Business Loans
Unsecured and Secured Business Loans for Australian SMEs
Sierra Finance helps Australian businesses access business loans through 50+ lenders, matching your business profile to the right lending solution.
Whether you need working capital, cash flow support, or funding to grow, we structure your application for approval and get you funded fast.
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How Business Loans Work
Business loans are fundamentally different from asset finance. There is no vehicle or machine acting as security. The lender is assessing your business itself: its revenue, its cash flow patterns, its tax position, and its capacity to service the repayments.
That distinction matters because it changes which lenders suit your file and how the application needs to be packaged. A business loan that works for a two year old plumbing company with clean books looks completely different from one that works for a seasonal landscaping business with an outstanding ATO liability.
Unsecured business loans are the most common structure for Australian SMEs. You borrow a fixed amount, typically from $20K to $500K, and repay it over an agreed term with regular repayments. No property or physical asset is required as security. The lender assesses your application based on your business bank statements, BAS history, ATO portal data, and credit profile. Approval times are significantly faster than bank lending because the assessment is cash flow based rather than requiring property valuations and extensive documentation.
Secured business loans use property (residential or commercial) as security against the loan. This opens up larger borrowing amounts, longer terms, and more competitive rates. Secured lending suits businesses that need $500K or more, want the lowest possible rate, or have a more complex financial position that benefits from the additional security.
Lines of credit and revolving facilities give you an approved limit you draw on as needed, paying interest only on what you use. These work well for businesses with ongoing or unpredictable cash flow needs rather than a single defined purpose.
The right structure depends on your situation, and most business owners only see the options their bank offers. A broker shows you the full picture.
What You Can Use a Business Loan For
Business loans fund the things asset finance cannot. If it is not a vehicle, machine, or piece of equipment with a serial number and resale value, it typically falls into business lending territory.
Working capital and cash flow is the most common reason business owners call us. Revenue comes in cycles, but expenses do not wait. A business loan bridges the gap between when you pay your costs and when your customers pay you.
Business expansion covers everything from opening a second location to hiring staff, increasing stock levels, or investing in marketing to take on a bigger share of the market. Lenders want to see that the growth plan is realistic and that the business has the trading history to support the additional commitment.
Tax debt and ATO liabilities are a daily conversation for us. If your business has fallen behind on BAS, PAYG, or income tax, certain lenders specialise in consolidating ATO debt into a manageable repayment structure. Getting your tax position sorted also unlocks better lending options for everything else.
Stock and inventory purchases suit businesses that need to buy in bulk to meet a large order, prepare for a seasonal peak, or take advantage of supplier discounts that require upfront payment.
Fitout, renovation, and setup costs apply when you are moving premises, refurbishing a workshop, or setting up a new site. These costs do not attach to a financeable asset, so they sit under business lending.
Staff wages during growth periods come up when a business wins a contract or enters a growth phase and needs to hire before the revenue from that growth catches up.
We work with businesses borrowing from $20K through to $2M and above, depending on the lending structure and the strength of the application.
Who Business Loans Are For
Established SMEs with two or more years of trading history and consistent revenue are the strongest profile for business lending. Clean BAS lodgements, a clear ATO portal, and steady bank statements give you the widest range of lender options and the most competitive terms.
Growing businesses that need capital to expand are a natural fit. Lenders are comfortable funding growth when the financials show the business can service the additional commitment. The key is packaging the application to demonstrate that the growth is supported by real numbers, not just a plan.
Seasonal businesses in industries like construction, agriculture, hospitality, and retail often need funding to bridge quiet periods or to stock up ahead of a peak. The right lender understands seasonal cash flow patterns and structures repayments accordingly rather than applying a rigid monthly assessment.
Businesses with ATO debt are not automatically excluded from lending. Certain lenders specialise in files where the business has outstanding tax liabilities, provided the underlying trading performance is sound. The broker's job is to find those lenders and present the file in a way that demonstrates the business can service both the new loan and the tax commitment.
New ABN holders under two years of trading face a smaller lender pool, but options exist. If you have strong personal financials, solid bank data from the trading period you do have, and an accountant who can provide supporting documentation, we can match you with lenders who take a holistic view rather than declining on time in business alone.
Bank declines are where a broker adds the most value. If your bank has said no, it does not necessarily mean the answer is no everywhere. Banks apply rigid credit criteria. Non bank lenders assess applications differently, and a broker knows which lender's criteria your file actually fits.
Many of our business loan clients are also asset finance clients. The tradie buying a truck also needs working capital for insurance, fuel, and tolls in the first few months. The contractor expanding a workshop needs the machinery financed and the fitout funded. Sierra Finance handles both sides, which means one broker understands the full picture and can structure both pieces together.
Why Use a Broker for Business Loans
Going direct to a bank for a business loan means a hard credit enquiry before they tell you whether they can help. If they decline, you walk away with a mark on your credit file and no funding. A broker pre qualifies your application against lender criteria before anything is submitted, protecting your credit profile.
The business lending market in Australia includes dozens of non bank lenders that most business owners have never heard of. These lenders often offer faster approvals, more flexible criteria, and competitive rates compared to the big four. A broker gives you access to that entire market through a single application.
Business loan applications live or die on how they are packaged. The bank statements, BAS history, ATO portal data, and supporting documents need to tell a coherent story that matches what the specific lender wants to see. A broker who writes business loans daily knows exactly how each lender assesses files and what documentation strengthens an application versus what creates unnecessary questions.
Sierra Finance also sits across asset finance and business lending, which is uncommon. Most business loan brokers do not have an asset finance panel, and most asset finance brokers do not write business loans. When your file involves both, one broker structuring the full picture is significantly more efficient than dealing with two separate conversations.
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Getting a Business Loan Through Sierra Finance
Step 1: Tell us about your business
Call or enquire online. We will ask about your business, how long you have been trading, what you need the funding for, and the amount you are looking for. No paperwork at this stage, just a conversation to understand your situation and confirm there are lending options that fit.
Step 2: We match you to the right lender
Based on your business profile, we identify the lenders whose criteria align with your file and structure the application to give it the best chance of approval. We handle the packaging, submit to the right lender, and manage the process from application through to approval.
Step 3: Get approved and funded
Once approved, you review and sign the loan documents. Funds are typically available within 24 to 48 hours of settlement for unsecured business loans. Secured lending timelines depend on valuation and documentation requirements, but we keep you informed at every stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Unsecured business loans typically range from $20,000 to $500,000. Secured business loans backed by property can go well above $1 million. The amount depends on your business revenue, trading history, and the strength of your overall application.
Most lenders require three to six months of business bank statements, your ATO portal access showing BAS lodgements and any outstanding liabilities, and basic business details including your ABN and time in business. Secured loans require additional documentation including property details. We tell you exactly what is needed before you start gathering anything.
Unsecured business loans through non bank lenders can be approved within 24 to 48 hours of a complete application. Secured business loans take longer due to property valuations and additional documentation, typically one to three weeks. Bank lending can take four to eight weeks or more.
A secured business loan uses an asset, usually property, as security. This gives the lender additional comfort and typically results in a lower interest rate and higher borrowing capacity. An unsecured business loan has no property or asset security, relying on the business's cash flow and trading history instead. Unsecured loans are faster to settle but generally suit smaller amounts.
Credit history issues do not automatically disqualify you from business lending. Certain lenders specialise in files with prior defaults, judgments, or credit blemishes, provided the business itself is trading profitably. The key is matching your file to a lender whose criteria accommodate your credit profile, which is exactly what a broker does.
Yes. Some lenders will fund businesses with outstanding ATO liabilities, and some will specifically lend to consolidate that debt into a structured repayment plan. Clean BAS lodgements, even if the payments are overdue, and a clear plan to resolve the debt strengthen the application significantly.
A low doc business loan requires less financial documentation than a standard application. Instead of full financials and tax returns, lenders may accept bank statements, BAS summaries, and an accountant's letter. Low doc options suit business owners whose paperwork is not fully up to date but whose business is trading well.
Lending options are more limited for businesses under 12 months of trading, but they do exist. Lenders look at your available trading data, personal financial position, industry experience, and any supporting documentation your accountant can provide. The right lender takes a holistic view rather than declining solely on time in business.
Asset finance such as chattel mortgage or finance lease is secured by the vehicle or equipment being purchased. Business loans have no underlying asset as security. The lender assesses your business's ability to repay based on revenue and cash flow rather than the value of a specific asset. Many businesses use both: asset finance for vehicles and machinery, and a business loan for working capital, tax, or expansion costs.
When you work with a broker, we pre qualify your application against lender criteria before any formal submission. This means no hard credit enquiry until we have identified a lender that is likely to approve your file. Going direct to a bank means a hard enquiry upfront regardless of the outcome.
Business loans can fund working capital, cash flow gaps, stock purchases, staff wages, business expansion, fitout and renovation costs, ATO debt consolidation, marketing investment, and business acquisition costs. The key requirement is that the funds are used for a genuine business purpose.
Interest rates vary significantly depending on the loan structure, whether it is secured or unsecured, the amount, the term, and your business profile. Secured loans attract lower rates due to the property security. Unsecured loans carry higher rates but settle faster and require less documentation. We compare rates across 50+ lenders to find the most competitive option for your specific situation.
A broker pre qualifies your application to protect your credit file, accesses a panel of 50+ lenders including non bank lenders most business owners are unaware of, packages your application to match specific lender criteria, and manages the process from enquiry through to settlement. Our service is free to you as the borrower.
Most business loans allow early repayment, though some lenders charge an early termination fee or a reduced payout figure applies. We clarify payout terms before you sign so there are no surprises. If flexibility to repay early is important to you, we prioritise lenders with borrower friendly payout structures.
A business loan is a fixed amount borrowed upfront with regular repayments over an agreed term. A business overdraft is a revolving facility linked to your transaction account that you draw on as needed, paying interest only on what you use. Loans suit defined purposes with a clear funding amount. Overdrafts suit ongoing cash flow management where the need fluctuates.
Get a Free Business Loan Quote
Tell us about your business and what you need. We will match you to the right lender from our 50+ panel and get back to you the same business day.