Finder makes money from featured partners, but editorial opinions are our own.

What is the minimum income for a personal loan?

Some lenders don't have a minimum income requirement. They'll judge your application based on your expenses instead.

Personal loans are available to people in a range of financial situations. To make sure the loan is suitable, lenders set certain requirements that borrowers need to meet to be eligible to apply for the loan. One of these is a minimum income requirement. This is one way of proving you're able to afford the loan.

Some lenders will need you to earn over $30,000 p.a. to be eligible, while others only need you to be making over $300 per week. There are also lenders that don't have a minimum income requirement, although these loans are usually more expensive.

What income do I need to earn to be approved for a personal loan?

LenderMinimum income requiredReview the loans
ANZ$15,000 p.a.Review
Bankwest$20,000 p.a.Review
Bank of MelbourneNo minimumReview
BankSANo minimumReview
bcuNo minimumReview
Bendigo BankNo minimumReview
Citi$40,000 p.a.Review
CommBankNo minimumReview
CUANo minimumReview
IMBNo minimumReview
Latitude$24,000 p.a.Review
ME BankNo minimumReview
NABNo minimumReview
PlentiNo minimumReview
RACQNo minimumReview
RACVNo minimumReview
SocietyOne$30,000 p.a.Review
St.GeorgeNo minimumReview
WestpacNo minimumReview
LenderMinimum income requiredReview the loan
Cash Converters$300 per weekReview
Cash Train$1,200 per monthReview
ClearLoansNo minimumReview
Fair Go Finance$500 per weekReview
MoneyMeNo minimumReview
MoneySpotNo minimumReview
NimbleNo minimumReview
Speckle$22,000 p.a.Review
Swoosh Finance$300 per weekReview
Sunshine Loans$300 per weekReview
Wallet WizardNo minimumReview

Want to see more personal loans?

Use Finder to compare personal loans to make sure you're getting the better deal. Remember to check the eligibility criteria!

What if the lender has no minimum income requirement?

If the lender has no minimum income requirement then it will rely on its own methods to determine whether or not you can afford the loan. The lender will do its due diligence by asking for your bank statements and/or an estimate of your expenses and other commitments, such as credit card limits and loans, to see if you will be able to afford the repayments.

If you have concerns about whether or not you will be approved, you might want to contact the lender to get some more information.

How do lenders determine how much I can borrow?

When you submit an application for a loan, the lender will most likely ask about your expenditure. You should try to be as accurate as possible when estimating your expenses as the lender may check your bank statements. Lenders also use a formula called the Household Expenditure Method (HEM) to work out how much you’re likely to be spending based on the median spending of Australian households.

The HEM uses the number of adults and dependents in your household, the state you live in, whether you rent or own and how lavish a lifestyle you lead to determine how much you’re spending. While this may not seem altogether fair, as your expenditure may actually be lower than the average, it does help banks curtail false expenditure claims.

How can I prove my borrowing power?

The first step to proving your borrowing power is working out whether you can actually afford the loan. Use a personal loan repayment calculator to work out your repayments based on the interest rate, fees, loan amount and loan term of your chosen personal loan. After you’ve done this, determine whether you’ll be able to manage the repayments on your current budget.

If you’re unsure of your borrowing power, you can use this borrowing power calculator to find out how much you might be eligible to borrow.

What do I do if I’m not eligible?

There are a few things you can do if you find out you don’t meet the minimum income requirements:

  • Apply for a lower amount. If you can’t prove your ability to manage repayments for your current requested loan amount, consider borrowing less. This will mean lower repayments and less of a risk for the lender.
  • Choose a more affordable loan. The reason you might be ineligible for a loan could be that the loan has costs that are deemed too expensive for you. Other loans may have lower interest rates and fewer fees, which will give you a better chance of managing the repayments.
  • Try your current bank. If you have a good banking history you might have a better chance of being approved for a loan with your current bank. You may be able to find products that you could be eligible for by logging into your Internet banking portal.

Compare a range of personal loans

Now that you know how to find out what income you need to earn to be approved for a personal loan, and how to determine your own borrowing power, compare a range of personal loans to find the right one for you.

{"visibility":"visibilityTable","ctaLabel":"Calculate","tableCode":"AUFPL_COMPARISON_V2_TABLE","nicheCode":"AUFPL","fields":[{"name":"LOAN_AMOUNT","value":"20000","options":"","label":"Loan amount","suffix":"$","useSuffixAsPrefix":true,"useDropDownOption":false,"tooltip":""},{"name":"PERIOD","value":"3","options":"","label":"Loan term","suffix":"years","useSuffixAsPrefix":true,"useDropDownOption":false,"tooltip":""}]}
1 - 5 of 5
Name Interest Rate (p.a.) Comp. Rate (p.a.) Application Fee Monthly Fee Monthly Repayment
OurMoneyMarket Personal Loan - Excellent Credit
ExclusiveFixed1 - 7 Years $2,001 - $75,000
Interest Rate (p.a.)
6.57%
to 18.99%
Comp. Rate (p.a.)
6.57%
to 21.78%
Application Fee
$0
Monthly Fee
$0
Monthly Repayment
$613.62
Go to siteMore Info
Finder Exclusive: For a limited time only - Apply by December 15th 2023 and if approved, OurMoneyMarket will waive the establishment fee for Excellent Credit Customers.
NOW Finance No Fee Unsecured Personal Loan
Finder award winnerFixed18 Months - 7 Years $5,000 - $50,000
Interest Rate (p.a.)
6.75%
to 26.95%
Comp. Rate (p.a.)
6.75%
to 26.95%
Application Fee
$0
Monthly Fee
$0
Monthly Repayment
$615.26
Go to siteMore Info
OurMoneyMarket Personal Loan
Fixed1 - 7 Years $2,001 - $75,000
Interest Rate (p.a.)
6.57%
to 18.99%
Comp. Rate (p.a.)
7.19%
to 21.78%
Application Fee
1.50% - 6%
min. $250
Monthly Fee
$0
Monthly Repayment
$627.42
Go to siteMore Info
Harmoney Unsecured Personal Loan
Finder award winnerFixed3 - 7 Years $2,000 - $70,000
Interest Rate (p.a.)
5.76%
to 24.03%
Comp. Rate (p.a.)
6.55%
to 24.98%
Application Fee
$275 - $575
Monthly Fee
$0
Monthly Repayment
$623.70
Go to siteMore Info
Latitude Variable Rate Personal Loan
Variable2 - 7 Years $5,000 - $70,000
Interest Rate (p.a.)
9.49%
to 29.99%
Comp. Rate (p.a.)
10.93%
to 31.83%
Application Fee
$395
Monthly Fee
$13
Monthly Repayment
$666.22
Go to siteMore Info
loading
Showing 5 of 5 results

Why compare personal loans with Finder?

free

We're free

Our personal loan comparison is completely free to use. There are no costs at all for you to use our database to find a better deal. Better still, we regularly run exclusive deals that you won't find on any other site.
expert advice

We're experts

We've researched and reviewed hundreds of loans as part of our Finder Awards. Our database and tables are always up-to-date and our in-house experts regularly appear on Sunrise, 7News and SBS News.
independent

We're independent

We are independently owned and have a mission to help Australians make better financial decisions. That means our opinions are our own and you can compare nearly every personal loan in Australia (and find a better deal).
help

We're here to help

Since 2014, we've helped 300,000+ people find a personal loan by explaining your options simply. You don't need to give us any details to use our comparison. We're here to help you make a decision.

More guides on Finder

  • OurMoneyMarket Personal Loan – Excellent Credit

    A marketplace personal loan with personalised interest rates.

  • Compare green loans: Go green and save big

    Going green can save you money and support the planet but if the upfront costs are high, a green loan could help you make the switch.

  • Personal loans for self-employed borrowers

    Find out what personal loan options are available to you as a self-employed person and how you can be approved.

  • Joint Personal Loans

    If you're wanting to bolster your application, buy an asset with your partner or apply for a loan you're not eligible for by yourself, you can consider a joint application personal loan.

  • $10,000 loans in Australia

    Are you in need of a larger loan but concerned about your credit history? There still may be options available, no matter your credit history. Read our guide to find out what might be available to you.

  • Personal loans for temporary residents

    Temporary Australian residents may be eligible to apply for personal loans, depending on the visa they hold.

  • How do personal loans work?

    Personal loans can be complicated, but we've simplified the process for you so you can focus on finding the best deal.

  • Easy personal loans

    Not all personal loans come with endless documentation. Some lenders specialise in quick and easy application processes.

  • Medical loans

    Do you need to cover the costs of an elective surgery or unexpected medical bill? Compare a range of personal loans for medical expenses and cosmetic procedures.

  • Loans for casual and part-time workers

    Find out your loan options if you're casually employed, or are part time and don't work a full 40-hour week.

Ask an Expert

You are about to post a question on finder.com.au:

  • Do not enter personal information (eg. surname, phone number, bank details) as your question will be made public
  • finder.com.au is a financial comparison and information service, not a bank or product provider
  • We cannot provide you with personal advice or recommendations
  • Your answer might already be waiting – check previous questions below to see if yours has already been asked

Finder only provides general advice and factual information, so consider your own circumstances, or seek advice before you decide to act on our content. By submitting a question, you're accepting our Terms of Use, Disclaimer & Privacy Policy and 6. Finder Group Privacy & Cookies Policy.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

2 Responses

    Default Gravatar
    WarrenAugust 2, 2017

    I earn $565 per week. Am I able to borrow $5000?

      AvatarFinder
      RenchAugust 2, 2017Finder

      Hi Warren,

      Thanks for reaching out to us.

      Your ability to borrow money would depend on how your chosen lender would assess your creditworthiness. If you meet their eligibility requirements, there’s a higher chance you’ll get approved. You can use our calculator to get an idea how of much you can borrow. You can also read more about how to increase your chance of getting approved for a personal loan.

      I hope this helps.

      Cheers,
      Rench

Go to site