We compare 8 offers. Updated 09 Nov 2026.
Access up to $2,000 of your earned wages before payday. 5% transaction fee, repaid on your next pay date. 700,000+ Australians use Beforepay.
Personal loans up to $5,000 from Cash Converters. Fast approval for Centrelink recipients and people with bad credit.
Online loans up to $10 000
Personal loans from $300 to $10,000 for Australians with good or bad credit. Fast online application, decision within 60 minutes.
A payday loan, also called a small amount credit contract (SACC), lets you borrow up to $2,000 for a period of 16 days to 12 months. The interest rate is replaced by a fee structure capped by law:
For a $1,000 loan over 6 months, this means $200 upfront plus $40 per month, totalling $440 in fees on top of the principal. That is expensive. Use a payday loan only when no cheaper option is available.
Typically people who need cash quickly, have a poor credit history and cannot access a bank loan, or are on Centrelink and need funds before their next payment arrives. Many lenders in this space process applications within hours and transfer funds on the same business day.
Australian payday lenders must hold an Australian Credit Licence and comply with the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. They cannot lend to someone who cannot repay, and they cannot charge more than the capped fees. Still, the effective annual cost of a short-term payday loan can exceed 200%.
Before applying, check NILS (No Interest Loan Scheme) for up to $1,500 at no cost, or a Centrelink advance if you receive payments. For amounts over $2,000, a medium amount credit contract (MACC) or a regular personal loan is usually cheaper.
Searching for an "urgent payday loan" usually means you need a decision today, not in a few days. Most of the payday (SACC) lenders compared on this page process applications within minutes to a few hours during business hours and transfer approved funds the same business day — about as fast as a fully online, regulated Australian lender can go.
If you're also searching for an urgent payday loan "with no credit check", read the fine print carefully: every lender holding an Australian Credit Licence is legally required to check your credit history and recent bank statements under the National Consumer Credit Protection Act. What differs between lenders is how much weight a low credit score carries — many payday lenders will still approve applicants with bad credit based on current income and spending, but a loan with literally no credit check does not exist from a licensed Australian lender. Treat any site that claims otherwise as a red flag.
For the fastest realistic outcome: apply before midday on a business day, have your last three months of bank statements ready, and only borrow an amount you can repay comfortably within the loan's 16-day to 12-month term.
Read more: our full guide to urgent payday loans and what "no credit check" really means, or see our emergency cash loans no credit check options if a payday loan isn't the right fit.