Everything to know before you apply
A personal loan in Australia is usually an unsecured instalment: a fixed amount, a published p.a., and a repayment term. Bankmatch lists lenders licensed here — not a regional average, and not a product that is only sold in another country.
What to compare besides the headline rate
The number that changes the total cost is p.a., plus set-up fees, monthly fees and how long you keep the loan. A lower advertised rate with a long term and a high arrangement fee can cost more than a plainer offer. Read the representative example on each card, then sketch the same amount and term in the loan calculator.
- p.a. — the yearly cost including compulsory fees, as the local rules require.
- Term — a longer term lowers the monthly payment and usually raises the interest you pay in total.
- Funding speed — published per lender; it is not a promise of same-day payout for every applicant.
- Purpose rules — consolidation, home work and everyday expenses are common; illegal use is not.
Credit checks and eligibility
Browsing Bankmatch does not run a credit check. A lender will, if you apply. The cheapest advertised p.a. is for strong files; thinner files pay more or are declined. We explain the difference in credit checks when you borrow.
When consolidation is the cheaper path
Replacing several revolving balances with one instalment can cut the total cost — if the new p.a. and fees are lower, and you do not refill the old credit. When debt consolidation pays walks through that test. Compare live offers on this page, or match on amount and term — we run no credit search.
Related: how we compare loans, p.a. versus the nominal rate, credit cards if revolving credit is what you actually need, and the scoring model.