A business term loan is a lump sum of capital that you pay back with regular repayments at a fixed interest rate—this type of traditional financing is what most people think of when it comes to small business loans.

The “term” in “term loan” comes from its set repayment term length, which can range from a few months to over a year depending on the type of loan. Therefore, although term loans can vary in length, the actual decision comes down to your business health.

Generally, business owners use the proceeds of term loans to finance specific, one-off investments for their small businesses such as real estate purchases, business expansions, debt refinancing, and more.