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Industries · TechnologySoftware financing.
Big software projects are more than the license: implementation, data migration, and training often cost more than the software itself. We finance the whole project — soft costs included — so a critical upgrade becomes one predictable monthly payment.
Credit, time in business and liquidity requirements are listed in one place: qualification guidelines. Buying before year end? Section 179 calculator.
Software equipment we fund.
ERP, EMR, CAD and cloud software financing.
Whatever the platform, the setup is about the same: the license, implementation and training go on one agreement, and you pay for it monthly while you're using the system. Here's what usually goes into each kind of project.
ERP and accounting software. A lot of the cost is people time: the implementer's hours, moving data out of the old system, and training your staff. Together those often cost more than the license itself. If the implementer bills in milestones, progress funding can pay them as each phase wraps up.
EMR and EHR software. A medical, dental or imaging practice finances an EMR or EHR system the same way: the license, converting the old records, and getting staff trained. New workstations, tablets or a server for the rollout can go on the same agreement. Our IT hardware financing page covers the hardware side.
CAD, CAM and BIM software. Engineering, architecture, construction and manufacturing firms usually buy these by the seat, on annual or multi-year terms. Financing a multi-year license bundle spreads the cost over the years you'll actually use it. The graphics workstations that run it can be added too.
Cloud software and migrations. Cloud tools are billed as subscriptions, so financing usually covers the project around them: the migration, setup, integrations and training, plus a multi-year license bundle if your vendor sells one. CRM rollouts, cybersecurity tools and backup systems are handled the same way.
Can you lease software?
Yes. A software lease works a lot like any other equipment lease: your vendor gets paid directly, and you make a fixed monthly payment for 24 to 60 months. The end of the term is where software is different. A used license has little resale value, so software-only deals are usually written so you keep it, either on an equipment finance agreement or a $1 buyout lease.
An equipment finance agreement makes you the owner from day one. A $1 buyout lease gets you to the same place once the last payment clears. Need servers or laptops for the rollout too? That hardware can go on a fair market value lease built around your refresh cycle. The payment is usually lower, since you'll upgrade or hand it back in a few years.
Worth reading before you sign.
Buying servers, laptops or workstations along with the software? Read our IT hardware financing guide. More guides on the Five West blog. New here? See how the Quote Builder works.
Software financing, answered.
What software projects can be financed?
ERP and accounting platforms, EMR and EHR systems, CRM and sales platforms, cybersecurity and backup, cloud migration projects, implementation and consulting, training and onboarding, and multi-year license bundles. The whole project, license plus implementation, migration, and training, is financed as one transaction, from a $15,000 usual minimum to $5 million and above.
How can software be financed when there is nothing to repossess?
Software financing is underwritten on the business rather than on collateral, so the credit profile, time in business, and cash flow carry more weight than they do on a truck or a machine. That is why software programs favor established companies with two or more years of history and clean bank statements. The payment is fixed over 24 to 60 months and covers 100% of the project, soft costs included, with no draw on your bank line.
Can implementation, training, and consulting be included?
Yes, and on most projects they should be, because implementation, data migration, and training often cost more than the software itself. Soft costs are included on qualifying transactions so a critical upgrade becomes one predictable monthly payment. Progress funding is available where the implementer bills in milestones.
What credit score and time in business do I need?
Many established-business programs start around 600 FICO, and two or more years in business opens the broadest set of programs and the best pricing. Between one and two years narrows the field but stays workable; under one year the file is underwritten as a startup, which typically means 700+ personal credit, relevant industry experience, and working capital left after the purchase. Software transactions lean on the business: two or more years in business and clean cash flow matter more here than on collateralized equipment.
The score alone rarely decides it: cash flow, the equipment, and money down all move the answer. Full detail is in the qualification guidelines and the credit score guide.
Is financing a software project tax deductible?
Purchased off-the-shelf software generally qualifies for Section 179 in the year it is placed in service, within the 2026 limit of $2,560,000, and financing it does not change that. Subscription and cloud licenses are usually deducted as an operating expense as they are paid, and implementation and training are typically deductible business expenses. How your specific project is treated depends on how the contract is written; your tax advisor should confirm it, and the Section 179 calculator estimates the equipment side.
How fast can I get approved, and what documents do I need?
Most applications get a first response within 1 to 2 business hours, with same-day options on qualified files and approvals in as little as 30 minutes on clean application-only files. Funding follows in as little as 24 to 48 hours once documents are signed.
Application-only decisions, with no tax returns or financial statements, are available up to $500,000 on qualifying files; above that, expect a full financial package. The application starts with a soft credit inquiry, which does not affect your score. A vendor proposal that separates license, implementation, and training line items lets underwriting move quickly.
How much is the monthly payment when you finance software?
It comes down to the size of the project, the term and your rate. As an example only, at an assumed 9% rate with nothing down, a $50,000 software project over 36 months is about $1,590 a month, and a $150,000 project over 60 months is about $3,114 a month.
Your actual rate depends on your credit, time in business and the program. The Quote Builder lets you try your own numbers with no credit pull.
Can cloud or SaaS software be financed?
Usually, yes, though what gets financed is the project around the subscription: moving your data, setup, integrations and training. If your vendor sells a multi-year license bundle, that can go on the agreement too. The subscription fees themselves are usually deducted as an operating expense as they're paid. Your tax advisor can confirm how your contract should be treated.
Can EMR or CAD software be financed together with the hardware?
Yes. Hardware, software and services can be bundled on one agreement, so an EMR rollout that needs new workstations, or CAD seats that need graphics workstations, can be one monthly payment. If you'd rather replace the hardware on a refresh cycle, it can go on its own lease instead.
How do I get started?
Run the numbers first in the Quote Builder: set the equipment cost, term, down payment, and structure and see an estimated payment in a few taps, with no credit pull. When it fits, one short application and a soft credit inquiry get you matched with a dedicated funding professional who manages the deal from application to funding.
Run the numbers, then apply.
Build your own payment, term and structure in the Quote Builder in a few taps. No credit pull, no obligation. When the numbers work, one application matches you with a dedicated funding professional who manages your deal from application to funding.