See which lenders will give you the best bad credit personal loan. Instant online results.
This is a totally free process and will not affect your credit rating.
Simple & quick, we narrow down the lenders you're eligible for.
See multiple lender rates you actually qualify for, all at once.
After easily comparing, select the lender who best suits you.
Money.com.au (Money) is on a mission to enable Australian consumers to enjoy an online shopping experience for financial products, starting with personal loans.
We believe that by providing you with fair & transparent choice, we will achieve our mission, and help more Australians get better deals (more for your money).
Putting you first means:
We only show you loans you qualify for, ranked by the lowest repayment
We show you “apples with apples” loan comparisons (by simplifying & standardising information)
We do not accept paid endorsements or promote lenders based on commission.
Borrow from $2,000 to $100,000
Fixed or variable interest rates
Repayments to suit your budget
Terms from 1 to 7 years (most common is 3 years)
Secured & unsecured options
Australian Permanent Residents (& some visa holders)
Must be over the age of 18
Earn a minimum of $25,000 a year
Have been discharged from bankruptcy or a Part IX for a minimum of 12 months
Can show you are capable of taking on the debt and meeting your repayments
Bad credit personal loans are a type of personal loan product offered by specialist lenders in Australia. They will often have shorter terms, higher fees, and higher rates than other types of personal finance to reflect the increased risk to the lender.
A bad credit personal loan works in a similar way to other types of personal loan. You can apply for finance with specialist lenders, who will agree to lend an amount of money that you repay over a specified time.
Bad credit personal loans are different from other loans in three main ways:
Higher interest rates — up to a maximum of 48%
Shorter loan terms — from 9 weeks to two years
Higher fees — establishment and ongoing fees
Bad credit loan repayments will include interest accrued on the principal amount, and any fees included in your loan agreement. The rates and fees applied to your bad credit loan will be determined by your lender during the approval and agreement process.
It’s worth taking the time to shop around and compare personal loan offers from multiple lenders to see which deal you feel is best for your circumstances. You can do that simply by using our smart-form.
Money Tip: If you’re experiencing financial difficulty, there is plenty of free help available. Check out Money Smart’s guide to financial counselling to get started.
A credit report is often distilled into a score from 0 to 1,000 or 1,200. Each Australian credit agency ranks credit slightly differently, however if your score is under 500 or 550, you are generally considered to have a low credit score — or ‘bad’ credit.
Negative credit events are listed in your credit history, and too many may cause a lender to classify you as a high-risk borrower. Negatives credit events include:
Missed debt payments or late payments
Too many credit applications over a short period of time
Current or previous bankruptcy or a Part IX debt agreement in your credit history
History of applications for credit being declined
However, your credit history and score also take into account positive events. This means you may be able to repair your credit score over time if you:
Make loan repayments on time, every time
Fully pay off credit
Ensure you’re able to manage your debts
If you can, it's a good idea to take some time to repair your credit score before applying for a personal loan. The better your credit score, the lower your risk profile will be when lenders are assessing your application.
You can view your credit score when using our smart form, or you can request a full credit history report from one of Australia’s three credit bureaus:
Make loan repayments on time, every time
Fully pay off credit
Ensure you’re able to manage your debts
If you can, it's a good idea to take some time to repair your credit score before applying for a personal loan. The better your credit score, the lower your risk profile will be when lenders are assessing your application.
You can view your credit score when using our smart form, or you can request a full credit history report from one of Australia’s three credit bureaus:
When comparing bad credit personal loan offers from multiple lenders, use the comparison rate to ensure you are accounting for all fees and potential charges. If you are using the Money.com.au smart-form to compare personalised loan offers and rates, the comparison rate will be listed clearly on the results screen.
Variable fees are not included in the comparison rate - such as late-payment fees - so be sure to keep these in mind when comparing deals. The four types of fees you should be aware of when comparing lenders for a personal loan include:
Upfront costs - establishment fees and application fees
Ongoing fees - annual fees and monthly fees
Late payment fees - charged if you miss a payment
Extra repayment fees - charged if you make early repayments to reduce the amount of interest payable on the principal amount.
If you do not find any available offers to compare, you can work with a personal finance broker to assist in finding you a suitable deal and completing your application.
Brokers operate all across Australia — whether you need a bad credit personal loan in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Newcastle, or Canberra, you'll be able to find one who can help you assess a range of suitable options specific to your financial circumstances.
Applying for a bad credit personal loan with a specialist lender can provide access to finance when a borrower may not qualify with traditional lenders. However, before applying for a bad credit loan, it’s worth considering all available options for finance, including:
Guarantor loans
A guarantor loan requires someone else (usually family members) to take equal responsibility for repayment of the loan. In the event that the borrower is unable to make repayments, the guarantor of the loan may be liable.
Lenders may offer lower interest rates if you have a loan guarantor, while some lenders may request a guarantor be included on your loan agreement to ensure approval, particularly if it's an unsecured loan.
The No Interest Loan Scheme (NILS)
The No Interest Loan Scheme is a Government initiative which enables certain Australian residents to receive a loan with no interest or fees. NILS allows eligible applicants to borrow up to $1,500 for essential goods with no credit check required.
The NILS is available for Australian residents who:
Hold a valid healthcare or pension card
Earn less than $45,000 as a single applicant
Earn a combined income of less than $65,000 as a joint applicant
StepUP Loan
StepUp Loans are low interest, low fee loans designed specifically for low-income Australian residents who can’t get credit from a bank. To apply, you must hold valid healthcare or pension card, or receive Family Tax Benefit A.
You can qualify for a bad credit personal loan in Australia if you are:
Over the age of 18; and
An Australian citizen or permanent resident; and
Employed or have a regular source of income over $25,000 per year
Not currently bankrupt or under a Part IX Debt Agreement
Before applying with a low credit score, it’s crucial that you look at ways to strengthen your application as much as possible — the more reassurance you can offer a lender that you are a stable applicant, the more likely you are to be approved, and receive better rates.
To get a bad credit personal loan, you will need to:
Submit an application to a lender
Meet the lender’s approval criteria
Sign a loan contract and agree to the terms of the loan
If you use our smart form and find a lender you want to apply with, you will be directed to the lender’s website and need to supply all documentation as you normally would when applying for a bad credit personal loan, which may include:
Proof of identity — e.g. passport or driver licence
Proof of income — e.g. payslips, bank statements
Details of any current debts or other loans
Although your pool of available lenders will be limited when applying for a personal loan with bad credit, there are still a number of specialist lenders offering these loans. If you successfully improve your credit score and meet repayments, you may also be able to refinance your personal loan with a new lender in the future.
Money Tip: The most important factor in gaining approval is to demonstrate your ability to repay the full loan amount to your lender.
Bad credit personal loans are a type of finance available in Australia. They are often used by borrowers with a history of defaults, or those previously involved and cleared of bankruptcy or a Part IX debt agreement.
Specialist lenders in Australia offer bad credit personal loans with a simple online application. However, this type of finance will generally feature higher interest rates, high fees and shorter terms than traditional loans.
Before you apply, make sure you’ve considered any available government assistance schemes, and spoken to a financial adviser to accurately assess your borrowing capacity and financial stability.
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Yes, you may be able to get a personal loan even if you have bad credit and are receiving Centrelink payments. However, loans like these may have high interest rates.
Yes, you can use our smart form to see both your credit score, and which lenders can offer you a personal loan. However, lenders will still need to see up to three months of your bank statements to verify that you have the income necessary to service the loan.
Yes and no. Bad credit personal loans will have higher rates and fees than other types of personal finance, but a loan can still be serviceable in the right financial circumstances. This is due to the higher level of risk presented by borrowers with a low credit score. Always speak to a financial adviser and accurately assess your ability to meet repayments before applying for a loan.
If you are self-employed, you’ll need to provide different documentation to lenders when applying for a personal loan. If you are using a personal loan broker, they will be able to advise on the specific documentation you will need to meet lender approval. In general, you will need to provide tax returns in place of employee payslips.
To pay less interest on your personal loan, you can pay the loan off faster, make extra repayments and make sure you secure a loan with low fees.
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