Sterling vs Nav: which is better for building business credit?
Honest comparison: Nav vs Sterling. Feature matrix, pricing side-by-side, and when each is the right pick. Based on publicly documented features.
Published Jul 26, 2026 · Last verified Jul 26, 2026
Quick verdict
Nav is best for checking scores + shopping lender offers. Sterling is best for actually building the file — guided EIN/DUNS setup, per-vendor apply flows, and personalized recommendations.
Factor
Sterling
Nav
Cost of starter tier
Guided workflows
Trade-line reporter
Personalized roadmap
Loan marketplace
The 30-second answer
Navis the veteran — free tier for viewing business credit scores plus Nav Prime ($49/mo) that reports itself as a trade line. It's a dashboard + a loan-marketplace referral engine.
Sterling is a newer product built around actually doing the work — a personalized 12-18 month roadmap, guided EIN and DUNS setup, per-vendor apply flows, Identity Vault, and recommenders for business banks and credit cards. Starts at $29/mo with a 14-day free trial.
Pick Nav if you want the largest historical player and to be pointed at loan offers. Pick Sterling if you want a step-by-step system that walks you through each application field by field.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Sterling | Nav |
|---|---|---|
Free tier Nav's free tier is truly free but limited; Sterling's is a full-feature trial. | 14-day free trial (all features) | Yes — free dashboard for basic scores |
Tri-bureau trade line reporting Both approaches use Nav Prime — Sterling doesn't reinvent the reporter, it walks you through everything else. | Via Nav Prime integration (customer's choice) | Nav Prime reports itself as a trade line ($49/mo) |
Personalized roadmap | 12-18 month AI-generated plan, ~20 steps | General suggestions, not a sequenced plan |
Vendor application guides | 15 vendors with per-field prefill + apply flows | Vendor list, no apply flows |
Identity Vault (encrypted EIN + banking) | Yes | No |
EIN + DUNS guided setup wizards | Yes | No |
Business credit card recommender Nav shows card offers via their marketplace but not scored to your file. | 8 cards with approval-likelihood scoring | Partial |
Business bank account recommender | 7 banks with fit scoring based on your profile | No |
Paydex forecast + next-action recommendations | Yes | No |
Loan / financing marketplace Nav monetizes via lender referrals; Sterling doesn't have this feature. | No | Yes — Nav Marketplace connects to lenders |
Referral program | $20 / $20 give-get | No |
Pricing side-by-side
| Feature | Sterling | Nav |
|---|---|---|
Free view of credit scores | During 14-day trial | Yes, always |
Entry tier | $29/mo (Monitor) | $0 free tier, or $49/mo (Nav Prime) |
Mid tier | $79/mo (Builder) | $149/mo (Nav Prime Plus, when offered) |
Top tier | $149/mo (Accelerate) | Custom (Nav Business Boost bundles) |
Value comparison:If you only want to view your business credit scores, Nav's free tier is unbeatable — Sterling doesn't have a free forever tier for this. If you want a step-by-step system that produces trade lines and card approvals, Sterling Monitor at $29/mo is $20/mo cheaper than Nav Prime and does substantially more beyond the reporting.
When Nav is the better choice
- You just want to check your scores.Nav's free dashboard shows D&B, Experian Business, and Equifax Business scores at no cost. Sterling doesn't have a persistent free tier for this.
- You want a loan and want to shop offers.Nav's marketplace connects you with 20+ lenders and pre-qualifies you against each. Sterling doesn't offer this — you'd apply to lenders directly.
- You're already using Nav Prime and it works.If Nav Prime's trade-line reporting is your primary need and you already have it configured, adding Sterling is redundant on that axis.
When Sterling is the better choice
- You're starting from zero and need a plan. Sterling generates a sequenced 12-18 month roadmap based on your entity type, state, and revenue. Nav gives general suggestions but not a sequenced plan.
- You want field-by-field help on vendor applications.Sterling has per-vendor guides for 15 Net-30 vendors with pre-filled fields from your Identity Vault. Nav lists vendors but doesn't walk you through the application.
- You want personalized card and bank recommendations.Sterling's recommenders score each option against your specific profile (personal FICO, business age, revenue, Chase relationship). Nav's marketplace shows offers you may or may not qualify for.
- You're trying to save time.Sterling's guided EIN and DUNS wizards prefill every field the IRS and D&B ask for. Nav doesn't do this.
Can you use both?
Yes, and many operators do. The common stack is Nav Free (for score monitoring) + Nav Prime (for the tri-bureau trade line) + Sterling (for the actual application work). There's no conflict — the products cover different jobs. See our 15 best Net-30 vendors guide for how Nav Prime fits into the vendor stack.
Common questions
Does Sterling do trade-line reporting like Nav Prime?
No. Sterling doesn't report anything as a trade line on your behalf. If you want that specific feature, Nav Prime remains the go-to. Sterling's value is in the surrounding workflow — application guides, wizards, recommenders, and planning.
Does Nav do vendor application guides?
Nav lists vendor names in their marketplace but doesn't provide per-vendor field breakdowns, prefill from a stored profile, or guided-fill overlays. That's Sterling's core differentiator.
Which is more established?
Nav has been operating since 2012 and is significantly larger. Sterling launched in 2026 — newer with a smaller catalog but a more focused workflow product.
Do either offer refunds?
Sterling has a 14-day free trial (no credit card required to start) and monthly billing. Nav similarly bills monthly. Neither locks you into annual contracts by default.
Try Sterling free
14 days free. No credit card required.
See if Sterling fits your workflow before comparing more competitors. 14-day free trial on every tier, no card up front.
Comparison based on publicly available information from Nav's website and product documentation as of the last-verified date. Pricing and features change; verify current terms on the competitor's own site before deciding.