SmartBiz Bank, N.A. (smartbizbank.com) has a 4.4 out of 5 rating on OK.one, based on 200 user reviews collected here. It is listed under Money & Insurance and its reputation is good. 86% of reviews are 4 stars or higher and 12% are 1 star; The business has replied to 37% of negative reviews; 31 of them were added in the last 12 months. Last updated 2026-08-10.
My experience with SmartBiz Loans has been frustrating, unprofessional, and ultimately a waste of time. Instead of providing clear guidance, their process is filled with nonsense questions that make no sense and stall applications unnecessarily...
It is actually easier to get a loan directly through the SBA than to deal with SmartBiz. They advertise as a “streamlined SBA loan platform,” but in reality, they complicate the process, drag things out, and give applicants the runaround...
I addressed this specifically to the team: businesses deserve transparency and efficiency — not a maze of delays and confusing requests. There are many better options out there that respect business owners’ time and needs...
For any small business owner considering SmartBiz: look elsewhere. Save yourself the wasted effort and frustration...
Reply from SmartBiz Bank, N.A.2025-09-19
Hi Marc,
We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet expectations. At SmartBiz, our goal is always to help small business owners access affordable capital quickly, and we regret that this process felt frustrating.
To provide some context, once an application is submitted to one of our partner banks, their underwriting team may request additional documentation to verify business revenues or meet regulatory requirements. In your case, the partner bank required additional supporting documents before moving forward. Unfortunately, without those documents, the partner bank could not complete the approval process.
We understand how disappointing this was. Please know that our intent is never to add unnecessary steps. The additional requests came directly from the partner bank’s underwriting team, and any loan decisions are made at their discretion.
Your feedback is very important to us, and we will use it to continue improving transparency and communication in situations like this. We are glad to hear your business was eventually able to secure funding, and we sincerely wish you continued success.
Warm regards,
The SmartBiz Team
The team at SmartBiz is amazing! This is my second time working with them to secure an SBA loan, and both experiences have been seamless. The process was smooth, well-organized, and handled with true professionalism. I highly recommend SmartBiz to any business owner looking for an SBA loan.
2nd time dealing with the SmartBiz team. I came back for a reason. Their communication, service, and availability is top notch. Matt Hoey and Tyler wood are amazing to work with. Won’t go anywhere else when I need assistance growing my business.
From start to finish SmartBiz made the loan process very easy. They were very responsive to my calls, emails and questions. I have avoided SBA loans because I had heard horror stories but SmartBiz took the issues away!
I'm surprised by the quality of this costumer service, They are professional, but the most importan, They have a great preparation to help customers understand the process and help them complete everything with precision and speed. Great service ever.
I belive the interest rate is a bit outrageous considering I applied for a loan to improve my business! I think 5-7% would be better but 12-13% is completely ridiculous. Will never do that again. Could have gotten credit cards and paid them off monthly with less to no interest.
Reply from SmartBiz Bank, N.A.2025-08-21
Hi Josh,
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We’re genuinely sorry to hear that the rate you accepted didn’t meet your expectations. We understand how important affordable financing is, especially when you’re working hard to grow your business.
Please know that interest rates are influenced by a number of factors, including broader market conditions and individual financial profiles. You can find more information about the SBA loan rates we offer on our website: https://smartbizbank.com/sba-rates-fees
Please also know that your rate is variable, and if the Prime rate changes, your rate will change. For example, if Prime comes down, your rate will come down.
Warm regards,
The SmartBiz Team
I had no expectations when being referred over to Smart Biz Bank from BHG financial but I was pleasantly surprised with the entire process. Everyone I spoke with was professional, transparent, and supportive. I'm very grateful and happy with the overall experience and SmartBiz exceeded my expectations in every step of the process.
The SmartBiz team, working in harmony with my broker, Brian Watson at StrongTerm, made the lending experience easy and without stress. Kole Iftikhar and the SmartBiz team managed my expectations and kept the ball rolling to the successful and on-time funding of my SBA loan. Their document management process made application and submission a breeze. I feel fortunate to have worked with such a fine group of business professionals. I couldn't recommend them more highly.
Nick Hogan, thank you x 2 sincerely!
What a pleasure! Nick is the real reason why all went smoothly. That being said it started out rough on my side. The documents took time gather. It got to a point where I wanted to give up!
He encouraged me to the fullest, to not give up! I’m one person when mind is made up there’s no changing. Nick did a great job of coaching me through the process clearly he did not waste my time or SB time.
If you happen to get him. Trust him and listen to him!
I truly feel lucky to have him during my SBA experience.
Bryan, the loan officer was amazing to work with. He went above and beyond to secure the terms for us even when we found lots of road blocks to deal with. Great communication, knowledge, professionalism and attitude.
SmartBiz was incredible to work with and made the entire process very easy. I worked with Joseph and he took the time to understand my business, know what we do, and to care about our needs. I know that with SmartBiz, I am not just another account number, but instead they listen, studied, and understood my business and myself. It was so refreshing to have this level of care. For any business wanting any banking needs, I would highly recommend SmartBiz and am happy that I have established a long term relationship with them!
Cole
Jospeh Afia was absolutely amazing! I can not recommend him enough. I will always recommend Smartbiz bc of him. He goes above and beyond anything you could imagine when it comes to prioritizing what your business needs are.
My compliments to Soleil, Gregg, Travis, Angelica. This was a difficult transaction for smart biz and they hung in there until it was completed. 5 stars
