Which lenders are best for self-employed home loans in 2025?

NAB, CBA, ANZ and Macquarie top the list for self-employed borrowers in 2025 due to strong borrowing power, generous add-backs, flexible income treatment and fast approvals. Non-bank lenders like Pepper, Bluestone and La Trobe offer strong alt-doc and low-doc options.

Can self-employed borrowers get a home loan with one year of financials?

Yes. Several lenders accept one year of tax returns or alternative documentation such as BAS statements or accountant declarations. Borrowing power varies widely depending on the lender’s income-assessment rules.

Do self-employed borrowers pay higher interest rates?

Not always. Full-doc self-employed borrowers often receive the same rates as PAYG applicants. Alt-doc borrowers may pay slightly higher rates due to reduced documentation. Matcheroo AI identifies the lowest rate available for each borrower’s profile.

How does Matcheroo AI help self-employed borrowers?

Matcheroo AI reviews tax returns, BAS, add-backs, company structures, income trends and risk metrics to match borrowers with the lenders offering the highest borrowing power, lowest rates and strongest approval probability.

Best Home Loans for Self-Employed Borrowers 2025

Self-employed Australians make up a massive share of the workforce — and in 2025, lenders are finally offering more competitive options for business owners, contractors, freelancers and ABN earners. But approval is still harder for self-employed borrowers than PAYG employees. Banks assess income differently, require more documentation, and vary hugely in how much borrowing power they offer.

The good news? With the right lender strategy, self-employed borrowers can access excellent interest rates, strong borrowing capacity and fast approvals — especially when matched correctly through Matcheroo AI, which compares lenders based on your business structure, trading history and income consistency.

Below are the best home loans for self-employed Australians in 2025, including the top banks, non-bank lenders, low-doc options and the strongest borrowing power calculators.

1. NAB – Best Overall for Self-Employed Borrowers

NAB leads the market for self-employed lending due to:

Generous add-back policies
Strong treatment of company & trust income
Acceptance of accountant-declared income variations
Favourable servicing for contractors
Reliable approval outcomes

NAB often gives $40,000–$150,000+ more borrowing power than other major banks for business owners.

2. CBA – Best for High Borrowing Power

CBA is strong for:

2-year financials
Complex income streams
Directors’ wages + shareholder distributions
Bonus or variable income

CBA also delivers some of the highest borrowing capacities in Australia for self-employed applicants.

3. Macquarie Bank – Best for High-Income & Fast-Growth Businesses

Macquarie is ideal for:

Profitable businesses
Rapid income growth
Borrowers seeking digital-first approval
Company directors with strong retained earnings

Macquarie is known for sharp rates + fast turnaround.

4. ANZ – Best for Contractors & Sole Traders

ANZ performs strongly for:

Sole traders with 1–2 years ABN history
Contractors with consistent invoicing
Borrowers with variable monthly income

Strong pricing for refinancers too.

5. Pepper Money – Best Non-Bank for Alternative Income

Pepper specialises in:

Irregular income
One-year financials
Cash-flow lending
Borrowers who don’t fit bank policy

Great for growing businesses or those recovering from Covid-era fluctuations.

6. La Trobe Financial – Best Low-Doc Option

La Trobe is ideal for:

Borrowers with accountant letters
BAS-based income verification
1-year or 6-month business financials
Asset-rich applicants with inconsistent income

Their low-doc range is one of Australia’s strongest.

7. Bluestone – Best for Credit-Variability + Self-Employed

Bluestone is suitable when:

Credit scores need improvement
Income is inconsistent
Debt consolidation is part of the strategy
Non-traditional documentation is used

What Banks Look At for Self-Employed Home Loans (2025)

✔ 2 years tax returns (preferred)

✔ 1 year tax return (select lenders)

✔ BAS statements

✔ Trading history and business stability

✔ Add-backs (depreciation, expenses, super)

✔ Income averaging rules

✔ Company vs sole trader vs trust structure

Borrowing power can vary massively — sometimes by $120k–$250k — depending on how each lender interprets your business income.

Best Loan Types for Self-Employed Borrowers

⭐ Full-Doc Home Loans

Best rates + highest borrowing power.

⭐ Alt-Doc / Low-Doc Loans

For borrowers with limited documentation.

⭐ BAS-Only Loans

Useful for contractors or new businesses.

⭐ Accountant Declaration Loans

Great for businesses with strong cash flow but fluctuating profit.

How Self-Employed Borrowers Can Maximise Approval in 2025

✔ Clean bank statements

✔ Reduce business debt (and credit card limits)

✔ Keep BAS lodgements up to date

✔ Aim for stable invoicing patterns

✔ Avoid large “one-off expenses” before applying

✔ Build a consistent income narrative

Banks reward clarity + consistency.

How Matcheroo AI Helps Self-Employed Borrowers

Matcheroo AI analyses:

Tax returns
BAS statements
Add-backs
Company/trust structure
Cash-flow trends
Suburb + property type
LVR & deposit
Borrowing power differences between lenders

It then identifies:

The lender giving maximum borrowing power
The lowest available rate for your income structure
The fastest approval pathway
Banks that accept your exact documentation type

Self-employed borrowers regularly gain tens of thousands more borrowing power by matching with the right lender.

Summary: Best Self-Employed Home Loans (2025)

The best lender depends on:

Your business structure
Income consistency
Documentation strength
Borrowing goals
State or suburb
Whether you want the lowest rate or highest borrowing power

Matcheroo AI ensures self-employed borrowers are matched with the ideal lender, the right product, and the maximum approval probability, anywhere in Australia.

MATCHEROO.AI