Busted: Biggest personal loan myths

close up hands holding on australian money saved through good personal loan management

From buying that new car you’ve been dreaming of, to consolidating your debt or financing your home renovations, personal loans can have a great many uses. But knowing where you stand when it comes to personal loans can be tricky, with a bunch of common misconceptions floating around that need to be busted. 

So let's get to it and separate fact from fiction:

Myth 1: You need to go to your bank for a personal loan.

Approaching your current bank for a personal loan may appear to be the most straightforward option, if you don't shop around, you could end up paying a lot more money.

We compare over 200 personal loans here at Mozo and variable interest rates start from as low as 4.99% p.a. and go to well over 20% p.a.

Myth 2: Big banks have the best personal loan rates.

While the big banks offer a wide variety of services, they don’t always have the best personal loan rates. In addition to the big players there are a range of lenders to choose from including digital only lenders, customer-owned and challenger banks. 

Most lenders will also have online application and approval processes which means that you could get your funds approved and funded faster as well. Large banks with multiple branches will often have a lot of overhead costs which can translate to higher fees.

This is one of many reasons that we let you compare lenders of varying sizes.

Myth 3: Personal loans have very high interest rates.

In recent years, there has been a move away from the one interest rate fits all personal loan model towards more personalised interest rates based on your credit history.

Lenders take into account your credit history, along with other criteria when determining your interest rate and so if you've got a good to excellent credit history, then it's likely that you could be approved for one of the lower interest rate bands available.

Personal loan rates are also generally cheaper than credit card rates, with the current average unsecured personal loan rate in our database at 10.08% p.a. (and the average secured multi-purpose loan sitting at 8.84% p.a.) compared with the average credit card interest rate of 17.09% p.a.

In the market for a personal loan? Check out our editor’s top personal loans this month.

Compare personal loans - last updated 29 March 2024

Search promoted personal loans below or do a full Mozo database search. Advertiser disclosure
  • Mozo Expert Choice Badge
    Unsecured Personal Loan

    Fixed

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.75% p.a.to 26.95% p.a.
    6.75% p.a.to 26.95% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Borrow up to $50,000 unsecured. Perfect if you earn more than $22,100 p.a. and have good to excellent credit. Multi-year winner of Mozo’s Experts Choice Unsecured Personal Loan Award, 2021, 2022, 2023 & 2024^'

    Repayment terms from 2 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.75% would cost $35,430.23 including fees.

    Compare
    Details
  • Unsecured Personal Loan

    Fixed

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    5.76% p.a.to 24.03% p.a.
    6.55% p.a.to 24.98% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Fast, easy and 100% online, this is a low cost loan with no ongoing fees or extra repayment penalties. It's perfect for savvy borrowers with great credit. If you’re over 18 and earn above $30,000, you could qualify (other eligibility criteria may apply).

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 5.76% would cost $35,173.52 including fees.

    Compare
    Details
  • Express Personal Loan

    Secured

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    14.95% p.a.to 27.95% p.a.
    29.30% p.a.to 42.8% p.a.based on $10,000
    over 3 years

    Access fast finance on loans from $5,000 to $25,000 with a Jacaranda Finance Personal Loan. Terms from 24-48 months. Check if you qualify with no impact on your credit score. Enjoy a speedy, online approval.

    Repayment terms from 2 years to 4 years. Representative example: a 3 year $10,000 loan at 14.95% would cost $14,324.71 including fees.

    Compare
    Details
  • Debt Consolidation Loan

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    5.76% p.a.to 24.03% p.a.
    6.57% p.a.to 24.99% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Roll multiple debts into one loan to streamline your finances with one set of repayments and one interest rate. Competitive fixed interest rates with no monthly or early repayment fees and flexible repayment options. Easy online application and funding in as little as 24 hours (subject to approval).

    Repayment terms from 3 years to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 5.76% would cost $35,173.52 including fees.

    Compare
    Details
  • Debt Consolidation Loan

    interest rate
    comparison rate
    Monthly repayment
    6.57% p.a.to 18.99% p.a.
    7.19% p.a.to 19.39% p.a.based on $30,000
    over 5 years

    Competitive fixed rates on loans up to $75,000 depending on your credit score. Zero monthly account keeping fees, no exit fees and no early repayment fees. Make weekly, fortnightly or monthly repayments, over 1 to 7 years managed entirely online, at any time. Fast and easy, 100% online application.

    Repayment terms from 1 year to 7 years. Representative example: a 5 year $30,000 loan at 6.57% would cost $35,528.12 including fees.

    Compare
    Details

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* WARNING: The Comparison Rate combines the lender's interest rate, fees and charges into a single rate to show the true cost of a personal loan. The comparison rates displayed are calculated based on a loan of $30,000 for a term of 5 years or a loan of $10,000 for a term of 3 years as indicated, based on monthly principal and interest repayments, on a secured basis for secured loans and an unsecured basis for unsecured loans. This comparison rate applies only to the example or examples given. Different amounts and terms will result in different comparison rates. Costs such as redraw fees or early repayment fees, and cost savings such as fee waivers, are not included in the comparison rate but may influence the cost of the loan.

^See information about the Mozo Experts Choice Personal Loan Awards

Mozo provides general product information. We don't consider your personal objectives, financial situation or needs and we aren't recommending any specific product to you. You should make your own decision after reading the PDS or offer documentation, or seeking independent advice.

While we pride ourselves on covering a wide range of products, we don't cover every product in the market. If you decide to apply for a product through our website, you will be dealing directly with the provider of that product and not with Mozo.