2026 Head-to-Head · Our Pick Inside
Outgo vs RTS Financial Factoring 2026: Which Saves Owner-Ops More?
Flat-fee vs percentage-based factoring — with real math, contract terms, NOA timing, and fuel card analysis. Our 2026 pick for owner-operators and small fleets.
Our 2026 pick: Outgo — flat fee, no contract, DAT-integrated, NOA on signup.
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission if you sign up through our link. Costs you nothing.
Outgo by DAT charges flat $20–$35 per invoice with no contract. RTS Financial charges 1.0%–4.0% percentage with long-term contracts. For owner-operators with 1–3 trucks under $30K/mo invoices, Outgo saves $300–$800/month. RTS wins for established fleets needing fuel-card networks and large credit lines.
TL;DR — Outgo vs RTS Financial at a glance
- ⭐Outgo wins for owner-operators: flat fee (no percentage compounding), month-to-month contract, NOA issued on signup, native DAT One integration. Best for 1–3 truck operations and new authority carriers.
- •RTS Financial wins for established fleets that buy high fuel volumes and benefit from the RTS Pro fuel card discount network, or need large credit lines that smaller factoring companies cannot provide.
- •Bottom line: if you are under $30K/month in invoices without heavy fuel card spend, Outgo's flat fee model is almost always cheaper and more flexible than RTS's percentage rate and long-term contract.
Side-by-side comparison: Outgo vs RTS Financial
| Feature | Outgo (by DAT) ⭐ | RTS Financial |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat fee per invoice | Percentage of invoice |
| Rate | $20–$35 flat per invoice | 1.0%–4.0% of invoice value |
| Contract term | Month-to-month, no notice period | Long-term contracts common; terms vary |
| Early termination | None | ETF may apply; read agreement carefully |
| Funding speed | Same-day | Same-day or next-day |
| Advance % | Up to 100% (flat fee model) | 90%–97% |
| Min volume | No minimum | Varies by contract |
| Fuel card | None (no proprietary card) | RTS Pro fuel card with discount network |
| Credit line | Standard factoring advance | Large credit lines available for established fleets |
| NOA timing | Issued immediately on signup | Standard processing turnaround (1–5 days) |
| DAT integration | Yes — native DAT One billing | No direct integration |
| New authority | Yes — Day 1 friendly | Case-by-case; typically prefers operating history |
| Best for | Owner-ops, small fleets, new authority | Established fleets needing fuel cards + credit |
| Customer support | DAT-backed platform support | Dedicated account reps, long industry track record |
Rates and terms vary by carrier credit, volume, and negotiated contract. Confirm directly with each provider.
Pricing breakdown — flat fee vs percentage
The pricing structure is the single most important difference between Outgo and RTS Financial. It determines how much factoring costs you each month — and how that cost scales as your business grows.
Outgo — flat fee model
- Fixed dollar amount per invoice ($20–$35 typical)
- Cost is identical whether load pays $800 or $4,000
- No percentage compounding on bigger loads
- Fully predictable — know your cost before you book
- Savings scale with revenue as invoice values rise
RTS Financial — percentage model
- 1.0% – 4.0% of each invoice face value
- Cost scales with every load — bigger loads cost more
- RTS Pro fuel card can offset part of the rate
- Rate varies by volume, credit, and contract length
- Long-term contracts typically required for best rates
Real math: $30,000/month in invoices, 15 loads
Outgo (flat fee)
15 invoices × $30 flat fee = ~$450/month
Cost is fixed regardless of load size. No surprises.
RTS Financial (2.5% rate)
2.5% × $30,000 = $750/month
At 1.5%: $450. At 4%: $1,200. Rate and load size both matter.
At a 2.5% RTS rate vs Outgo's flat fee, Outgo saves $300/month on $30K volume — before factoring in any fuel card offsets from RTS.
Contract terms: month-to-month vs long-term
Outgo
- Month-to-month enrollment
- No early termination fee
- Cancel anytime without penalty
- Factor only the loads you choose — no all-invoice mandate
RTS Financial
- Long-term contracts typically required
- Early termination fees may apply
- All-invoice commitment is common
- Read the full agreement carefully before signing
Contract lock-in is one of the top complaints from trucking carriers who switch factoring companies. RTS Financial's longer-term agreements mean you may face an ETF if your business changes direction. Outgo's no-contract model lets you pause, reduce volume, or stop factoring entirely without penalty — critical flexibility for owner-ops who run seasonally or are still testing whether factoring fits their operation.
Funding speed comparison
Both Outgo and RTS Financial offer same-day or next-day funding for clean submissions. This is standard at the top tier — make your decision on pricing and contract terms, not funding speed.
Outgo
- Same-day funding standard
- Submit before cutoff — wire same day
- First submission: 1 business day for setup verification
- After setup: consistent same-day cadence
RTS Financial
- Same-day and next-day funding available
- Established funding infrastructure
- Dedicated account reps for expedited needs
- Mobile app and online portal for submission
Funding speed is effectively a tie. If funding timing is your primary concern, both companies meet the same-day standard.
Notice of Assignment (NOA) timing
Your NOA is the document that tells brokers where to send payment. Without it, you cannot collect factored payments. How fast you get your NOA determines how fast you can start working with new brokers.
Outgo — NOA issued on signup
Outgo generates and issues your NOA immediately when you complete enrollment. You can include it in your carrier packet from Day 1 — before your first invoice. This is critical for new carriers building broker relationships from scratch.
RTS Financial — standard turnaround
RTS Financial processes NOA issuance after contract review. This can take several business days. During this window you cannot factor invoices or notify brokers of the new remit address.
For established carriers moving between factors, a few days is manageable. For a new authority carrier sending out their first carrier packet, Outgo's same-day NOA is a meaningful operational advantage that can accelerate when you start billing.
Fuel card programs: RTS Pro vs Outgo
RTS Financial's fuel card is its strongest differentiator. If you are running high monthly fuel spend, the RTS Pro discount network can partially or fully offset the percentage factoring rate. This is the primary reason established fleets with multiple trucks sometimes prefer RTS despite the higher factoring cost.
Outgo — no proprietary fuel card
- No Outgo-branded fuel card
- Flat factoring fee partially compensates vs percentage rate
- Best for carriers using fleet cards independently
- Lower factoring overhead frees cash for fuel management
RTS Financial — RTS Pro fuel card
- RTS Pro card with nationwide truck stop discounts
- Per-gallon discounts at major chains
- Most valuable for 5+ trucks with high monthly fuel spend
- Can offset part of RTS's percentage factoring rate
Run the numbers for your specific fuel spend. A single truck running 10,000 miles/month at 7 mpg burns ~1,430 gallons. A fuel card saving $0.10/gallon saves $143/month — meaningful but rarely enough to bridge the full gap between RTS's percentage rate and Outgo's flat fee for typical owner-op invoice values.
Real owner-op math: 5 trucks doing $50K/month
Let's run the numbers on a 5-truck operation factoring $50,000/month across ~25 invoices.
| Scenario | Outgo | RTS (2.5%) | RTS (1.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly invoices | $50,000 | $50,000 | $50,000 |
| Factoring cost | ~$750 (25 × $30 flat) | $1,250 | $750 |
| Outgo monthly savings | — | $500/mo saved vs RTS 2.5% | Tied |
| Contract risk | None | Long-term + ETF | Long-term + ETF |
| Fuel card needed to break even | N/A | $500+/mo fuel savings to match Outgo | $0 (tied on cost) |
At 2.5%, RTS costs $500/month more than Outgo's flat fee — and you are locked into a long-term contract. The RTS fuel card needs to save $500+/month just to break even. At 1.5% (negotiated), cost ties, but RTS still has contract risk and no DAT integration. Outgo wins on flexibility even when costs tie.
Who should choose RTS Financial?
RTS Financial is the better choice when:
- You are running 5+ trucks with high consistent monthly fuel spend where the RTS Pro card delivers meaningful per-gallon savings
- You need large credit lines that smaller or newer factoring companies cannot provide for your fleet size
- You are comfortable with a long-term contract and have stable volume to justify the commitment
- Your operation benefits from dedicated account management and RTS's industry tenure
- Your fuel card discount from RTS Pro fully offsets the percentage rate difference vs Outgo's flat fee
Who should choose Outgo?
Outgo is the better choice when:
- You are a solo owner-operator or 1–3 truck fleet who wants predictable, fixed costs per invoice
- You are on new authority and need your NOA on Day 1 to start building broker relationships immediately
- You use DAT One to find loads and want factoring integrated natively into your existing workflow
- You want no long-term contract — stop, start, or pause factoring without penalty
- Your monthly invoices are under $30K–$50K and Outgo's flat fee beats RTS's percentage on the math
- You do not drive enough fuel volume for an RTS Pro card to offset the rate gap
Why Outgo wins for 2026 owner-operators: 4 reasons
For the majority of independent truckers and small fleets, Outgo is the right factoring company in 2026. Here is why:
- Flat fee pricing eliminates rate risk.RTS's percentage rate compounds as your loads get bigger — a great month means higher factoring costs. Outgo's flat fee means a $4,000 load costs the same as a $1,500 load to factor. Your cost is fixed before you book.
- No contract means no trap.RTS Financial's long-term agreements can include early termination fees. If your volume drops, your model changes, or you find a better option, you may pay to exit. Outgo's month-to-month structure gives you permanent flexibility — no ETF, no notice period.
- NOA on signup accelerates broker onboarding.Every day without your NOA is a day your carrier packet is incomplete. RTS's standard processing turnaround can cost you days of potential broker relationships. Outgo issues your NOA the moment you enroll — you can send it to brokers before your first load.
- DAT One integration cuts admin time.If you are booking loads on DAT — which most owner-operators are — Outgo's native integration automates invoice creation from rate confirmations. Less manual entry, faster submissions, fewer errors. RTS requires manual invoice input regardless of your load board.
Free signup for Outgo · No credit card required
Outgo vs RTS Financial FAQ
Is Outgo or RTS Financial cheaper?
For most owner-operators with invoices under $3,000, Outgo is cheaper. Outgo's flat fee of $20–$35 per invoice does not compound on larger loads. RTS Financial at 2.5% on a $2,000 load costs $50 — vs Outgo's flat fee of $20–$35 on the same load. RTS can win for very high-volume fleets where the fuel card discounts offset the percentage factoring cost.
Can I cancel my RTS Financial contract early?
RTS Financial typically uses longer-term agreements. Early termination fees may apply depending on your specific contract. Review your agreement carefully before signing, and ask RTS directly about ETF terms. Outgo, by contrast, is month-to-month with no cancellation notice required and no early termination fee.
Does Outgo have a fuel card?
No. Outgo does not have a proprietary fuel card. RTS's Pro fuel card program is a genuine differentiator for fleets with high monthly fuel spend — if your fleet buys significant fuel volume, the RTS card discounts can partially offset its higher factoring rate. For owner-ops managing fuel independently, the fuel card advantage is minimal.
Is Outgo good for new authority carriers?
Yes. Outgo is explicitly new-authority friendly — it accepts carriers from Day 1 of operation. The immediate NOA issuance means your carrier packet is complete before you've submitted a single invoice. This is one of Outgo's strongest advantages over traditional factoring companies that prefer established operating history.
What is the RTS Financial factoring rate?
RTS Financial charges 1.0%–4.0% of the invoice face value depending on credit, volume, and contract terms. At 2.5% on $30,000/month in invoices, that is $750/month. At the same volume, Outgo's flat fee on ~15 invoices would be roughly $300–$525/month — a savings of $225–$450/month for a typical owner-op.
How long does it take Outgo to issue my NOA?
Outgo issues your Notice of Assignment immediately on signup — before you submit a single invoice. You can include it in your carrier packet from Day 1. RTS Financial's NOA follows standard processing, which can take several business days after contract review.
What is the RTS Pro fuel card?
RTS Pro is RTS Financial's fuel card program offering per-gallon discounts at major truck stops nationwide. It is a legitimate differentiator for fleets running high monthly fuel spend — the discount network can partially offset RTS's percentage factoring rate. For a single-truck owner-op, the fuel savings rarely bridge the gap between RTS's rate and Outgo's flat fee.
Can I switch from RTS Financial to Outgo?
Yes, but review your RTS contract first. If you are in a long-term agreement, early termination fees may apply. Once you exit RTS, Outgo's month-to-month structure means you will never be locked in again. Plan your switch timeline around your RTS contract terms to avoid fees.
Does Outgo work with load boards other than DAT?
Yes. Outgo factors invoices regardless of which load board you used to find the load. The DAT One integration automates invoice creation for loads booked on DAT, but you can also factor invoices from Truckstop, direct shippers, or any other source. The DAT integration is a bonus, not a requirement.
Our pick: Outgo for owner-operators in 2026
Flat fee, no contract, NOA on signup, DAT One integrated. Built for 1–5 truck operations. Sign up in minutes.
Affiliate disclosure: We earn a commission if you sign up through our Outgo link. Costs you nothing.
Reviewed by Don Grazio · UC Bureau Compliance Lead
Don has 12+ years working with motor carriers on FMCSA compliance, including new entrant audits, MCS-150 filings, BMC-91 insurance setups, and ELD compliance. UC Bureau researches FMCSA regulations (49 CFR Parts 380–399) directly with carriers across the U.S. and Canada. Content is fact-checked against current federal regulations. UC Bureau is not affiliated with the U.S. Department of Transportation or FMCSA — we provide tools and guides to help carriers stay compliant. Learn more about UC Bureau →