At the stage in which they're investing, a bank loan will generally be secured against your personal assets, whereas the money from Earnest is not. If you raise

At the stage in which they're investing, a bank loan will generally be secured against your personal assets, whereas the money from Earnest is not. If you raise money from Earnest and your business fails, Earnest loses their investment. If you raise money from a bank and your business fails, you may lose your house or declare bankruptcy.