BankVista
Minnesota SBA lender: 7(a) and Express loans $20K to $4M, 9.0% median starting rate, no published credit minimum, 30 to 90 days to fund; strong on business acquisitions.
Rates & Cost
What the financing costs, normalized so lenders can be compared.
Repayment Terms
How and how fast you pay it back, and how flexible it is.
Eligibility & Access
Who qualifies and what you have to put on the line.
Speed & Service
How fast you get funded and how the lender treats you.
Company Verification
Who actually stands behind the lender: legal entity, registration, and how long the business and its website have existed. Checked against public registries.
Best for: Minnesota owners buying or expanding a business who need an SBA 7(a) or SBA Express loan of $20K to $4M.
Not for: Borrowers far from Minnesota (51 of its last 64 SBA loans were Minnesota projects), or anyone needing fast cash, posted rates or unsecured credit.
Lender List verdict: BankVista, Minnesota SBA Lender of the Year 11 years running, approved 64 SBA 7(a) loans worth $36.3M in the year to June 30, 2026, at a 9.0% median rate (about Prime + 2), all secured.
BankVista at a glance
| BankVista | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured community bank, founded 2000, Sartell, MN; SBA 7(a) and Express lender |
| Amounts | $20K to $4M (last 12 months); Express up to $500K |
| Cost (headline) | 9.0% median rate, variable (last 12 months) |
| Term | 10 years typical; up to 25 years for real estate |
| Funding speed | Lender does not publish; 30 to 90 days typical |
| Status | Active; last SBA approval June 22, 2026 |
What is BankVista?
BankVista is a $651.1 million, locally owned bank founded in 2000 with branches in Sartell, Mankato and Chaska, Minnesota. It has made 628 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2020, with 13 charge-offs, none on loans approved in FY2024 to FY2026.
BankVista SBA programs
BankVista made 64 SBA 7(a) loans in the 12 months to June 30, 2026, at a median size of $220,000, after 62 approvals in FY2025 and 48 in FY2026 through June 30.
- Standard 7(a): 44 loans of $50,000 to $4,000,000; 41 of all 64 approved under Preferred Lender authority
- SBA Express: 20 loans of $20,000 to $350,000
- Acquisitions: 30 of 64 loans (47%) financed a change of ownership
- 504: through Minnesota CDC partner MBFC
BankVista rates and fees: what it really costs
BankVista's SBA 7(a) loans carried a 9.0% median starting rate (about Prime + 2.0) over the last 12 months; it posts no rates. At today's 7.00% Prime, SBA caps variable loans above $350K at 10.0% and loans of $250,001 to $350K at 11.5%.
Worked example: $350,000 over 10 years at 9.0% costs $4,433.65 a month, $532,038.25 in total. The $7,875 SBA guaranty fee (3% of the 75% guaranteed share) lifts the APR to about 9.54%.
BankVista requirements
BankVista follows SBA rules and requests three years of personal and business tax returns.
| Requirement | BankVista minimum |
|---|---|
| Down payment | 10% for startups and acquisitions |
| Personal guarantee | Owners of 20% or more |
| Collateral | Taken on all 64 loans in the last 12 months |
| Credit score / revenue | Lender does not publish |
Frequently asked questions about BankVista
Where Is BankVista Located? BankVista is based at 125 Twin Rivers Court in Sartell, Minnesota, with branches in Mankato and Chaska; call 1 (877) 415-0008, or Mankato at (507) 387-2265 and Chaska at (952) 368-1950. Since FY2020, 567 of its 628 SBA loans have financed Minnesota projects.
How Long Does BankVista Take to Close an SBA Loan? BankVista publishes no timeline; most SBA 7(a) loans fund 30 to 90 days after application. It processes applications in-house, and 41 of its last 64 loans used Preferred Lender authority, which skips the SBA's separate 5 to 10 business-day review.
Does BankVista Lend to Startups? Yes, though rarely: 8 of its last 64 loans went to businesses not yet open, and 9 to firms two years old or less. Expect a 10% equity injection, collateral and a personal guarantee from every owner holding 20% or more.
Does BankVista Finance Business Acquisitions? Yes. Buying a business is BankVista's largest SBA use: 30 of 64 loans in the last 12 months, and 301 of 628 since FY2020. Across FY2025 and FY2026, 48 of its 110 loans were changes of ownership, and buyers inject at least 10%.
Compare SBA 7(a) and SBA Express lenders, or Midwest peer Busey Bank and national lender Newtek Bank.
SBA figures: SBA 7(a) FOIA data, FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026 (data.sba.gov).
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
Best for: Minnesota owners buying or expanding a business who need an SBA 7(a) or SBA Express loan of $20K to $4M.
Not for: Borrowers far from Minnesota (51 of its last 64 SBA loans were Minnesota projects), or anyone needing fast cash, posted rates or unsecured credit.
Lender List verdict: BankVista, Minnesota SBA Lender of the Year 11 years running, approved 64 SBA 7(a) loans worth $36.3M in the year to June 30, 2026, at a 9.0% median rate (about Prime + 2), all secured.
BankVista at a glance
| BankVista | |
|---|---|
| Lender type | FDIC-insured community bank, founded 2000, Sartell, MN; SBA 7(a) and Express lender |
| Amounts | $20K to $4M (last 12 months); Express up to $500K |
| Cost (headline) | 9.0% median rate, variable (last 12 months) |
| Term | 10 years typical; up to 25 years for real estate |
| Funding speed | Lender does not publish; 30 to 90 days typical |
| Status | Active; last SBA approval June 22, 2026 |
What is BankVista?
BankVista is a $651.1 million, locally owned bank founded in 2000 with branches in Sartell, Mankato and Chaska, Minnesota. It has made 628 SBA 7(a) loans since FY2020, with 13 charge-offs, none on loans approved in FY2024 to FY2026.
BankVista SBA programs
BankVista made 64 SBA 7(a) loans in the 12 months to June 30, 2026, at a median size of $220,000, after 62 approvals in FY2025 and 48 in FY2026 through June 30.
- Standard 7(a): 44 loans of $50,000 to $4,000,000; 41 of all 64 approved under Preferred Lender authority
- SBA Express: 20 loans of $20,000 to $350,000
- Acquisitions: 30 of 64 loans (47%) financed a change of ownership
- 504: through Minnesota CDC partner MBFC
BankVista rates and fees: what it really costs
BankVista's SBA 7(a) loans carried a 9.0% median starting rate (about Prime + 2.0) over the last 12 months; it posts no rates. At today's 7.00% Prime, SBA caps variable loans above $350K at 10.0% and loans of $250,001 to $350K at 11.5%.
Worked example: $350,000 over 10 years at 9.0% costs $4,433.65 a month, $532,038.25 in total. The $7,875 SBA guaranty fee (3% of the 75% guaranteed share) lifts the APR to about 9.54%.
BankVista requirements
BankVista follows SBA rules and requests three years of personal and business tax returns.
| Requirement | BankVista minimum |
|---|---|
| Down payment | 10% for startups and acquisitions |
| Personal guarantee | Owners of 20% or more |
| Collateral | Taken on all 64 loans in the last 12 months |
| Credit score / revenue | Lender does not publish |
Frequently asked questions about BankVista
Where Is BankVista Located? BankVista is based at 125 Twin Rivers Court in Sartell, Minnesota, with branches in Mankato and Chaska; call 1 (877) 415-0008, or Mankato at (507) 387-2265 and Chaska at (952) 368-1950. Since FY2020, 567 of its 628 SBA loans have financed Minnesota projects.
How Long Does BankVista Take to Close an SBA Loan? BankVista publishes no timeline; most SBA 7(a) loans fund 30 to 90 days after application. It processes applications in-house, and 41 of its last 64 loans used Preferred Lender authority, which skips the SBA's separate 5 to 10 business-day review.
Does BankVista Lend to Startups? Yes, though rarely: 8 of its last 64 loans went to businesses not yet open, and 9 to firms two years old or less. Expect a 10% equity injection, collateral and a personal guarantee from every owner holding 20% or more.
Does BankVista Finance Business Acquisitions? Yes. Buying a business is BankVista's largest SBA use: 30 of 64 loans in the last 12 months, and 301 of 628 since FY2020. Across FY2025 and FY2026, 48 of its 110 loans were changes of ownership, and buyers inject at least 10%.
Compare SBA 7(a) and SBA Express lenders, or Midwest peer Busey Bank and national lender Newtek Bank.
SBA figures: SBA 7(a) FOIA data, FY2020–present, as of June 30, 2026 (data.sba.gov).
Last verified 2026-10-27. Pricing and terms are provider-stated or third-party-reported and vary by offer; confirm with the lender before applying.
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