factoring may be required.
Can one facility cover subsidiaries in several EU countries?
Some providers offer pan-European or multi-local programmes. These structures require legal, tax, operational and receivables analysis in every participating jurisdiction.
Can disputed invoices be factored?
Usually not. Providers generally require invoices relating to completed and accepted goods or services without known disputes, offsets or contractual conditions that prevent payment.
Is Financely an invoice factoring company?
No. Financely is a structured-finance advisory and arranging platform. It can help eligible companies assess and place receivables-finance requirements with suitable providers but does not purchase invoices itself.
Need an Invoice Factoring Facility?
Submit your receivables-finance requirement for an initial assessment. Include your country, annual turnover, funding requirement, aged-debtor report, customer locations and average payment terms.
Request a QuoteThis article is an independent editorial comparison and does not constitute an endorsement by the listed providers. Products, eligibility criteria, pricing and geographic coverage may change. Financely is not a bank, factor or direct lender and does not guarantee approval, funding or specific commercial terms.