Bridge loan cost calculator

A bridge loan’s cost has two parts: interest, charged monthly on the balance (bridge loans are usually interest-only), and a one-time origination fee. You pay interest during the short term and repay the principal at your exit — a refinance or a sale. Use the estimator below to see an illustrative cost for your amount, term, and rate.

Illustrative estimate

Monthly payment (interest-only)$10,000
Origination fee (one-time)$20,000
Total interest over 12 months$120,000
Estimated cost of capital$140,000

Your principal of $1,000,000is repaid at your exit — typically a refinance into longer-term debt, or a sale.

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Estimate for planning only — not a quote, offer, rate lock, or loan approval. Bridge loans are short-term, and actual terms are priced to each deal’s risk. Talk to us for real numbers.

How the estimate works

The estimator multiplies your loan amount by the annual rate to get annual interest, divides by twelve for the monthly payment, and multiplies by your term for total interest. It adds a one-time origination fee to get the total cost of capital. The rate and origination sliders use BuildUp’s published ranges; where your deal lands within them is priced to its risk — the collateral, the operator, and the strength of the exit.

A bridge loan is a short-term instrument by design. The right way to weigh its cost isn’t against a 30-year mortgage — it’s against what the capital lets you do now: close on time, beat a deadline, or fund a transition until longer-term financing is in place. The most important number isn’t the rate; it’s the exit.

Common questions

Bridge loan cost, explained

How much does a bridge loan cost?
A bridge loan’s cost is the interest charged over its (short) term plus a one-time origination fee. Because bridge loans are usually interest-only, you pay monthly interest during the term and repay the principal at your exit — a refinance or a sale. Use the estimator above to model your amount, term, and rate.
How is a bridge loan’s cost calculated?
Monthly interest = loan amount × annual rate ÷ 12. Total interest = that monthly amount × the number of months in the term. Add the one-time origination fee (a percentage of the loan) to get the total cost of capital. The principal itself is repaid separately, at your exit.
Is this estimate a quote or an approval?
No. It’s an illustration for planning only. Actual terms are priced to each deal’s risk and confirmed in a term sheet — not by a calculator. If you qualify, you’ll know quickly; if you don’t, we’ll help you understand where to go next.

Keep reading

Go deeper

Bridge loansHow our real-estate-secured bridge loans work, and who they’re for.Read →Underwriting the exitWhy the exit — not the rate — is the most important number in a bridge loan.Read →The small-business credit gapOur data report on why banks pulled back and where borrowers turn.Read →

Ready for real numbers?

Get a real answer, not an estimate

Tell us about your deal and, if it’s a fit, we’ll issue a a term sheet typically within 5 business days. If you qualify, you’ll know quickly; if not, we’ll help you understand where to go next.

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