How much can I borrow from Axis Bank without collateral?

Up to ₹2 crore under the unsecured Business Loan, repayable over 6 to 60 months. For working capital and term loans, Axis's Zero Collateral Loans use the CGTMSE guarantee, which covers up to ₹10 crore per borrower. RBI also tells banks not to take collateral on loans to micro and small enterprises up to ₹20 lakh.

What is the eligibility for an Axis Bank business loan?

Axis Bank lists a minimum business vintage of three years, a minimum turnover of ₹30 lakh and an applicant age of 21 to 65. Sole proprietors, partnerships and private companies can apply. Its 24x7 Business Loan is a pre-qualified offer for select existing Axis customers through Axis Mobile or internet banking.

What documents does Axis Bank need for a business loan?

For the unsecured Business Loan, Axis asks for KYC documents, a signed application form, financial documents, six months' bank statements, PAN or Form 60 and business proof. Secured MSME programmes such as SME Plus and Power OD also need three years of audited financials, ITRs, projections, 12 months' bank statements and GST returns, and property papers.

How long does Axis Bank take to decide on an MSME loan?

Axis Bank's published timelines say it will convey a decision within two weeks for micro and small enterprise limits up to ₹5 lakh, within three weeks for limits above ₹5 lakh up to ₹25 lakh, and within 30 working days for other borrowers — counted from the day you submit a complete application with all documents.

Is Kotak or Axis better for an unsecured business loan?

On published terms, Axis lends up to ₹2 crore with a ₹30 lakh turnover floor and 6–60 month tenures; Kotak Mahindra Bank lends ₹3 lakh to ₹1 crore and asks for ₹40 lakh turnover, three years in business and one year of profit, with a processing fee of up to 2%. Kotak doesn't publish a rate on its page, so compare the APR in each KFS.

Finance & accounting

Axis Bank Business Loans in 2026: Products, Rate Grid, Eligibility and How to Apply

Axis Bank loan for business in 2026: unsecured Business Loan up to ₹2 crore, repo-linked MSME limits, CGTMSE loans — published rate grid, eligibility and steps.

Edited by Sumeet YadavFounder & editor, MSMETOOLS · fact-checked against official sources

Updated October 2026 Verified against official sources 9 October 2026 16 min read

Axis Bank business loans — products, rates and how to apply — MSMETOOLS guide cover

Contents (9)

1. Axis Bank's two lending desks
2. The unsecured Business Loan: amount, eligibility and rate
3. Repo-linked MSME loans: the rate grid
4. CGTMSE, SME Plus, Power OD and working capital
5. Documents and decision timelines
6. A worked example: ₹20 lakh three ways
7. Axis vs Kotak and other private banks
8. How to apply
9. What to do next

Axis Bank, the third-largest private bank in India, lends to businesses through two separate desks: a retail-style unsecured Business Loan with fixed EMIs, and a Small Business Banking and SME side that offers repo-linked cash credit, overdrafts, term loans and CGTMSE-backed loans. Searches for "Axis Bank loan for business" usually land on the first and miss the second, which is often far cheaper. This guide maps both using only what Axis publishes on axis.bank.in — including its own rate grid and the rates it actually charged between April and June 2026 — read on 9 October 2026. It ends with a short comparison against Kotak Mahindra Bank's business loan, based on Kotak's official page.

Quick answer

Axis Bank's unsecured Business Loan goes up to ₹2 crore over 6–60 months for businesses with 3 years' vintage and turnover of at least ₹30 lakh. It's fixed-rate: 10.99%–16.25% for self-employed professionals and 15%–25% for other self-employed borrowers. Secured MSME limits are repo-linked — term loans at repo + 4.95%–5.40% — and CGTMSE cover allows collateral-free credit up to ₹10 crore.

Axis disbursed business loans at 9.5%–25.25% (mean 18.93%) in April–June 2026
Existing customers may see a pre-qualified 24x7 Business Loan in Axis Mobile or internet banking
MSE decisions promised within 2 weeks (up to ₹5 lakh) and 3 weeks (₹5–25 lakh)
Repo is now 5.50%; Axis's grid was built on 5.25%, so expect a quarter-point higher rate at your next reset

Axis Bank's two lending desks

The Business Loan is designed for self-employed people who want money quickly without pledging anything. You borrow a lump sum and repay it in fixed EMIs, and the decision rests mainly on your credit history, bank statements and income-tax returns. Axis's own page calls it an unsecured, EMI-based loan for the self-employed with minimal documentation. The interest rate is fixed for the life of the loan, so it doesn't move with RBI's policy rate.

The Small Business Banking (SBB) and SME programmes are relationship lending for businesses with turnover from a few lakh up to ₹250 crore. They include cash credit, overdrafts, dropline overdrafts, term loans, trade finance and loans backed by government guarantees. These are assessed on audited financials, GST returns and account conduct, are usually larger and secured — by property, fixed deposits or a CGTMSE guarantee — and are priced as the repo rate plus a spread, reset at least every three months.

The price gap between the two desks is large. Axis's disclosure for April–June 2026 shows business loans disbursed at a mean rate of 18.93%, while secured working capital averaged 8.79%. If your business has the paperwork for a secured or CGTMSE-backed limit, it is usually worth the extra effort.

Floor-to-ceiling stacks of stainless steel tiffin carriers and containers in a Chennai utensil shop — Traders carrying this much stock are the target of Axis Bank's GST-based and banking-surrogate overdrafts, sized on returns and account credits rather than property.· Image: McKay Savage (via Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

The unsecured Business Loan: amount, eligibility and rate

Axis Bank's Business Loan page offers up to ₹2 crore without collateral, with tenures from 6 to 60 months. To qualify, your business must have been running for at least three years with turnover of at least ₹30 lakh, and the applicant must be between 21 and 65. Sole proprietorships, partnerships and private limited companies can apply. Axis's FAQ adds that the business must have been under its current ownership for at least three years — a point that trips up family firms recently reconstituted as a partnership or company.

Axis offers several variants under the same unsecured umbrella, each with its own assessment method: loans based on GST returns, on ITRs, or on banking conduct; separate loans for self-employed professionals such as doctors and chartered accountants; and an Instant Business Loan for quick digital processing. The variant matters because the rate grid treats professionals and non-professionals differently.

Rates from Axis's rate grid. Axis publishes a Small Business Banking rate grid as a PDF linked from its business-loan page. For the fixed-rate Business Loan it shows:

Borrower type	Spread over 1-year MCLR (8.80% as on 17 Feb 2026)	Effective rate (fixed, no reset)
Self-employed professional (SEP) — doctors, CAs, architects	5.90%–7.50%	10.99%–16.25%
Self-employed non-professional (SENP) — traders, manufacturers, service firms	8.65%–10.15%	15%–25%

The same ranges apply to loans longer than 36 months. What Axis actually charged is in a separate disclosure: business loans disbursed between April and June 2026 ranged from 9.5% to 25.25%, with a mean of 18.93%. That mean is well above the bottom of the grid, so expect an offer in the high teens unless you have a strong credit score, an existing relationship and a well-documented business.

Fees. Axis's business-loan page does not publish a processing fee or foreclosure schedule for this product, and we could not find a current official fee table for it, so we haven't quoted one. Ask for the Key Facts Statement before you sign: since 1 October 2024 RBI has required it for MSME term loans, with the APR — interest plus all fees — and a full repayment schedule, and no fee left out of the KFS can be charged later without your explicit consent. Because this loan is fixed-rate, the 2026 RBI ban on prepayment charges (which covers floating-rate loans) doesn't automatically apply, so check the foreclosure clause in particular.

24x7 Business Loan. If you already bank with Axis, you may have a pre-qualified offer. Axis describes the 24x7 Business Loan as a collateral-free, paperless loan for select existing customers that can be taken at any time through Axis Mobile or Axis Internet Banking (Apply Now, then Loans, then Business Loans), with disbursal after you submit the online form. The offer amount is customised; for more than the pre-qualified figure, Axis asks you to visit a branch or call customer care.

EMI at Axis's April–June 2026 mean business-loan rate

Loan AmountInterest Rate (p.a.)Tenure

Loan Amount₹20,00,000.00

Total Interest₹6,36,685.93

Total Payable₹26,36,685.93

Number of EMIs36

Monthly EMI₹73,241.28

Open the full EMI Calculator (PDF, save, compare)

Repo-linked MSME loans: the rate grid

For floating-rate MSME products, Axis's grid shows the repo rate, the spread the bank adds, and the resulting effective rate. The grid we read uses the repo rate as on 10 March 2026, which was 5.25%. RBI raised the repo rate to 5.50% on 7 October 2026, so at your next reset the effective rate will be the spread plus the new repo — roughly 0.25 percentage points above the effective figures shown in the grid.

Product	Spread over repo	Effective rate in grid (repo 5.25%)
Overdraft	5.25%–5.40%	10.50%–10.65%
Cash credit	4.95%–5.20%	10.20%–10.45%
Term loan	4.95%–5.40%	10.20%–10.65%
Letter-of-credit bills negotiated (LCBN)	6.00%–6.50%	11.25%–11.75%
CGTMSE-backed loans	8.25%–8.45%	13.50%–13.70%
Unsecured overdraft	12.50%–14.75%	17.75%–20.00%
Unsecured merchant loan	13.50%–18.25%	18.75%–23.50%

Rates reset once every three months or as the bank decides, whichever is earlier, and Axis notes that it may change the spread during the tenure. Borrowers sanctioned before 1 October 2019 may still be on MCLR and can ask to switch. Axis's April–June 2026 disclosure shows secured working capital disbursed at 7.5% to 13.65% (mean 8.79%) and unsecured working capital at 7.5% to 20.5% (mean 17.14%).

Two practical points follow. First, a CGTMSE-backed loan at repo plus about 8.3% costs roughly 3 percentage points more than a property-secured term loan, before the CGTMSE guarantee fee — so if you have property and don't mind pledging it, ask for both quotes. Second, because these loans are floating-rate, RBI's Pre-payment Charges Directions mean Axis can't charge you for prepaying a floating-rate business loan sanctioned or renewed from 1 January 2026 if you're a micro or small enterprise.

CGTMSE, SME Plus, Power OD and working capital

Zero Collateral Loans (CGTMSE). Axis offers working capital, term loans and trade facilities without collateral to micro and small enterprises under the CGTMSE guarantee. Its page gives the guarantee cover as up to ₹10 crore and says collateral applies only in hybrid cases — where part of the loan is secured by property and the rest by the guarantee. Documents are KYC, 12 months' bank statements, the latest ITR and financial statements, with more as CGTMSE rules require. The guarantee fee — 0.37% to 1.20% a year depending on the amount — is normally passed on to you, so add it to the cost.

Red and white silk warp threads stretched across a handloom in a Kanchipuram weaving workshop — A weaving unit buying yarn ahead of the wedding season needs a revolving limit, not a lump sum — Axis prices its MSME cash credit off the repo rate.· Image: McKay Savage (via Flickr) (CC BY 2.0)

SME Plus. For traders, wholesalers, manufacturers, service firms and agri-based businesses with turnover up to ₹75 crore, SME Plus offers working capital, trade facilities and term loans of up to ₹10 crore, with residential, commercial or industrial property as collateral. Axis notes that any ECLGS limits sit on top of this.

Power OD. A working-capital overdraft not linked to drawing power, for MSME manufacturers, traders and service businesses with turnover up to ₹100 crore. The page lists limits of up to ₹5 crore in one place and up to ₹3 crore in another, so confirm with your relationship manager. Property and fixed deposits are accepted as collateral, and it isn't available to arhatiyas or commission agents.

Other working-capital products. Axis's working-capital page lists a GST-based overdraft, a Quick Overdraft based on banking conduct and financials, secured and unsecured dropline overdrafts based on banking behaviour, a Max Overdraft with 100% loan-to-value cover, classic cash credit and overdraft, and loans under the Credit Guarantee Scheme for Start-ups. Axis doesn't publish limits for each on the page we read, so ask for the product terms.

Mudra. Axis also lends under Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana for non-farm micro enterprises, without collateral, as term loans, overdrafts, cash credit or non-fund facilities. Its page still lists the original bands — Shishu up to ₹50,000, Kishore to ₹5 lakh and Tarun to ₹10 lakh — and doesn't yet mention the Tarun Plus category that lets repeat borrowers go up to ₹20 lakh nationally. Our Mudra loan guide covers the scheme.

Documents and decision timelines

For the unsecured Business Loan, Axis lists a short set: KYC documents, the signed application form, relevant financial documents, six months' bank statements, PAN or Form 60, and proof of business. Secured MSME programmes ask for considerably more. The SME Plus and Power OD pages list PAN and GST registration or incorporation certificate of the business; constitution documents such as the partnership deed or MOA and AOA; KYC of partners, directors and signatories; three years of audited financials with the auditor's report, ITRs and tax audit report; provisional financials if the last audit is over 13 months old; signed projections; 12 months' bank statements and GST returns; the sanction letter of any existing bank; the Udyam certificate if you have one; and title deeds, tax receipts and approved plans for property offered as security.

Keep these ready for an Axis MSME limit

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Axis publishes when you should hear back. For micro and small enterprises, it will convey a decision within two weeks for limits up to ₹5 lakh and within three weeks for limits above ₹5 lakh and up to ₹25 lakh; other borrowers get a decision within 30 working days. The clock starts only when the application is complete with all checklist documents, so the fastest way to a decision is to submit everything at once. RBI separately expects banks to decide on MSE loans up to ₹25 lakh within 14 working days; if Axis takes longer, ask for a written decision and the reasons.

A worked example: ₹20 lakh three ways

Suppose a Coimbatore textile trader, a proprietorship with four years' vintage and ₹1.5 crore of GST turnover, needs ₹20 lakh for stock and a delivery vehicle. The rates below use Axis's published ranges and the current 5.50% repo rate; your own rate will depend on your rating.

Unsecured Business Loan at the April–June 2026 mean of 18.93% over 36 months: EMI about ₹73,241, total interest about ₹6.37 lakh. Fast, but expensive, and the high EMI strains a trading business.

CGTMSE-backed term loan at repo plus about 8.35%, roughly 13.85%, over 60 months: EMI about ₹46,381, interest about ₹7.83 lakh over the longer term, plus the annual guarantee fee. No property needed.

Property-secured term loan at repo plus 5%, about 10.5%, over 60 months: EMI about ₹42,988, interest about ₹5.79 lakh. Cheapest, but your property is mortgaged.

The difference between the cheapest and dearest routes over five years is more than ₹5 lakh of interest on the same ₹20 lakh. Remember too that, for a micro or small enterprise, RBI says banks shouldn't ask for collateral on loans up to ₹20 lakh — so a ₹20 lakh limit for a small unit should be possible without a mortgage. See our EMI guide for comparing offers on APR.

Axis vs Kotak and other private banks

Kotak Mahindra Bank's official business-loan page lets us set its terms beside Axis's. Kotak lends ₹3 lakh to ₹1 crore, unsecured, to sole proprietors, partnerships, private limited companies, trusts and LLPs that have been in business for three years with turnover of at least ₹40 lakh and at least one year of profit. The applicant must be at least 25 and no older than 65 at loan maturity. Kotak charges a processing fee of up to 2% plus GST, documentation charges of ₹3,500 (loans below ₹10 lakh) or ₹6,000 (above ₹10 lakh) plus GST, and says part payment isn't allowed. It doesn't publish a rate range on that page, saying only that pricing depends on creditworthiness.

Unsecured business loans — Axis, Kotak and HDFC (published terms)

	Axis Bank	Kotak Mahindra Bank	HDFC Bank
Amount	Up to ₹2 crore	₹3 lakh–₹1 crore	Up to ₹75 lakh (₹1 crore select locations)
Minimum turnover	₹30 lakh	₹40 lakh	₹40 lakh
Vintage / profit	3 years	3 years; 1 year profit	3 years; 2 years profit
Tenure	6–60 months	Up to 60 months for doctors and CAs	12–48 months
Published rate	SEP 10.99%–16.25%; SENP 15%–25%	Not published on the page	Rack 10.75%–22.50%
Processing fee	Not published	Up to 2% + GST	Up to 2% (nil to ₹5 lakh for Udyam MSEs)

Amount

Axis Bank: Up to ₹2 crore
Kotak Mahindra Bank: ₹3 lakh–₹1 crore
HDFC Bank: Up to ₹75 lakh (₹1 crore select locations)

Minimum turnover

Axis Bank: ₹30 lakh
Kotak Mahindra Bank: ₹40 lakh
HDFC Bank: ₹40 lakh

Vintage / profit

Axis Bank: 3 years
Kotak Mahindra Bank: 3 years; 1 year profit
HDFC Bank: 3 years; 2 years profit

Tenure

Axis Bank: 6–60 months
Kotak Mahindra Bank: Up to 60 months for doctors and CAs
HDFC Bank: 12–48 months

Published rate

Axis Bank: SEP 10.99%–16.25%; SENP 15%–25%
Kotak Mahindra Bank: Not published on the page
HDFC Bank: Rack 10.75%–22.50%

Processing fee

Axis Bank: Not published
Kotak Mahindra Bank: Up to 2% + GST
HDFC Bank: Up to 2% (nil to ₹5 lakh for Udyam MSEs)

Axis's lower turnover floor (₹30 lakh against ₹40 lakh at Kotak and HDFC) makes it reachable for slightly smaller firms, and its 60-month tenure keeps EMIs lower. HDFC is the most transparent on fees and offers MSE waivers; Axis is the most transparent on rates through its grid and disclosure. Our HDFC business loan guide and SBI business loan guide cover those banks in detail.

How to apply

Applying for an Axis Bank business loan

1
Choose the desk
Unsecured Business Loan for a quick lump sum; SBB/SME limits (cash credit, term loan, CGTMSE) for cheaper repo-linked credit.
2
Check for a pre-qualified offer
Existing customers: Axis Mobile or Internet Banking → Apply Now → Loans → Business Loans.
3
Apply online or at a branch
Use the online Business Loan application, the Small Business Banking application form, or the branch. Note the application ID (starting CI or MLP) to track it.
Axis Bank — Business Loan
4
Submit the full checklist at once
Axis's decision clock starts only when the application is complete.
5
Compare the KFS
Check APR, fixed or floating rate, spread over repo, guarantee fee and foreclosure terms before you sign.

After sanction, keep your Udyam certificate on file with the bank (Axis's portal has a URC submission option), upload stock statements on time for cash credit limits, and file GST returns promptly — renewals and GST-based limits depend on them. If you have a complaint, Axis lists a three-level route: customer care, then a nodal officer, then its principal nodal officer at [email protected]. If it isn't resolved within 30 days, go to the RBI Ombudsman at cms.rbi.org.in.

Official links

What to do next

Work out whether your need is a lump sum or a revolving limit, and whether you can document the business well enough for Axis's SME desk — that single choice moves your rate by several percentage points. Get Key Facts Statements from Axis and from at least one other lender, compare the APRs, and run the EMIs in our EMI calculator. For public-sector options, see PSB Loans in 59 Minutes and our guide to government loans for business.

This is general information, not financial or legal advice — confirm the terms on the official source or with your bank.

Frequently asked questions

Axis Bank's Small Business Banking rate grid gives fixed rates of 10.99% to 16.25% for self-employed professionals and 15% to 25% for other self-employed borrowers on its unsecured Business Loan. Axis also discloses what it actually charged: business loans disbursed between April and June 2026 carried 9.5% to 25.25%, with a mean of 18.93%. Secured MSME limits are repo-linked and much cheaper.

Sources & verification

Figures on this page were checked against the sources below when it was last reviewed on 9 October 2026. Each rate and limit is stored once with its own official source and review date, and official update channels are monitored daily so changes are picked up. How we verify

1.Axis Bank — Business Loan — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
2.Axis Bank — Small Business Banking Rate Grid (check-rates.pdf) — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
3.Axis Bank — SBB products: Rate of Interest Disbursed (Apr–Jun 2026) — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
4.Axis Bank — Timelines for credit decisions — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
5.Axis Bank — 24x7 Business Loans — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
6.Axis Bank — Zero Collateral Loans (CGTMSE) — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
7.Axis Bank — SME Plus and Power OD — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
8.Axis Bank — Working capital loans — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
9.Axis Bank — Mudra Loan (PMMY) — Axis Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
10.Kotak Mahindra Bank — Business Loan — Kotak Mahindra Bank · accessed 9 October 2026
11.CGTMSE — Guarantee fee structure — CGTMSE · accessed 9 October 2026
12.RBI (Pre-payment Charges on Loans) Directions, 2025 — Reserve Bank of India · accessed 9 October 2026
13.Master Direction – Lending to MSME Sector — Reserve Bank of India · accessed 9 October 2026

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We provide tools, guides and information for general educational purposes only. Always refer to official government websites for the latest and most accurate information.