How we review lenders

Who gets listed

We list lenders that actively fund Australian businesses: online and fintech lenders, non-bank lenders, private and caveat lenders, invoice and trade financiers, asset and equipment financiers, manufacturer finance arms, government-backed lenders and the banks. We don't list brokers as lenders, and we don't list personal-loan-only providers.

What every profile covers

• What they fund: the business products the lender offers, linked to our plain-English explainer for each.
• Who they tend to suit: the kind of business, stage and situation the lender is built for, based on its own published material.
• How they assess: whether they lean on bank statements, financials, property security or the asset being financed.
• Things to check: questions worth asking before you sign, such as fees, early repayment, security and personal guarantees.
• If they say no: realistic alternatives for the situations where that lender usually declines.

What we leave out

No scores, no star ratings and no interest rates. Lenders change products and pricing often, and every business is priced individually, so a rate or a score would be out of date or misleading for most readers. We would rather give you the right questions to ask.

Partner lenders

A small number of lenders are partners of the directory. They're labelled "Partner lender" wherever they appear, and their profiles link to their websites.

Corrections

Lenders and readers can report an error. We check and update promptly. Want to be listed? See join the directory, or if you're a business owner, ask a real person which lender fits.