A few months ago, my mate nearly watched his small business dreams go under. He’d trusted a so-called “expert” to help him secure a business loan, only to end up tangled in red tape, hidden fees, and a load of stress that would rattle even an All Black.

His story wasn’t just a one-off—turns out, heaps of New Zealand business owners have dealt with slow approvals and lenders who seem more interested in their own bottom line than yours. 

This motivated me to gather the rest of the Top of Reviews team to separate the good sorts from the dodgy and find the business loan specialists who truly have Kiwi entrepreneurs’ backs. 

Whether you’re looking to boost your working capital or simply keep the cash flow steady, here are the best business loan specialists we found across New Zealand.

1. Lending Room

Lending Room, a 100% Kiwi-owned business loan specialist, caught our eye because they offer loans up to $500,000 with both secured and unsecured options—a real plus for businesses wanting flexibility.

We appreciate how their application process is simple and online, saving busy owners heaps of time. 

To qualify, your business needs to have been trading for at least nine months. You’ll need to provide six months of business bank statements, current financial statements, and valid photo IDs for all directors.

A real highlight is their customer service—we love how when we called, they were not only polite, but they were quick to walk us through how to get approved. 

Plus, they’re willing to help if you’re looking to purchase an existing business. This isn’t always the case with lenders.

However, we’d like to see clearer information on business loan interest rates upfront. Many people told us they didn’t know the rates until loan approval.

My loan was approved fast with no hassle

“Lending Room made the loan process incredibly easy! The online application was quick, and Priyanka was fantastic—friendly, knowledgeable, and guided me through every step. She answered all my questions and made sure I got the best option. My loan was approved fast with no hassle. Highly recommend”

• Brian, Google Reviews

The best loan experience I’ve had

“The best loan experience I’ve had. The team was incredibly knowledgeable and took care of me from start to finish! Highly recommend them to anyone looking for a hassle-free loan”

• William Martin, Google Reviews

2. Bizcap New Zealand

Bizcap stands out for its open-minded and fast approach to lending. We like how approvals can happen in as little as three hours.

To qualify, you’ll need an active NZBN (New Zealand Business Number). The business should also have been trading for at least four months of trading and has a minimum monthly revenue of $12,000. 

We’re especially impressed by their willingness to look beyond just credit scores—there are no up-front credit checks, which means your application won’t impact your credit rating and you can explore your options risk-free. 

This is a breath of fresh air for business owners who may have been knocked back by traditional banks.

They have it all too—from small amounts to major funding between $5,000 and $2 million. They offer both secured and unsecured options, business lines of credit, and bridging finance.

We also love their early payment discounts. They reward you for paying off your loan faster, unlike many lenders who penalise early repayment.

The main drawback is that their fees can be high if you miss payments. That said, their repayments are cash-flow friendly, so you won’t feel squeezed as you grow your business.

Perfect solution for our business needs

“Fast easy and a perfect solution for our business needs, The customer service, communication, and professional level of service was a master class of how it should be done!!!!!! Liam and his team were a dream to deal with would highly recommend”

• Benjamin Jones, Google Reviews

So simple to get the funding needed

“Paul and the team has again been excellent to deal with and made the process so simple to get the funding needed to help with Cashflow and bills for my business, and flexible with the refinance, payment and terms, Highly recommend if you need short term funding for you business”

• Aaron Stevens, Google Reviews 

3. Spinach Limited

Spinach is one of New Zealand’s friendliest and most flexible business loan specialists, making it a standout choice for Kiwi businesses wanting to grow. 

One of our favourite features is their convenient online business loan calculator. It gives you a quick estimate of monthly repayments—ideal for planning ahead.

But what really sets Spinach apart is their willingness to tailor repayment plans and loan terms to fit your budget instead of forcing a one-size-fits-all approach. 

We like that you can arrange terms from three months to five years, giving real flexibility to match your business’s cash flow.

Their interest rates start at 9%, which is highly competitive, especially for their unsecured lending of up to $150,000. 

Their asset finance option goes up to $1 million. It covers everything from working capital and small business loans to plant, machinery, and invoice financing.

We love that you can get approval within 24 hours. That said, some people have reported issues with gaining approval yet not having immediate access to funds—taking up to 3 business days to reach their accounts, which can be inconvenient. 

Made sure my business loan got approved

“I had the best experience at Spinach, the service was great. Jemma help me with things I didn’t know about and made sure my business loan got approved. I would recommend spinach to everyone I know going for and for the people reading this review, you wil not regret working with Jemma /Spinach.“

• Dylon Senger, Google Reviews

Our go too for any business loans

“Jemma at Spinach  is our go too for any business loans. I have now facilitated 3 business loans for our own company and my employers company, each time the process is easy and acceptance and subsequent payout is very fast. I highly recommend Spinach to any business looking for lending.” 

• Ella Armstrong, Google Reviews

4. Credit One New Zealand 

Credit One has an extensive network of 15 trusted lenders— like UDC, Marac, BNZ, and Avanti Finance. They also have connections to lenders not directly accessible to the public. 

Their broad reach means they have a wide range of tailored loan solutions, giving your business a better shot at securing the right financing for your needs.

The downside is that, since they are a broker, the final terms depend on the partner lender’s criteria. This means rates and approval times vary. 

That said, same-day approvals and funding can be arranged from as little as $5,000 upwards.

We particularly like Credit One’s low upfront establishment fees and the absence of ongoing fees, which help keep loan costs transparent and manageable.

And their bank-beating interest rates, starting from 9.95%, make them perfect for businesses watching their bottom line.

Their 60 Seconds Online Finance Quotes tool is also a standout, as it provides instant clarity on potential repayments.

The process was fast, painless and efficient

“Rachael Tillart at Credit One is an absolute legend.  As a small business owner I was expecting to have to jump through numerous hoops to get a business loan for a vehicle.  But no, the process was fast, painless and efficient.  Would not hesitate to recommend.”

• Stuart Dowling, Google Reviews

Awesome, easy and punctual 

“Awesome, easy and punctual services. Such a worry free process and great to deal with. I would recommend this to anyone“

• Harry Crowe, Google Reviews

5. Compare Business Loans 

Compare Business Loans is a top pick for Kiwi businesses seeking a hands-on, personalised lending experience. 

What we really love is their free business health check, which takes just five minutes over the phone.

In that short call, they help you figure out exactly what kind of lending suits your situation—whether you’re after a startup loan or even a first mortgage business loan. 

They’ll also give you a clear idea of how much you’re eligible for and recommend the lender most likely to approve your application.

Interest rates start at 9%, and their team does all the heavy lifting, from writing up your application to managing it right through to settlement. 

This end-to-end support is a huge plus, especially if you’re busy running your business and don’t have time to chase paperwork.

However, some people have complained about the application timeframe. Many told us they didn’t find out if they were approved or not until after 48 hours.

Understood our funding needs immediately 

“Our experience with Glenn was brilliant. We needed to move fast with some business funding to make the most of an opportunity and we needed someone who could buy into the vision of what we planning to achieve. Glenn understood our funding needs immediately and helped us to achieve the right result, fast. Highly recommend. Glenn is an absolute pleasure to deal with.”

• Eva Knox, Google Reviews 

Stepped up when other ‘professionals’ fell by the wayside

“Glenn was an absolute beast to deal with. Alllways communicating. Got the job done when everyone else failed. Could not recommend him highly enough. Stepped up when other ‘professionals’ fell by the wayside. You need funds and every else said no, Glenns your guy! 11/10!” 

• Warren FTC, Google Reviews 

---