The even-handed guide to non-bank business funding in New Zealand Talk it through: 03 667 4222
Alternative BUSINESS LOANS

The guides

Read this before you search for a loan

What's here

Sixteen guides that answer the questions New Zealand owners ask before they borrow: how lenders think, what each kind of funding really involves, how to handle IRD debt, and how to read an offer. Researched from current Reserve Bank, IRD, FMA and Companies Office sources.

Wellington city, hills and harbour at golden hour, seen from Mt Victoria

Start here

Bank vs non-bank vs private lender: an honest comparison

Banks are usually cheapest but slowest and strictest. Non-bank lenders decide faster, rely more on turnover or security than historical accounts, and cost more. Private lenders lend against property with the most flexibility and speed, generally for short to medium terms. The best choice depends on your time, security, credit history and exit plan.

Most read first

  1. How non-bank lenders assess risk (and what they forgive)Inside the credit decision
  2. The New Zealand non-bank lending landscape, mappedWho's who outside the banks
  3. Equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending in New Zealand: how they workFunding from the crowd
  4. Invoice finance explained: turning unpaid invoices into cashWorking capital, unlocked
  5. Asset finance explained, from utes to CNC machinesLet the asset pay its way

All guides

A business owner on the phone while checking figures on her laptop at a cafe table Inside the credit decision How non-bank lenders assess risk (and what they forgive) What NZ non-bank lenders actually look at when assessing a business loan: security, bank statements, credit history, purpose and exit, and how to prepare. A red and yellow Christchurch heritage tram on a central city street Who's who outside the banks The New Zealand non-bank lending landscape, mapped A plain-English map of New Zealand's non-bank lending market in 2026: deposit takers, finance companies, private lenders, platforms and how they're regulated. Two cafe owners talking behind the espresso machine counter of their coffee shop Funding from the crowd Equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending in New Zealand: how they work How equity crowdfunding and peer-to-peer lending work in NZ: FMA licensing, raise limits, who they suit, the effort involved and how they compare with a loan. A blacksmith striking hot metal on an anvil inside a forge workshop Working capital, unlocked Invoice finance explained: turning unpaid invoices into cash How invoice finance works in NZ: factoring vs invoice discounting, the costs to compare, who it suits, the downsides, and alternatives if it doesn't fit. A woodworker sawing timber at a bench in his workshop Let the asset pay its way Asset finance explained, from utes to CNC machines How asset and equipment finance works in NZ: hire purchase, chattel loans and leases, PPSR security, who it suits, and when a different loan is better. A tailor smiling as he works at his sewing machine Funding that flexes with sales Revenue-based finance: repaying from a slice of every sale How revenue-based finance works for NZ online and subscription businesses: repayments as a share of sales, true cost, who it suits and the alternatives. Queenstown town beside Lake Wakatipu, framed by the surrounding mountains The cost of waiting When paying more for speed makes sense (and when it doesn't) Faster business funding usually costs more. A practical framework for NZ owners to decide when speed is worth paying for and when to wait for the bank. The red Wellington Cable Car climbing its track with the city behind A round trip, planned How to switch from a bank to a non-bank lender, and back again How to move business borrowing from a bank to a non-bank lender in NZ, keep the bank onside, and refinance back once your position improves. The curved grey roofline of Te Pae convention centre on Oxford Terrace, part of the Christchurch rebuild Decoding the no Why banks decline business loans, and what each reason means for you The real reasons NZ banks decline business loan applications, how to find out yours, what can be fixed, and which alternatives fit each type of decline. Looking over central Christchurch and the plains from Mount Cavendish in the Port Hills What you're really signing Business loan security explained: mortgages, GSAs, guarantees and the PPSR First and second mortgages, caveats, general security agreements, the PPSR and personal guarantees explained for NZ business owners, in plain English. Green vineyard rows below a hill on Waiheke Island in the Hauraki Gulf, Auckland Start with the end Plan your exit before you borrow: short-term business loans done right How to plan a clear, realistic exit before taking a short-term business loan in NZ: refinance, sale, trading cash flow or contract payment, and a backup plan. A coffee shop owner in an apron using a tablet at the wooden counter Short-term squeeze Bridging a cash flow gap: every option, ranked by speed Every way a NZ business can bridge a short-term cash flow gap, ranked from fastest and cheapest to slowest, with what each costs in effort and risk. A woman working with clay at a table in a sunlit art studio Be ready, be quick What to prepare before you apply: the non-bank lending checklist A practical checklist of what NZ business owners should have ready before applying for a non-bank or private business loan, by loan type, to speed things up. Office buildings lining the Wellington waterfront beside calm harbour water Dealing with Inland Revenue IRD tax debt: your options in 2026, compared Options for NZ businesses with IRD debt in 2026: instalment arrangements, relief, refinancing, what enforcement looks like now, and how to choose. A ceramicist shaping clay on a potter's wheel in his own workshop The fine print, made plain How to read a business loan offer before you sign What to check in a non-bank or private business loan offer in NZ: total cost, fees, security, guarantees, default terms, early repayment and key questions.

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