Judo Bank vs the big four: a business-only bank against the majors

A family-owned engineering firm turns over $9m, has banked with the same major for twenty years, and wants $2.4m to buy out a competitor. Its long-time bank is interested but wants more property security than the directors would like to offer. A broker suggests Judo Bank. Is a newer, business-only bank a smart move, or is the incumbent the safer pair of hands?

Both can be the right answer. This page sets Judo’s published offer, as at October 2026, against what Commonwealth Bank, NAB, ANZ and Westpac each set out on their own sites, which shows where each one is genuinely stronger.

The short version

The big four are excellent lenders, and when your business fits their criteria they are often the cheapest money you’ll find. Their scale lets them offer everything from a $5k online loan to multi-million-dollar secured facilities, with transaction accounts, merchant terminals and cards in the same place.

Judo Bank does one thing: it lends to small and medium businesses. Its lending starts at $250k, borrowers deal with a named relationship banker, and a large share of deals arrive through commercial brokers. It holds a full banking licence (APRA’s register lists Judo Bank Pty Ltd with an authorisation dated 24 April 2019), and its products centre on lending, savings and term deposits rather than everyday transaction banking.

What does each one offer?

	Judo Bank	Big four (CommBank, NAB, ANZ, Westpac)
Smallest loan	$250k	$5k online at NAB and Westpac; $10k at ANZ GoBiz and for CommBank’s secured loan
Online unsecured loans	Not offered	NAB QuickBiz and Westpac to $250k; ANZ GoBiz $10k to $200k unsecured (up to $500k in total); CommBank unsecured to $250k
Secured lending	Business and growth loans, typically secured by property or business assets	Secured loans with terms up to 30 years against residential, rural or commercial property
Business purchase	Acquisition loans up to 100% of acquisition costs, to $15m, terms to 15 years	Available through business bankers, assessed case by case
Line of credit	12-month term reviewed yearly, no fixed repayment schedule	Overdrafts and lines of credit, including online overdrafts
Transaction banking	Not the focus; most customers bank elsewhere day to day	Full range in one place
How you apply	Relationship banker, often introduced by a broker	Online for smaller loans; banker for larger or secured needs

Figures in the table were checked against each bank’s own pages in October 2026. Read the full profiles of Judo Bank, Commonwealth Bank, NAB, ANZ and Westpac for criteria and fine print.

When does a big four bank win?

• You need under $250k. This is the simplest test. Judo won’t usually lend below its floor, while the majors start at a few thousand dollars.
• You want an answer today. ANZ’s GoBiz reads six months of reconciled data from Xero, MYOB or QuickBooks and gives conditional approval in 20 minutes or less if eligible. NAB advertises an instant decision on QuickBiz for GST-registered businesses with 12 months on their ABN and at least $75k turnover.
• You value everything under one roof. Loan, transaction account, EFTPOS, cards and payroll in one relationship can make life simpler and sometimes strengthens the credit case, because the bank already sees your account conduct.
• Your security is strong and conventional. A clean property offer, steady financials and a straightforward purpose is exactly what the majors price well.

When does Judo win?

• You’re borrowing $250k or more and want a banker who knows you. Judo builds its model around a dedicated relationship banker who learns your business before credit is decided. Owners who feel like a number at a major often value that most.
• You’re buying a business. Judo’s acquisition loan is published at up to 100% of acquisition costs, capped at $15m, over up to 15 years, with up to five years interest-only available. Few lenders put a full-funding figure on a public web page. See funding for buying a business for how acquisition deals are usually structured.
• Your working capital swings through the year. Judo describes its line of credit as a facility you draw on up to the limit with no fixed repayment schedule, reviewed every 12 months, which suits seasonal or project-driven businesses.
• You want to spread your banking relationships. Some owners prefer not to have every loan and account with one institution. Borrowing from Judo while keeping transaction banking with a major is a common pattern.

If you’d like help working out which side of that line your business sits on, tell us roughly what you’re planning. The form is quick, around a minute, and your credit score is left alone.

How do speed, security and cost compare?

Speed. For small unsecured amounts, the majors are faster because the process is automated. ANZ says full approval should take no more than two business days, with funds following within two business days of signed documents. For larger secured deals, timing at Judo and the majors is similar and depends mostly on valuations, financials and how quickly you answer questions.

Security. Online loans at the majors are unsecured up to their limits, though ANZ notes a general security agreement may be needed between $200k and $500k. Judo assesses each business individually, and the bulk of its loans are backed by real estate or business assets, and directors commonly guarantee them. Read our explainer on the personal guarantee before you sign one.

Cost. We never quote rates. What matters is the total dollar cost over the term: interest, setup and line fees, valuers’ and solicitors’ bills, and any break costs if you repay early or refinance. Ask both lenders for a written offer and run them through the loan cost comparison calculator.

What if neither says yes?

Good businesses get declined by banks all the time, often for policy reasons rather than anything wrong. A short trading history, an ATO payment plan, a recent loss, industry caps or not enough property security can all land you outside the box.

That’s where a non-bank business loan or borrowing against real estate through a second mortgage business loan comes in. Our guides to being declined by the bank and big four bank alternatives cover the realistic next steps, and our comparison of big four banks and challenger banks looks at the wider field.

Questions to settle before you choose

1. How much do you need? Under $250k points to a major or a non-bank; above it opens Judo up.
2. Is speed or relationship more valuable to you right now?
3. What security can you offer, and what are you unwilling to put up?
4. Do you want your transaction banking with your lender, or kept separate?
5. Added up in dollars from drawdown to final repayment, which written offer is cheaper once fees and break costs are in?
6. If the deal is a business purchase, does the lender’s acquisition policy cover goodwill as well as assets?

Bank, challenger or something else? Let’s find out

Whether your best fit is a major, Judo or a lender outside the banking system, you’ll get a faster answer from someone who weighs these lenders against each other daily than from reading brochures. Our enquiry is around a minute of typing, and asking leaves your credit history exactly as it was. Nobody auctions your file to a roomful of financiers; one specialist reads it, then picks up the phone. Be precise about the amount, its purpose and the property or assets you could offer, because that’s what lets us name the right lender on the first call.

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