Lends against something you own
Equipment, vehicles, property or stock. The asset is the security, so the funder asks about its value more than your history.
Equipment finance explained →
Australian business funding, mapped backwards
Start from what you've already got
Banks start with the application. Alternative funders start with an asset or a flow of money. List what your business already holds and we show you the routes built around it.
- No credit check to enquire
- Real people, no spray and pray
- $20k – $5m property-secured
No credit check to enquire
Asking what's possible never touches your credit file. A credit check only comes up if you decide to go ahead.
No spray and pray
Your details don't get blasted at a pile of lenders. One person reads your situation and matches it to the right route.
A real person on your file
Someone who understands asset and cash-flow lending calls you to talk it through. Accurate form answers get you the right match first time.
Three ways a lender can say yes
Why starting from your assets changes the answer
Every funder asks one question: what stands behind this? Where you begin decides which lenders you ever meet.
Lends against money that is coming
Unpaid invoices, card takings, signed contracts. The funder looks at who pays you and how reliably, not only at you.
Unpaid invoices explained →Lends against the whole file
The traditional bank route: history, serviceability, credit file and security, all scored together. Strong if you tick every box, brittle if you miss one.
Why banks say no →Try it now
Tick what you've got
Tap everything your business holds. The three best-matching routes appear beside you, and the full Funding finder adds timing, amount and a starter pack.
Runs in your browser. Nothing is saved or sent, and there is no credit check.
Your first three routes
Tick at least one thing and your routes appear here.
Hub 1 · Your starting point
What does your business already have?
Every alternative funder lends against something. Find the thing you already hold, and see which routes are built around it.
Unpaid invoices
Unpaid invoices can release cash before your customers pay. See what funders check, what to hand over and where invoice-backed funding falls short.
Read more →Equipment and vehicles
Plant, machines, utes and trucks can secure funding to buy them or to release cash from ones you own. See what funders check and what to prepare.
Read more →Stock and inventory
Stock sitting in a warehouse or on the shelves can support funding, but not every funder will lend against it. See what's realistic and what to prepare.
Read more →Your home
A home with equity can back business funding from $20,000 to $5,000,000, even when trading history is thin. See how it works and the risks to weigh.
Read more →Investment and commercial property
Investment property, a commercial building or vacant land can secure business funding up to $5,000,000. See what funders assess and what to prepare.
Read more →Card and online sales
Regular card, online or marketplace sales can support turnover-based funding without property. See how it works, what to prepare and what to watch.
Read more →Contracts and purchase orders
A signed contract or confirmed purchase order can fund the work before you get paid. See what funders check, what to hand over and where this route stops.
Read more →Trading history and statements
A run of ordinary business bank statements can support unsecured funding of $5,000 to $500,000 without property. See what funders read and how to prepare.
Read more →Director guarantee
A director guarantee can unlock unsecured business funding but puts you personally on the hook. See how guarantees work and what to ask before signing.
Read more →Bank said no?
Three things a decline doesn't tell you
A decline is one lender's checklist talking. Here is what it does and doesn't mean.
MythA bank no means no one will lend.
Map saysA bank no means one lender's checklist wasn't met. Invoice funders look at your customers, equipment financiers at the machine, property lenders at equity.
MythYou need a long trading history.
Map saysRoutes that lend against an asset or a signed job lean less on history. Cash-flow loans lean on it more, which is why the route matters.
MythAlternative means expensive and risky.
Map saysCosts vary by route and by business. The way to judge is total cost in dollars on a real offer, and our guide shows how to do that.
Hub 2 · The routes
Follow the trail to the right route
Invoice finance, equipment finance, mortgages, caveat loans, lines of credit, trade finance and more, compared on what they lend against and where they fall short.
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Invoice finance vs business loan
Invoice finance grows with your sales; a business loan is a fixed lump sum. Compare how each works, who each suits and how to choose with a simple checklist.
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Equipment finance vs a loan
Equipment finance is secured on the asset; a general business loan is secured on your business or property. Compare flexibility and tax points before choosing.
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Property-secured loans
How first and second mortgage business loans work, from $20,000 to $5,000,000, who they suit, what they cost to set up and when to choose something else.
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Caveat loans
How a business caveat loan works: security by caveat on the title, what lenders check, who it suits, the risks, and when a registered mortgage is better.
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Unsecured cash-flow loans
How unsecured business loans from $5,000 to $500,000 work: sized on turnover and bank statements, with no property needed. Who qualifies and what to watch.
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Line of credit
A business line of credit lets you draw, repay and redraw within a limit. See which businesses it suits, what funders assess and where it can go wrong.
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Trade and purchase order finance
Trade finance and purchase order finance fund the cost of goods before your customer pays. See how they work, who they suit and where they can go wrong.
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Sale and leaseback
Sell an asset you own to a funder and lease it straight back. See how sale and leaseback works for equipment and vehicles, the trade-offs and when it suits.
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Supplier terms and trade credit
Trade credit lets suppliers fund your stock and materials for a few weeks. See how to open accounts, negotiate terms and know when you need a lender too.
How it works
From a list to a conversation
- 1
List what you hold
Use the Funding finder or just fill in the enquiry. Rough is fine.
- 2
A person reads it
Not a form-processing queue. Someone who understands asset and cash-flow lending reads your answers.
- 3
You hear the realistic routes
On a call, in plain English, with the trade-offs and the paperwork each route asks for.
- 4
You decide
Credit checks and documents only come up once you choose to go ahead.
Hub 4 · Local ground
Funding that follows how Australians trade
Trades, hospitality, freight, farms and professional services each get paid, taxed and seasonally squeezed differently. Funding should follow that rhythm.
Trades and construction
Tradies and builders get paid late, in stages and with retentions held back. See funding routes that fit progress claims, equipment, BAS and PAYG timing.
Read more →Hospitality and retail
Cafés, restaurants and shops are paid on the spot but pay suppliers and rent weeks ahead. See funding that fits card takings, fit-outs and seasonal swings.
Read more →Transport and freight
Truckies and freight operators carry fuel, wages and truck finance while customers pay on terms. See funding for fleets, invoices, tax timing and PPSR checks.
Read more →Farms and seasonal producers
Growers and livestock producers spend long before they sell. See funding that fits harvest cycles, land equity, machinery and farm management deposits.
Read more →Professional services and labour hire
Labour hire, recruitment and professional firms pay staff weekly but invoice clients on terms. See funding for the payroll gap, PAYG, super and invoices.
Read more →State by state
Business funding is mostly national, but land titles, caveats and state revenue offices differ by state. See what changes where and what to check.
Read more →Guides
Read before you apply
Six guides on the questions that decide whether a funding conversation goes well.
How to Fund a Business Without a Bank: A 6-Step Method
A practical method for funding an Australian business without a bank: inventory what you hold, match it to a route, size the need, prepare and compare offers.
Read the guide →
Asset-Based Business Finance Explained for Australia
Asset-based finance lends against invoices, stock, equipment or property rather than a track record. Learn how it works, how it is monitored and who it suits.
Read the guide →
The PPSR and Business Funding: What the Register Means
How the Personal Property Securities Register affects business funding: what a security interest is, searching before you buy, priority and what funders check.
Read the guide →
Total Cost of Business Finance in Dollars: How to Compare
Compare business finance offers by total dollars paid, not headline figures. A simple method covering fees, timing, early repayment and an illustrative example.
Read the guide →
Build a Funding Pack That Lenders Want to Read
A checklist of documents for business funding: bank statements, BAS, debtors, asset lists and a one-page story. Prepare once, use it across every route.
Read the guide →
Combining Funding Routes Without Security Clashes
How to run invoice finance, equipment finance, a line of credit and property security together: priority, general security agreements and sequencing.
Read the guide →Frequently asked questions
What does 'start from what you've got' mean?
Most business funding is sold as a product: pick a loan, then see if you fit. We reverse it. List what your business already holds, such as unpaid invoices, equipment, stock, property, steady sales, signed contracts or a trading history, and we show the funding routes that lend against it.
Do I need property to get business funding?
No. Property opens the door to larger amounts, but invoice finance lends against what customers owe you, equipment finance against the asset itself, and cash-flow loans against your trading record. Which one fits depends on what you hold.
Will enquiring affect my credit score?
No. There is no credit check when you first enquire. A credit check only comes up if you decide to go ahead with a specific option.
Is Alternative Business Funding a lender?
No. We are a lead-generation and introduction service. We do not lend, and the Funding finder and decoder are general guides, not credit assessments. A lending specialist reviews your enquiry and talks through what is realistic.
My bank said no. Is it worth enquiring?
Often, yes. A decline usually means you did not fit that bank's checklist, not that no one will lend. The Bank said no? Decoder explains what common decline reasons mean and which routes do not depend on them.
How much can Australian businesses borrow this way?
Property-secured options typically run from $20,000 to $5,000,000. Unsecured and cash-flow options for trading businesses typically run from $5,000 to $500,000, sized on turnover and bank statements. Past credit issues and ATO debt are considered case by case.
What will it cost me?
It costs nothing to enquire. The cost of any facility depends on the funder and your circumstances, so we do not publish figures. Our total cost guide shows how to compare real offers in dollars once you have them.
Who is behind this site?
Alternative Business Funding is operated by Techgen LLC Pty Ltd (ACN 696 942 391). The guides are written by our editorial team and checked against official Australian sources.
Ready to see which route fits what you've got?
Tell us about your business in a short enquiry. No credit check when you first enquire, no spray and pray, and a real person who rings you to talk it through.
No credit check to enquire
No spray and pray
A real person on your file