Unsecured borrowing estimator

How the estimator works

Without property, an unsecured lender's first question is how much repayment your business can carry from its own cash flow. Most start with average monthly deposits from your business bank statements, then adjust for risk. This estimator follows the same broad logic in five steps, so you can see which of your numbers are doing the heavy lifting and which are holding you back.

1. Base range from revenue and time trading. The estimator applies a multiple of your monthly revenue that grows with trading history. It's our own planning assumption, not any lender's published formula.
2. Industry adjustment. Some industries are assessed a little more cautiously because takings can swing sharply. The adjustment is modest.
3. Existing debt load. Monthly repayments you already make are compared with revenue. The larger that share, the less room is left for a new facility. Several lenders at once reduces it further, reflecting how stacked advances are commonly viewed.
4. Account conduct and ATO position. Recent dishonours and unmanaged ATO debt both reduce the range. An ATO payment plan that's being met has a much smaller effect.
5. Limits. The result is kept within the typical unsecured range of $5,000 to $500,000.

The planning multiples we use

Time trading	Range as a multiple of monthly revenue (before adjustments)
Less than 6 months	Not estimated: most unsecured lenders want more history
6 to 12 months	0.25 to 0.6 times
1 to 2 years	0.5 to 1 times
2 to 3 years	0.6 to 1.25 times
3 years or more	0.75 to 1.5 times

These are deliberately conservative planning figures. Real offers vary by lender, product and the detail in your statements, and some businesses will be offered more or less than the range suggests.

What the estimate can't see

A calculator can't read your statements the way an assessor does. It doesn't know whether your deposits are steady or lumpy, whether one customer makes up most of your income, how your balance behaves before rent and wages, or what's on the directors' credit files. It also can't tell whether the purpose is a strong one. A clearly explained stock order for a proven peak reads very differently from a request to cover ongoing losses.

That's why the range is indicative. If you'd like a person to look at the detail, a 60-second enquiry is the next step, and it doesn't involve a credit check.

How to use your result

• If the range covers what you need, gather six to twelve months of statements and quotes for the purchase, then enquire.
• If it falls short, look at the tips beside your result. Our page on improving your approval odds explains each lever in more depth.
• If existing repayments are dragging it down, read how lenders view existing debts before adding another facility.
• If you're buying equipment, consider equipment finance, which uses the asset as security and leaves this unsecured range free.
• If your need is above the unsecured ceiling, see when property security starts to make sense.

For the full background on how turnover becomes a limit, read turnover and loan size. Not sure your file is ready? The approval readiness check asks ten quick questions.

Frequently asked questions

Is the estimate an offer or approval?

No. It's an indicative range to help you plan, based on simplified assumptions about how unsecured lenders commonly size facilities. A lender's decision depends on a full assessment of your statements, credit file and circumstances.

Why doesn't the estimator ask for an interest rate?

Because every facility is priced on the business's individual situation, and we don't publish rates. The estimator focuses on how much your cash flow is likely to support, which is the question that comes first.

What counts as monthly revenue?

Use the average of what actually lands in your business bank account each month from trading: customer payments, card settlements and platform payouts. Leave out transfers between your own accounts, loan drawdowns, tax refunds and money you've put in yourself.

Why does my range drop so much when I add existing repayments?

Unsecured lenders subtract what you already owe each month from what the business can comfortably carry. If existing repayments take a large share of revenue, there's less room for a new facility, however strong turnover is.

Why is the top of the range capped at $500,000?

Unsecured options for trading businesses typically run from $5,000 to $500,000. If your turnover supports more, a combination of unsecured, equipment and invoice finance, or a property-secured loan if you choose, may be worth discussing.

Does using the estimator affect my credit?

No. It runs entirely in your browser, nothing is stored or sent, and no credit check is involved.

My business is under six months old. What now?

Most unsecured lenders want more trading history before they assess working capital. Equipment finance can be available sooner because the asset secures itself. Keep your banking clean and check back as you pass each milestone.