Truist and Cadence Bank are both PLP-designated regional lenders with Southeast roots, but their footprints diverge — Truist runs wider across the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic, while Cadence concentrates on the Southeast and Texas with a real-estate-forward SBA 504 focus. Pick by geography and whether your loan leans toward commercial real estate. Confirm current program terms directly at sba.gov.
Truist
Southeast and Mid-Atlantic SBA 7(a) and 504
Pros
Cadence Bank
Southeast and Texas regional SBA 7(a) and 504 lender
Pros
| Spec | Truist SBA | Cadence Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Southeast and Mid-Atlantic borrowers, existing Truist customers | Southeast and Texas borrowers, SBA 504 commercial real estate |
◈ marks the stronger option for that row.
Pick Truist SBA if: Southeast and Mid-Atlantic borrowers, existing Truist customers
Pick Cadence Bank if: Southeast and Texas borrowers, SBA 504 commercial real estate
See all picks, methodology, and side-by-side comparison in Best SBA Preferred Lender Banks.
Both are PLP-designated regional banks with deep Southeast roots, but their edges differ. Truist (the BB&T/SunTrust merger) has the broader Southeast/Mid-Atlantic branch footprint and full 7(a), 504, and Express lineup. Cadence Bank concentrates its strength in the Southeast and Texas specifically, with a particular focus on SBA 504 paired with commercial real-estate banking. If Texas is in your footprint or your loan is real-estate-driven, weigh Cadence; for broader Southeast/Mid-Atlantic coverage or an existing Truist relationship, Truist. (ClearValue Lending is a platform, not the lender — we route applications to lender partners.)
Yes — both are active SBA 504 lenders, and it's a particular strength for each. SBA 504 uses a two-lender structure: the borrower puts down roughly 10%, a Certified Development Company (CDC) funds about 40% at a fixed rate, and the bank funds the remaining ~50%. Cadence pairs 504 with its Southeast/Texas commercial real-estate banking depth; Truist's 504 strength carries over from the legacy BB&T and SunTrust SBA platforms. Both also offer SBA 7(a) and SBA Express. Source: SBA 504 program overview at sba.gov.
Truist's core footprint is the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic — a wider band that includes states like Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida, plus Mid-Atlantic reach. Cadence Bank's core footprint is the Southeast and Texas specifically — including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. A Texas-based borrower may find Cadence's local commercial-real-estate knowledge more relevant; a Mid-Atlantic borrower is better served by Truist's wider northward reach. Verify current branch and SBA service areas directly at truist.com and cadencebank.com.
Neither bank publishes a hard cutoff, but the typical benchmark at both is a 680+ personal FICO for the borrower and any guarantors, 2+ years in business, and a Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) at or above 1.15 — the standard SBA underwriting floor showing the business clears its existing debt plus the proposed loan. Your business also has to fall within SBA size standards for its industry (NAICS-based, published at sba.gov). Run the numbers first with the SBA loan requirements breakdown before applying at either bank.
SBA 7(a) interest rates are capped by the SBA — the maximum rate on loans over $350,000 with maturities over 7 years is Prime + 2.75%. As of July 2026, with Prime at 6.75% (published via the Federal Reserve's Selected Interest Rates release, federalreserve.gov), that ceiling works out to 9.50% for large long-term loans. Both Truist and Cadence Bank price at or below the SBA-regulated maximum; your actual rate depends on loan size, term, credit profile, and collateral — confirm current pricing directly with each bank's SBA team.
Yes. SBA program rules require a personal guarantee from any owner holding 20% or more equity in the business, regardless of which lender originates the loan — this applies equally to Truist and Cadence Bank as SBA 7(a) and 504 lenders. Your personal assets are at risk if the business cannot repay. SBA policy also requires a first-lien position on business assets and, in some cases, additional personal collateral if business assets are insufficient. See what a personal guarantee actually means for what's at stake. Source: SBA Standard Operating Procedures 50 10 7.
Independent editorial comparison. ClearValue Lending is not the issuer of any product compared here; affiliate links may pay a referral commission at no cost to you — selection is independent of compensation.