Terms start at 6 months and run to 30 months. You select from the terms available on your approved application at online checkout.
Short term business finance in Australia: sized to the problem
Funding for a need with an end date, not for the next five years. Approved in minutes, unsecured, for Australian small business.
Funding without strings attached
What short term business finance actually is
Short term business finance is funding you take on for months rather than years, to solve something specific and near-term. A BAS bill landing at the wrong moment, a stock run before peak season, a piece of equipment that has stopped working, a contract that needs staffing before the first invoice clears.
The defining feature is not the size. It is that the need has an end date. You are bridging a gap or funding something that pays back quickly, so the finance is structured to clear out rather than sit on your file indefinitely.
At OnDeck this takes the form of unsecured business loans up to $300,000, with terms from 6 to 30 months. Fully unsecured means no security interests (PPSR/GSA), no springing clauses and no caveat on the family home. Just a personal guarantee.
When short term finance is the right call
The need has a clear end date. Seasonal stock, a tax bill, a payroll run ahead of a large invoice. You can see when it resolves.
Speed matters more than size. A supplier window closing Friday is not a problem a long assessment solves, whatever the rate at the end of it.
You do not want to pledge assets. Unsecured assessment reads your trading data instead of your property, so a services business with strong revenue is not stuck.
The purchase pays for itself quickly. Equipment that unlocks a job, stock that sells through in a quarter. Matching the term to that payback period is the point, and our page on how long business loans run covers the trade-off in detail.
Approved in minutes, on bank statements alone
For amounts up to $200,000, Lightning Loans™ need 6 months of digital business bank statements and nothing else. Apply online, get approved in minutes, and businesses are often funded the same day.
Above $200,000 and up to the $300,000 ceiling, approval takes hours and the file adds tax statements or accountant-prepared financials.
Everyday scenarios
These scenarios are illustrative examples, not real customers.
Bridging to a known payment
"The council invoice was approved and sitting in a queue. Payroll was not going to wait for their accounts to run."
The money is coming, just not this week. Short term finance covers the gap without committing the business to years of debt for a timing problem.
Civil Contractor · Gold Coast
Funding the season before the season
"Stock has to be on the floor in October to sell in December. That is to cash out months before cash in."
Seasonal businesses carry the cost of peak trade before they see any of the revenue. Finance sized to the season, and cleared by it, keeps the working capital intact.
Homewares retailer · Hobart
What to have ready before you apply
- Your ABN and business details. Legal trading name, structure, and how long you have been trading. OnDeck requires a minimum of 12 months.
- 6 months of digital business bank statements. Digital feeds rather than scanned PDFs. This is the single biggest factor in how fast the assessment moves.
- Driver's licence of the business owner. Used to verify identity.
- The amount, and what it is for. A specific purpose is faster to assess than a general request for working capital.
- Your gross annual turnover. One report out of Xero or MYOB.
- Tax statements or accountant-prepared financials, if you are going above $200,000. Worth requesting from your accountant before you start rather than mid-application.
How it works
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Online application in minutes
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Approval in minutes up to $200k, hours up to $300k
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Often funded same day
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Dedicated Australia-based loan specialist support
Short term business finance FAQs
Approval comes through in minutes for amounts up to $200,000 and in hours up to $300,000. Once contracts are signed, businesses are often funded the same day. Bank processing times affect when the deposit appears, so the final hop sits with your bank.
No. OnDeck's short term business finance is fully unsecured. No security interests (PPSR/GSA), no springing clauses, no caveat on the family home. Just a personal guarantee, which is standard practice for unsecured business lending in Australia.
Getting a quote for short-term finance won't affect your credit score. If you proceed to a full application, the credit check may be recorded on your credit file and may have an impact on your score.
Any legitimate business purpose. The most common are stock and inventory, equipment and tools, vehicles and transport, cash flow bridging (payroll, seasonal dips, BAS, super and tax), consolidating debt, growth and marketing, franchise costs, and self-employed and sole trader needs.
Pricing is tailored to your business based on trading history, credit profile and loan amount, so there is no single published rate. Our guide to business loan interest rates explains the drivers, and your Loan Specialist discloses the full cost upfront before you sign anything.
Yes. OnDeck allows early repayment, which is worth knowing on short term finance where trading often runs ahead of the schedule. Your Loan Specialist can confirm the exact terms.
Small businesses across almost every Australian industry: construction and trades, hospitality, retail and e-commerce, health, transport, beauty, fitness, professional services, manufacturing, automotive and agriculture. Unsecured small business loans are all we do.
In Australia, interest paid on a business loan used for business purposes is generally tax deductible, while principal repayments are not. Treatment depends on how the funds are used and your circumstances, so confirm with your accountant or a registered tax agent. The ATO publishes general guidance at ato.gov.au.