There are two realistic ways to make money in merchant cash advance without being the funder. You can refer businesses and let the funder do all the work, or you can become an ISO — an independent sales organization — and actively sell, negotiate, and close.
The difference in pay is large: $500 for a referral — plus $500 more if the business funds three files within 90 days — versus a per-file commission for a contracted ISO, where a 12-point spread on a $100,000 deal pays $12,000. Here is exactly how each one works at Workable Funding, and how to decide which fits you.
What Each Path Pays
As a referral partner you earn $500 when the business you referred has its first file funded, and $500 more if it funds three files within 90 days. No signup, no agreement, and we handle all selling and closing. You are paid 15 business days after funding, on a twice-monthly Thursday payout run.
As an ISO partner your commission is set per file — a 12-point spread on a $100,000 deal pays $12,000, and proportionally more on larger files. At the same spread, a $50,000 deal pays $6,000 and a $250,000 deal pays $30,000.
Your exact payout on any deal is confirmed in writing at approval, and volume bonuses stack on top at 10+ and 25+ funded deals a month.
Real Income Examples by Tier
Conservative broker: 10 deals a month at $75,000 average, at about $6,750 a deal, is roughly $67,500 a month.
Aggressive broker: 15 deals a month at $100,000 average, at about $10,000 a deal, is roughly $150,000 a month.
Top performer: 25 deals a month at $125,000 average, at up to $15,000 a deal, is roughly $375,000 a month.
These are illustrations, not promises. What they show is the shape of the business: you are not just submitting paperwork, you are selling, and the better you sell the more you keep. A referral partner collecting a few $500 bounties a month is doing well. An ISO clearing $20,000 a month is just getting started.
Referral vs ISO: Which Should You Choose?
Referral path: low effort, $500 per funded deal (plus $500 more if they fund three files within 90 days), realistically $500 to $1,500 a month from casual referrals, a few hours a week, and zero paperwork. Perfect if you have one or two connections and want to test the water.
ISO path: high effort, per-file commission on every funded deal, no ceiling on income, and a genuine full-time commitment. You get a dedicated account manager, marketing materials, phone support, and volume bonuses at 10+ and 25+ funded deals a month.
You do not have to choose permanently. Many partners start with referrals, learn the criteria and the process, then sign the ISO agreement once volume grows. There is no penalty for upgrading.
Need funding fast? Apply with Workable Funding in 2 minutes. Same-day decisions.
Apply NowThe Speed Advantage: Why It Matters
Offers within 90 minutes during business hours. Same-day approvals are common. Funding usually within 48 to 72 hours. Compare that with the typical funder timeline of 15 to 30 days start to finish.
Speed is a closing tool. Tell a merchant ‘I can have an offer in your hands within 90 minutes and funds by the end of the week’ and the conversation changes. Deals die in the gap between interest and money. Closing that gap is what turns a maybe into a signature.
A typical week: you submit Monday at 10am, the offer goes out by 11:30am, the merchant approves that afternoon, signs electronically Tuesday, and the funds land Wednesday or Thursday. Your commission follows 15 business days after funding, on a Thursday payout run.
What You Need to Submit a Deal
Every file needs the merchant’s application and the last three months of business bank statements. Files that meet our published criteria — 6+ months in business, $15,000+ monthly revenue, 500+ personal FICO, an active business checking account — approve at roughly 65% to 75%.
Disclose existing positions up front. Incomplete or altered documentation is the fastest way to lose an approval and a relationship.
How to Get Started
To refer: send us the business through the referral form. No signup, no agreement, and you earn $500 when it funds — plus $500 more if they fund three files within 90 days.
To broker: register as an ISO partner. The form takes five minutes and approvals typically come back in 24 to 48 hours, after which you get a dedicated account manager and can start submitting.
Whichever path you pick, the terms are published: $500 per funded referral (plus $500 at three funded files in 90 days), per-file commission for ISOs, offers in 90 minutes, and payment 15 business days after funding.