Practice Better Capital gives eligible practitioners in the US access to flexible business financing, directly within Practice Better, powered by Stripe Capital.
📍 Note: Practice Better Capital is coming soon!
In this article:
- How Practice Better Capital Works
- Understanding Practice Better Capital Availability
- Checking Your Eligibility
- Viewing and Accepting Your Offer
- Understanding Fees and Payments
- Tracking Your Payment Progress
- Applying for Additional Financing
- Managing Your Account and Banking Details
- Privacy, Data, and Program Terms
- Troubleshooting and Getting Support
How Practice Better Capital Works
Running a health and wellness practice takes more than clinical expertise; it takes investment. Whether you're looking to bring on new staff, upgrade your equipment, expand your services, or smooth out cash flow between busy seasons, Practice Better Capital was built with you in mind.
Here's how it works in three steps:
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Check your offer. If you're eligible, you'll see a personalized financing offer in the Practice Better Capital tab of your Payments Dashboard. Your offer is based on your Practice Better Payments activity; you don't need to submit anything extra to be considered.
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Choose your amount. Use the offer slider to select any amount up to your maximum offer. Your flat fee and payment rate are automatically adjusted based on your choice.
- Accept and receive funds. Once you accept your offer and if you’re approved, funds are typically deposited into your linked bank account within 1–2 business days.
Practice Better Capital offers two financing options, depending on your eligibility: loans and merchant cash advances. Stripe and its financial partners determine the financing type as part of your offer; you cannot select a preference.
In practice, both types of financing work the same way: you receive a lump sum upfront and make payments automatically as a percentage of your sales. There are no interest charges, late fees, origination fees, or early payment penalties with either type - just one flat fee.
What You Can Use the Funds For
Practice Better Capital funds are flexible, and can be used to finance planned and unplanned business expenses.
Practitioners can use financing to:
- Launch marketing campaigns to attract and retain clients
- Expand into a larger space or refresh your current one
- Invest in training or certifications to offer new services
- Purchase equipment to grow your treatment offerings
- Cover unexpected repairs or equipment replacements
- Manage cash flow through slower seasons
Understanding Practice Better Capital Availability
Practice Better Capital is currently available to practitioners in the US only, and requires an active paid Practice Better plan with Practice Better Payments enabled.
If you're on a Team Plan, how capital offers appear depends on your billing setup. Not sure which setup your team uses? Check with your team owner or review your Invoices & Payments settings.
Team Plan: Managed Billing
With Managed Billing, all team members process payments under one payment processing account managed by the team owner. Because payment processing activity is consolidated, Practice Better Capital offers will only appear in the team owner's Payments Dashboard. Individual team members will not see a Practice Better Capital offer in their own dashboard.
Team Plan: Unmanaged Billing
With Unmanaged Billing, each team member processes payments under their own individual payment processing account. Because eligibility is assessed individually, each team member will see their own Practice Better Capital offer in their Payments Dashboard, based on their own payment history and eligibility.
Checking Your Eligibility
Your account is automatically reviewed for eligibility every day; no action required on your part. When you go to the Practice Better Capital tab in your Payments Dashboard, you'll see whether an offer is available to you.
📍 Note: The Practice Better Capital tab is visible to practitioners with an active paid plan. If you don't yet have an offer, you'll see your current eligibility status and what you can do to improve your chances.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
To qualify for an offer, you'll need to:
- Be based in the US.
- Be on an active paid Practice Better plan.
- Have at least 3 months of payment processing history through Practice Better Payments.
- Be in good standing with Stripe Capital.
Factors That Affect Your Eligibility and Offer Amount
Meeting the minimum requirements is the first step. Stripe also evaluates a range of signals about your business health, including:
- Processing volume and history: The more you process through Practice Better Payments, the better your chances and the larger your potential offer.
- Customer base size: Businesses with a larger client base are more likely to be eligible.
- Dispute and chargeback rate: A low rate of unresolved disputes improves your eligibility.
- Business bank account: Linking your bank account allows Stripe to view balances and transactions, which can strengthen your eligibility assessment.
- Growth trajectory: A growing business is more likely to receive an offer.
Why You Haven't Received an Offer Yet
Not every account will be eligible for an offer right away. You may not have received an offer if:
- Your account has less than 3 months of processing history.
- Your processing volume hasn't yet met the threshold.
- Your dispute or chargeback rate is high.
- Your account was recently declined; a 30-day waiting period applies after a rejection.
Keep processing through Practice Better Payments. Eligibility is re-evaluated daily, and your chances improve as your payment processing history grows.
Credit Score Impact
Applying for Practice Better Capital might require a personal credit check, but this credit check doesn't affect your personal credit score. Stripe may review your business credit history through the Small Business Financial Exchange (SBFE), and may report your financing performance to the SBFE to help build a financial profile for your business over time.
Viewing and Accepting Your Offer
Viewing Your Offer Details
Navigate to the Practice Better Capital tab in your Payments Dashboard. If you have an active offer, select View your offer to see the full details, including:
- The amount you're prequalified for.
- The flat fee you'll pay over time.
- The total amount financed (financing amount + flat fee).
- Your payment rate (the percentage of each sale withheld to make payments towards your balance).
Choosing Your Amount
You're in control of how much financing you accept. Use the slider to select any amount up to your maximum offer. For example, if your offer is for 20,000 USD, you can accept the full amount or choose a smaller amount that better fits your needs. Your flat fee and payment rate will adjust based on the amount you select.
💡 Tip: You cannot request more than your maximum offer amount. If the offer size isn't right for your needs right now, check back — Stripe evaluates your account daily and offer amounts can change over time.
Offer Expiry
Offers are typically valid for 30 days. If your offer expires without being accepted, your account will be automatically re-evaluated for a new offer.
The Application Process
There's a simple application process. When you select View Offer, you'll be guided through a few simple review pages before accepting your financing. You'll be asked to confirm your existing business details on file — including your business name, address, and other identifying information — and may be asked to verify your identity or bank account.
📍 Note: Identity and business verification is a standard requirement from Stripe and its financial partners (Celtic Bank or YouLend) to comply with financial regulations and lending laws.
If you start an application but don't finish, you can return to the Practice Better Capital tab at any time to pick up where you left off, as long as your offer hasn't expired.
After You Submit
Once you accept your offer, Stripe reviews your application. In some cases, they may request additional information before completing the review. If approved, funds are typically deposited into your linked bank account within 1–2 business days.
⚠️ Important: All financing offers are subject to a final review and approval by Stripe and its financial partners. Acceptance of an offer does not guarantee funding.
Understanding Fees and Payments
How Payments Work
Payments are fully automatic — no payment schedules to manage, no manual transfers needed. A fixed percentage of each sale processed through your Practice Better Payments account (your payment rate) is withheld automatically until your total balance is paid off. Payments begin 1–2 business days after funds are deposited.
Because your payment is tied to your payment processing volume:
- When business is busy, you pay more. Higher-revenue periods move you toward paying off your balance faster.
- When things slow down, you pay less. Your payment scales with your revenue, so there's no pressure during quieter stretches.
Fees and Interest
There is no interest rate. The total cost of your financing is simply your financing amount plus a single, flat fee — nothing else. Specifically, there are:
- No origination fees.
- No late fees.
- No early payment penalties.
Your offer will clearly state the financing amount, flat fee, total amount owed, and payment rate before you accept.
Minimum Payment Requirements
For loans, there is a minimum payment amount due every 60 days to ensure the financing is paid within its term (typically up to 18 months). If your sales-based withholdings for a given period don't meet the minimum, Stripe will automatically debit the remaining amount from your linked bank account.
Merchant cash advances do not have a fixed payment deadline — payments continue automatically through your sales until the full balance is paid off.
📍 Note: If you're at risk of missing a minimum payment, Stripe will attempt to contact you and may offer an extended payment plan. If you have concerns, reach out to Stripe Capital support at capital+support@stripe.com — they'll work with you to get back on track.
Paying Off Your Balance Early
You can pay off your balance at any time with no penalties. Select the Make Payment button within the Practice Better Capital tab of your Payments Dashboard to make an additional payment or pay the full balance.
📍 Note: Paying off your balance early does not automatically qualify you for a new offer. Stripe evaluates your eligibility separately after your balance is paid off.
Tracking Your Payment Progress
You can view a daily summary of your payment progress — including your remaining balance, amount paid, and current payment period progress — in the Practice Better Capital tab of your Payments Dashboard.
Payment activity also appears in your financial reports:
- Balance Summary Report: Capital payments appear under the "Balance change from activity" section, categorized separately from regular transaction fees.
- Payout Reconciliation Report: Capital payments are listed as separate line items in the "Payout reconciliation" section, each tied to the specific transaction that generated the withholding.
For detailed reconciliation, download the itemized CSV export from either report and filter for transactions described as "Capital payment."
Applying for Additional Financing
Refill Offers
If you've made significant payment progress on your current financing, Stripe may extend a refill offer — an additional financing offer while you're still actively paying down your balance. You cannot independently apply for a second offer while one is active; Stripe initiates refill offers automatically based on your payment progress.
If a refill offer is generated, it will first pay down and close out the remaining balance on your existing financing — and you'll receive the difference as a new disbursement. Refill offers may also include a fee discount on your remaining balance.
📍 Note: Stripe evaluates active Capital users daily for refill eligibility. Refill offers will appear in the Practice Better Capital tab of your Payments Dashboard when available.
Managing Your Account and Banking Details
Funds are sent to the bank account linked to your Practice Better Payments account. Make sure you have a valid bank account set as your primary payout method before accepting an offer.
If your banking details change after you've accepted an offer, you can update them directly through your Stripe Dashboard. It's important to keep your banking information current to ensure payment withholdings and any future disbursements are processed without interruption.
⚠️ Important: If you pause or cancel your Practice Better Payments account, your payment obligations remain in effect.
Financing agreements are with Stripe and its financial partners and are not affected by changes to your Practice Better Payments status. Contact Stripe Capital support at capital+support@stripe.com if your account status changes and you have an active balance.
Privacy, Data, and Program Terms
Your financing information is visible to you in the Capital tab of your Payments Dashboard. Practice Better, as the platform provider, may also have visibility into offer and payment status. Stripe and its financial partners (Celtic Bank, YouLend) also have access as part of the financing and servicing process.
Your account and processing data is used by Stripe and its financial partners to assess your eligibility and determine offer terms. Stripe may obtain your business credit history from the SBFE and may report your financing performance to the SBFE to help build a financial profile for your business. You retain control over the bank accounts linked to Stripe and can disconnect them at any time.
Full program terms and your financing agreement are presented during the application process in the Capital tab of your Payments Dashboard. You can also visit Stripe's Privacy Policy and Stripe Capital documentation for more information.
Troubleshooting and Getting Support
Q: My offer isn't showing up — what should I do?
A: The Practice Better Capital tab is visible to practitioners who are on a paid plan and have a Practice Better Payments account. If you don't see an offer and meet those two aforementioned criteria, it likely means your account hasn't yet met the eligibility criteria. Check that you have at least 3 months of processing history through Practice Better Payments, and confirm you're viewing the Practice Better Capital tab in your Payments Dashboard. Eligibility is re-evaluated daily — check back regularly. If you believe there may be an account issue, contact Stripe Capital support at capital+support@stripe.com.
Q: My application is stuck or I received an error — what should I do?
A: Contact Stripe Capital support directly at capital+support@stripe.com.
Q: I was declined — why, and when can I reapply?
A: If you are declined, you will receive an email from Stripe with additional information. After a decline, there is a 30-day waiting period before your account is eligible for a new offer. In the meantime, you can improve your chances by increasing your processing volume, keeping your dispute rate low, and linking your business bank account.
Q: I have a question about my active financing — who do I contact?
A: Stripe handles all Capital servicing and is the primary support contact for financing questions. Reach out at capital+support@stripe.com.
Stripe Capital offers financing types that include loans and merchant cash advances. All financing applications are subject to review prior to approval. In the US, Stripe Capital loans are issued by Celtic Bank, and YouLend provides Stripe Capital merchant cash advances. See your Dashboard for the terms of your offer.