Independent Australian credit journal · General information only

Plenty Valley · Melbourne

Plenty Credit

Plain-English guides to credit, loans and household money in Australia.

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Personal loans

Independent Australian guides to personal loans, comparison rates, secured and unsecured borrowing, car loans and the documents you need to apply.

A Toyota Corolla Ascent Sport hatchback photographed in Australia

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Evening street in Melbourne’s city centre

Personal loans

Personal loans vs credit cards vs buy now pay later

Three ways to pay later, three different clocks. Personal loans, credit cards and buy now pay later do not cost the same, last the same, or look the same on an Australian credit file — and stacking them is how a small gap becomes a file.

9 min read · 30 June 2026

A Citizen handheld calculator on a plain background

Personal loans

What is a comparison rate and why it matters

A comparison rate is a legal percentage, not a marketing badge. It folds most known fees into a single figure — but the $150,000 over 25 years example on many ads is the wrong picture for a personal loan.

9 min read · 19 April 2026

A laptop, notebook and pen on a timber desk

Personal loans

How to apply for a personal loan in Australia

A personal loan application is a responsible-lending assessment, not a formality. Here is the paperwork Australian lenders usually want, why the quote is not the billboard rate, and how a credit score enters the decision.

9 min read · 11 March 2026

Bushland along the Plenty River in South Morang, Melbourne

Personal loans

How to compare personal loans in Australia

A comparison rate is only one column. Australian personal loans also differ on fees, term, fixed versus variable pricing, early repayment and whether you even qualify for the number on the billboard.

9 min read · 14 January 2026