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Huntington Bank (SBA lending) vs Wells Fargo (SBA lending)

Side by Side

Huntington Bank (SBA lending) and Wells Fargo (SBA lending), attribute by attribute
AttributeHuntington BankWells Fargo
What It IsThe most prolific SBA 7(a) lender in the country by number of loans (its own October 2024 release marks a seventh straight year at #1 by count), a large regional bank whose branch-based SBA practice writes thousands of small-business loans a year, including business acquisitions.The SBA 7(a) and 504 program of one of the largest US banks, running a top-15 7(a) book by dollars with nationwide branch coverage; a conventional big-bank SBA desk rather than an acquisition specialist.
CategorySBA & Acquisition LendersSBA & Acquisition Lenders
Pricing ModelCustom PricingCustom Pricing
What It CostsLoan products; no fee to engage. SBA 7(a) up to the $5M program cap. The bank's own release reports 7,577 loans totaling about $1.53B in its fiscal 2024, an average near $200k, so volume skews to smaller loans than acquisition-specialist banks. Rates are quoted per deal and not published.Loan products; no fee to engage. Rates are quoted per deal and not published. FOIA-based FY2025 roundups report roughly $479M across about 1,335 7(a) loans, averaging near $359K; treat third-party figures as directional.
Best ForBuyers in or near its branch footprint (it reports leading 7(a) counts in Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, and West Virginia) and smaller acquisitions that specialist banks may not prioritizeBuyers who already bank with Wells Fargo commercially and want their existing relationship, deposits, and history working for them on a conservative underwrite
Where It FitsSet Up & Fund the Search, Diligence & Close the DealSet Up & Fund the Search, Diligence & Close the Deal
Our VerdictWorth a term sheet if you're in its footprint or your deal is on the smaller side; pair it with an acquisition specialist so volume competes with pattern recognition.Add it to the list only if you already bank there; otherwise the specialist acquisition lenders will move faster and understand the structure better.
Pros
  • Highest 7(a) loan count in the country for seven consecutive years, per its own investor-relations release
  • Process honed on thousands of loans a year; SBA is a core line of business, not a side desk
  • Full commercial-bank relationship (deposits, treasury, lines) available after close
  • Top-15 7(a) volume nationally with the balance sheet and branch network of a money-center bank
  • Existing commercial customers can leverage relationship history that a stranger bank cannot see
  • Runs 504 alongside 7(a), useful when real estate is part of the deal
Cons
  • Branch-driven and strongest in its home region; the process is not built as a nationwide remote experience
  • Average loan size near $200k means the machine is tuned for smaller loans; a $2M+ acquisition may get more pattern recognition at a specialist bank
  • No dedicated searcher or acquisition lending page, so expect to educate your banker on search-style structures
  • No dedicated searcher or acquisition practice; goodwill-heavy searcher deals are the exception, not the lane
  • Roundups describe approval as conservative and slow relative to specialist acquisition banks
  • Experience varies by branch and banker, with no published acquisition terms to hold it to

Our take

Choose Huntington inside its nine-state footprint: the highest 7(a) loan count in the country for years running, branch relationships that know the program, and comfort with smaller loans.

Choose Wells Fargo only if you already bank there commercially; the relationship history is the product, and a cold application is better spent on a specialist acquisition lender.