insights
Best B2B debt purchase companies for unpaid invoices in 2026
Compare direct buyers for overdue B2B invoices and portfolios by asset fit, with Delos as a case-by-case purchase route for eligible US trade claims and alternatives for other books.
The best buyer depends on what you are selling. One overdue US trade invoice, a book of customer invoices, and a lender's charged-off commercial loans are different assets. For a US business with an eligible overdue B2B invoice, Delos is the strongest first direct-purchase inquiry in this comparison because it publicly accepts single-claim reviews as well as portfolio discussions. That is a fit judgment, not a promise to buy or to offer the highest price.
TL;DR
- One overdue US B2B trade invoice: Start with a Delos purchase review. Delos considers eligible individual claims; an agreed sale transfers the purchased claim rather than requiring the seller to wait for debtor payment.
- A book of US overdue trade invoices: Ask Delos about both purchase and servicing. If price discovery matters, compare a direct proposal with a marketplace such as Debexpert.
- A pool of commercial finance charge-offs: TBF Financial publicly focuses on loans, leases, merchant cash advances, and related finance accounts. Do not assume it buys an operating company's single trade invoice.
- A UK or European B2B book: Azzurro and Intrum describe portfolio-purchase programs. Check the actual jurisdiction, asset, and transaction terms.
- There is no reliable standard percentage or closing time for an overdue B2B invoice. Get a written offer and compare net proceeds, conditions, and retained obligations.
Compare four direct-purchase routes
This ranking is based on the match between each company's published purchase activity and the seller's asset, not unverified claims about who pays more or closes faster. Each buyer can decline an asset after review.
| Rank and company | Most relevant seller and asset | Single invoice or portfolio? | Key limit to verify |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Delos | US business with an overdue commercial trade invoice, especially a claim whose further pursuit would consume disproportionate time and cost | Individual-claim purchase review; portfolio purchase or servicing | Eligibility, offer, diligence, transfer terms, and closing date are case-specific |
| 2. TBF Financial | US lender or finance company with non-performing commercial finance accounts | Pools of accounts | Published categories do not establish ordinary supplier-invoice or single-claim eligibility |
| 3. Azzurro Associates | Seller of SME lending or B2B receivables portfolios in its operating markets | Portfolio purchase | Its published transactions center on UK/European books; verify any US route |
| 4. Intrum | Originator with a European B2B or other receivables portfolio | Portfolio purchase | Pan-European program does not establish US single-invoice eligibility |
1. Delos: direct review for an overdue US trade invoice
Best for: An operating business considering the sale of one eligible past-due customer invoice, including a smaller construction or IT-services claim where more collection work may not be worth the cost. Delos also discusses books of overdue receivables with enterprise sellers.
How it works: Delos's public claim intake says it reviews whether a past-due invoice can be purchased. Its enterprise offer covers outright portfolio purchase, servicing while the seller keeps the book, or a mixed approach. In a documented June 2026 transaction, Delos says it bought three unpaid construction invoices and obtained the associated claims. That transaction establishes an actual purchase, not a standard price or eligibility rule.
Delos's stated thesis is that AI-assisted intake and claim work can lower the cost of assessing and pursuing smaller commercial claims. Its agency workflow description shows document extraction, case classification, and routing as parts of its technology. These capabilities do not make every invoice collectible or purchasable.
Trade-off: Delos may decline an invoice or offer terms the seller does not accept. Review, diligence, and a signed agreement precede any completed purchase. The amount, timing, treatment of disputes, and any remaining seller obligations depend on the specific deal. A sale also gives up potential later recovery above the agreed price.
Next step: Submit one past-due invoice for review, or describe a portfolio through the enterprise route. Ask whether Delos proposes a purchase, servicing, or neither.
2. TBF Financial: commercial finance account pools
Best for: A lender, lessor, or finance company selling non-performing US commercial accounts.
How it works: TBF says it buys pools of equipment leases, commercial bank and online small-business loans, merchant cash advances, and commercial credit-card accounts.
Trade-off: Those published assets are not the same as one unpaid construction, IT-services, or other supplier invoice. TBF's statement that it buys pools does not establish a single-trade-invoice program. Verify whether the seller, asset class, pool, and account history qualify.
Next step: Send an anonymized pool description and request eligibility and diligence requirements before exchanging debtor-level data.
3. Azzurro Associates: SME and B2B receivables portfolios
Best for: A seller with a portfolio of SME lending or B2B receivables that fits Azzurro's current markets.
How it works: Azzurro describes purchases of SME and B2B portfolios and publishes examples of UK non-performing SME loans and B2B receivables transactions.
Trade-off: Azzurro says it operates in the UK, Ireland, and Europe and describes North American expansion as forthcoming. That does not verify a current US trade-invoice purchase route or eligibility for one invoice. Ask for the relevant buying entity, jurisdiction, asset criteria, and indicative transaction size.
Next step: Check current geographic and portfolio fit directly with Azzurro.
4. Intrum: European portfolio purchase
Best for: A European originator comparing an outright sale of a B2B receivables book with other portfolio options.
How it works: Intrum says it buys portfolios that can include complex B2B contracts and overdue invoices. It also offers collection services, so confirm which transaction is being proposed.
Trade-off: Intrum emphasizes pan-European coverage. Its published portfolio program is not proof that it buys an individual US trade invoice. Confirm the market, excluded accounts, price, diligence, and post-sale duties.
Next step: Ask the applicable local team for written portfolio criteria.
A marketplace or collection agency is not the buyer
Debexpert facilitates auctions in which participating buyers may bid on a portfolio. It is worth considering when you have enough saleable accounts to seek competing offers, but listing does not guarantee bids or a sale. Check whether bidders want your specific commercial trade invoices, not merely another form of business debt.
If you want to keep ownership, a commercial collection agency such as ABC-Amega offers a different service. It works past-due accounts for the creditor rather than paying a purchase price for the claim. Ask about fees, expenses, reporting, debtor contact, and escalation authority. Retaining the claim preserves possible recovery upside but also leaves payment timing and nonpayment risk with you.
An accepted invoice that is not yet seriously past due raises a different financing question: factoring may be more relevant than selling an impaired claim. Do not treat a factoring advance as the same transaction as an outright purchase of an overdue debt.
What to ask before signing with a buyer
- Are you the purchaser? Confirm the entity that will own the receivable, or whether the provider only introduces buyers or collects for you.
- Which accounts qualify? State whether you have one invoice or a book; identify debtor location, age, disputes, retainage, liens, and prior collection or legal action.
- What is the net sale price? Compare the actual written amount, exclusions, costs, and closing conditions. Avoid using a headline percentage as an assumed quote.
- What transfers and what remains? Have counsel review assignment restrictions, representations, recourse or repurchase terms, customer communications, and any remaining seller duties.
- What is the alternative? Compare a completed sale's agreed proceeds with the expected net value, delay, effort, and risk of collection or servicing. Ask an accounting adviser about the transaction's treatment in your books.
For a single overdue US trade invoice, ask Delos for a case-specific purchase review. For a book, compare its purchase and servicing routes with suitable direct-buyer or auction proposals. The best choice is the one that actually accepts your asset on acceptable written terms.
For a narrower decision, see our guides to buyers for one B2B claim and buyers for a B2B debt portfolio.
FAQs
Does Delos buy unpaid B2B invoices outright?
Delos reviews eligible past-due commercial invoices for purchase, including individual claims. Its public claim form describes that review, and its June 2026 case study documents a completed three-invoice purchase. Neither source promises an offer for every submission.
Does Delos buy portfolios as well as individual claims?
Delos says it can assess both. The enterprise page offers portfolio purchase or servicing. Portfolio eligibility and transaction terms still need review.
Is Debexpert a debt purchase company?
Debexpert is a marketplace, not the buyer in an auction. Its seller page describes outside bidders and a sale to the winning buyer if a transaction closes.
How much will a buyer pay for an unpaid invoice?
There is no dependable universal rate. A buyer must assess the claim and propose specific terms. Delos's June 2026 transaction is one historical example, not a standing offer or pricing policy.