Equipment Finance for Australian Businesses
Dark Horse Financial arranges equipment finance for Australian businesses through a large panel of lenders spanning banks, non-bank lenders and private financiers. We fund plant and equipment, machinery, technology, medical equipment and commercial vehicles, new or used, from a dealer or a private seller. As an authorised credit representative, we match the structure of the lenders to your business, not the other way round.
Quick Enquiry
Get a free, obligation-free assessment. Usually responds within 2 hours.
How Equipment Loans Work With a Broker
Our process involves three steps, with a single broker managing your application from initial enquiry through to settlement.
Contact Our Team
A brief phone call or enquiry form is sufficient to begin. Details on the asset, its cost and your required timeframe allow us to identify the lenders most likely to suit your equipment finance application.
Contact Us →Submit Your Application
We prepare and lodge the application with the selected lender. Whether the application is full doc, low doc or no doc depends primarily on the amount involved, and we confirm the required documentation before you begin.
Start Application →Get Funded
Eligible products can be approved inside an hour with some lenders, while others take 24 to 48 hours. Documentation is generally signed electronically and the lender pays the supplier directly on settlement. Larger or more complex deals can take longer, and we provide a realistic timeframe from the outset.
Get Funded →Rated by Our Clients on Google
Equipment Finance for Australian Businesses
Equipment finance is business lending used to buy, upgrade or refinance the assets a business earns its income from, with the asset itself acting as security for the loan. That security is what sets equipment loans apart from unsecured lending: the age, type and resale value of the equipment are weighed alongside your trading history and cash flow, which is why plenty of businesses that struggle with unsecured finance still get approved for the gear they need.
The asset is the security
The lender's security is the equipment being financed, whether that is machinery, a vehicle or a commercial fitout. In most cases, this means property is not required as security.
Cash stays in the business
Repayments are typically structured over one to seven years, preserving working capital rather than requiring the full purchase price upfront.
Full doc, low doc or no doc
Several lenders will extend up to $300,000 without income verification. Asset finance limits of up to $1 million without financials are also possible.
What Equipment Finance Can Cover
Most assets used to generate income for a business can be financed, whether new or used, and whether purchased from a dealer, an auction house or a private seller.
Plant and equipment for trades and construction, including excavators, telehandlers and scissor lifts
Machinery and production lines for manufacturers and food processors
Commercial vehicles, from utes and vans through to prime movers and trailers
Medical, dental and allied-health equipment for practices and clinics
Technology and IT hardware, from servers and networks to point-of-sale systems
CNC machines, metalworking equipment and other factory equipment for manufacturers and engineering businesses
Shop and commercial fitouts, financed alongside the equipment they house
Refinancing or raising capital against equipment your business already owns outright
Types of Equipment Finance We Arrange
A single application can be structured in several ways. We outline the differences between each option and place the finance with the lender best suited to the asset being purchased.
Who Is Equipment Finance Suitable For?
Equipment finance tends to be the right tool when:
- A trades or construction business needs to replace ageing plant before it begins to affect productivity
- A medical or allied-health practice wants to upgrade diagnostic or treatment equipment without depleting working capital
- A manufacturer has secured additional orders and requires another production line to fulfil them
- A transport operator has secured a new contract and requires additional trucks or trailers to service it
- The right asset has been identified through a private sale, but your bank is unwilling to finance it
- You are able to pay cash, but would prefer to preserve that capital for use in the business
- Your business is newly established, without an extensive trading history, but still requires the right equipment
Am I Eligible for Equipment Finance?
There is no single rule. Each lender applies its own criteria, typically weighing up:
- Time trading, with ABN and GST registration
- Business turnover and the consistency of your cash flow
- The asset itself: type, age, condition and resale value
- Deposit or equity contribution, where a lender asks for one
- Business and personal credit history
Check Your Eligibility
Provide details of the equipment and your business, and we will advise which lenders are likely to be suitable before you apply.
Quick Enquiry →Case Study: $300k Equipment Finance Line Approved With a No Doc Application
Challenge: A retailer opening a second store required funding for a commercial fitout. The builder had been engaged and a quote obtained, but the bank required full financials and several weeks to process the application, a timeframe the business could not accommodate.
Solution: Dark Horse arranged a $300,000 equipment finance line with a non-bank lender on a no doc basis. The application was assessed on bank statements and the builder's quote alone, with no financials or ATO portal access required.
Outcome: The facility was approved within a day. Each progress invoice from the builder was funded within 24 hours of submission, allowing the store to open on schedule while preserving the owner's cash for opening stock.
Why Choose Dark Horse Financial for Equipment Finance
Credit-Licensed Broker
Credit Representative (No. 465325) of Buyers Choice Licencing Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 509484, and part of the Money Quest Group's 600+ broker network.
100+ Lenders, Not One
Access to banks, non-bank lenders and private financiers enables us to place both mainstream transactions and specialised deals, including private sales and older assets, that a single lender may decline.
10+ Years, 1,000+ Businesses
More than a decade arranging finance for Australian SMEs, with over a thousand businesses funded.
Every Structure on the Table
Chattel mortgage, finance lease, hire purchase, operating lease or equipment finance line, matched to the asset and your cash flow.
Fast Where It Counts
Approval in as little as an hour is available on eligible products with some lenders, reducing the risk of losing an asset to a delayed application.
Proof, Not Promises
Our case studies range from a $300k no doc equipment line to $7.8 million raised against five Cat 777s, demonstrating our track record across a range of transaction types.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about equipment finance, answered directly.
* Disclaimer: Loans and the benefits associated with them are only available to those who have been approved. The information provided on this page is general and does not consider your individual circumstances. It is not meant to serve as a substitute for professional advice, and you should not rely on it for any decisions. Always consult with a professional regarding finance, tax, and accounting matters before making any choices or taking action.