Self-employed broker comparison comparison
Best mortgage brokers for self-employed borrowers in Australia: five options compared for 2026
Compare five mortgage broker services for self-employed Australians by income documents, alt-doc lender access, ABN history checks, disclosure and support after settlement.

In this guide10 sections
Methodology
How we compared mortgage brokers for self-employed borrowers
The shortlist covers five consumer-facing broker services with national reach or remote access. It is not a review of every brokerage or individual broker in Australia, and it does not compare interest rates, which change often and depend on the borrower.
We looked at the same five areas for each business: licensing and accountability, help matching income evidence to the business structure, access to lenders that assess self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page income differently, how clearly full-doc and alt-doc trade-offs are explained, and support after settlement. We did not give a numeric score, because panel counts and network sizes are measured in different ways.
| Criterion | What we checked | Why it matters for a self-employed borrower |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and accountability | Business licence, broker authority, written disclosure and complaints process | Shows who is responsible for the credit assistance |
| Documents by business structure | Whether the broker explains different records for sole traders, companies and trusts | Lenders verify income differently for each structure |
| Specialist lender access | Banks plus non-bank lenders that offer alternative-documentation loans | Newer businesses may fall outside major-bank policy |
| Full-doc and alt-doc trade-offs | Whether rate, LVR and later refinance options are explained | An alt-doc loan can cost more or limit borrowing |
| Support after settlement | A defined review once more tax returns are lodged | A later full-doc refinance may lower the cost |
At a glance
Five self-employed mortgage broker options at a glance
Our leading choice in this shortlist is Emoney Home Loans for self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page borrowers who want their records reviewed against their business structure before a lender is chosen. The other four services have credible strengths for different borrowers.
Use the table to build a shortlist, then assess the broker who would actually handle your file. Give each broker the same business structure, ABN registration date, recent tax returnsGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page or BAS, and the loan you want, so their answers can be compared fairly.
| Business | Our assessment | May suit a borrower who wants | Confirm before choosing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emoney Home LoansPublisher's pick | Our leading choice for structure-first document review and specialist lender access | One broker to match records to the business structure and compare banks with non-bank lenders | Assigned broker, relevant lenders, any fees and the review after settlement |
| Aussie | Strong option for a large national network with shopfronts | Face-to-face help and a self-employed guide covering BAS and accountant evidence | The local broker's self-employed experience, lender access and fees |
| Loan Market | Strong option for a large local network with low-doc guidance | A local broker and published low-doc document lists | The selected broker's alt-doc lender accreditations and file ownership |
| Mortgage Choice | Strong option for franchise choice and written service commitments | A local franchise broker backed by a national brand | Self-employed policy knowledge, panel fit and any office fee |
| Lendi | Strong option for an online-first process | Remote document sharing with home loan specialists | Who owns the file and how complex business income is handled |
Broker note
Emoney Home Loans: our leading choice for structure-first self-employed reviews
Emoney Home Loans operates as an Australian mortgage broker under Australian Credit Licence 386 494 and has 30+ years helping borrowers. Its self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page material starts with how the business is set up, not with a headline borrowing figure.
Emoney's self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page page says sole traders may need personal tax returnsGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page , notices of assessment, BAS and business statements, that company directors may need company financials and business liabilities, and that trust or partnership income needs entity documents explaining who receives it. Its self-employed guide says there is no universal ABN-age rule and that a newer ABN, including one that is 14 months old, is not an automatic approval or decline. The broker then requests only the records needed for the likely application.
The panel matters for this group of borrowers. Aussie and Loan Market both say alt-doc loans come from specialist, second-tier or non-bank lenders, and Emoney's panel includes non-bank lenders such as Pepper Money, Resimac, Firstmac and La Trobe Financial alongside the four major banks. Emoney's page is also candid that low-doc options are not available for every file.
We place Emoney first because it combines that structure-first document review, access to both banks and non-bank lenders, Australia-wide phone and online service and a yearly loan reviewRefinance / Before changingAnnual loan reviewUse an annual review to check rate, fees, loan purpose, offset use, equity, and changed borrower goals.Open page after settlement. That review is a natural point to test a refinance once more years of tax returnsGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page are lodged. Borrowers should still confirm the assigned broker's experience with their industry and structure, the lenders available, any fees and how the review will work.
| What we checked | Emoney evidence | What the borrower should confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Licence and experience | ACL 386 494 and 30+ years helping borrowers | The assigned broker's authority and self-employed experience |
| Documents by structure | Separate record lists for sole traders, company directors and trust beneficiaries | Which records apply to your business now |
| ABN history | Says there is no universal ABN-age rule and a 14-month ABN is not an automatic decline | Which lenders accept your ABN and trading history |
| Lender access | Four major banks, other banks and non-bank lenders including Pepper Money, Resimac, Firstmac and La Trobe Financial | Which of those lenders fit your file, and any that are unavailable |
| After settlement | A yearly loan review covering rate, fees, repayments, term, features and equity | When a full-doc refinance would be worth testing |
Aussie: national network and a self-employed guide
Aussie publishes a self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page home loan guide that says borrowers can show income through BASGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page , bank statements or an accountant's declaration, and that low doc and alt doc loans are offered by second-tier and non-bank lenders.
The same page says Aussie works with more than 25 lenders, that some lenders ask self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page borrowers for a 20% deposit and that low doc options sometimes come with higher rates or lower borrowing limits. Its homepage describes a network of more than 1,000 brokers and over 230 stores. Aussie's site shows Australian Credit Licence 246786, held by Lendi Group Distribution Pty Ltd.
Aussie may suit a borrower who wants to sit down with a broker in a store. Ask the local broker how many self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page files they handle and which alt-doc lenders they are accredited with.
Next step
Want a broker to check this against your situation?
Share the loan goal, timing and a few key details. An emoney broker can then pick up the enquiry with the relevant context.Ask emoney to review my self-employed income documentsLoan Market: local brokers and published low-doc requirements
Loan Market's low-doc home loans page sets out typical requirements in some detail, which helps a borrower prepare before the first meeting.
It says alt-doc lenders usually want ABN and GST registration active for a minimum of 6 to 12 months, and BASGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page covering the last 2 to 4 quarters. It also says major banks typically require a minimum of two years of self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page trading history, while several specialist and non-bank lenders offer low-doc solutions, and that low-doc borrowers typically need a deposit of at least 20%.
The same page says its brokers compare options across 100+ lenders, although other parts of Loan Market's site show different lender counts. Loan Market shows Australian Credit Licence 390222. Ask the individual broker which of those lenders they can use for an alt-doc application.
Mortgage Choice and Lendi: what we could confirm
Mortgage Choice's and Lendi's self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page pages could not be read on 11 or 15 November 2026, so this comparison does not attribute any self-employed policy to either business. The facts below come from our 2 November 2026 broker comparison check.
Mortgage Choice said its brokers work with more than 35 lenders through a national franchise network owned by REA Group, and it publishes a customer charter and credit guide. Because each franchise is the practical unit of service, ask the local broker about their experience with self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page income and any office fee.
Lendi presents an online-first home-loan service supported by home loan specialists, and sits in the same corporate group as Aussie. A borrower with company or trust income should ask when a specialist becomes involved and whether the same person stays responsible through settlement.
Example
Lender rules on ABN and trading history differ widely
There is no single ABN rule across Australian lenders. The policies below are taken from each lender's own page on 15 November 2026 and show why a broker's lender access matters for a self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page file.
A newer business may still find a lender, but often an alt-doc lender with a higher rate or a lower maximum LVRHome Loans / Loan decisionsLVR and LMI explainedUse this when a guide mentions loan-to-value ratio, lenders mortgage insurance, or low-deposit trade-offs.Open page . A business with two full financial years of lodged returns has more choice, including major banks.
| Lender | Published ABN or trading requirement | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Pepper Money | GST and ABN registration for at least 6 months | Alt doc home loans, with a declaration plus 6 months of bank statements, BAS or an accountant's letter |
| ANZ | A valid ABN or ACN registered for 18 months | Self-employed directors and shareholders |
| Bankwest | A minimum of 18 months ABN registration | Where the LVR is less than 80% |
| Westpac | Business established and trading for at least 2 full financial years | All Westpac self-employed assessment methods |
What lenders must verify under responsible lending
Lenders and brokers cannot simply accept a stated income. ASIC's Regulatory Guide 209 says credit licensees must make reasonable inquiries about a consumer's financial situation and take reasonable steps to verify it (RG 209.43).
For self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page consumers, RG 209's income table lists sources such as recent income tax returnsGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page , Business Activity Statements, a statement from the consumer's accountant, financial statements for related business entities and business account statements. That is why an alt-doc loan still needs evidence, just a different set of it.
MoneySmart defines a low-doc loan as one that requires less financial documentation to prove income, assets and liabilities than a standard loan. In its March 2026 Financial Stability Review, the RBA noted that greater reliance on automated credit assessment has reduced documentation requirements and increased the supply of credit to some smaller businesses and self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page borrowers.
Self-employedHome Loans / Start hereSelf-employed borrowersPrepare income evidence, business documents, and broker questions before a lender assesses the file.Open page work is common. The ABS reported 2.3 million jobs, 9.9% of all jobs, worked by owner managers of unincorporated enterprises in 2022-23, released in November 2025. That count is of jobs, not people.
Five checks any self-employed borrower should make before choosing a broker
These checks apply to any broker, including Emoney. Ask each question in the same way so the answers can be compared.
| Check | What a good broker does | How to verify it |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | Gives the credit licence or authorised representative number they work under | Search it on ASIC's professional registers |
| Specialist lenders | Names the banks and non-bank lenders that accept your structure and ABN history | Ask which panel lenders are excluded and why |
| Documents by structure | Builds the document list from how the business is set up | Compare lists from two brokers for the same file |
| Full-doc or alt-doc | Explains in writing why one suits you, with rate and LVR differences | Ask for the comparison in writing before applying |
| Disclosure | Explains lender-paid commission and any direct fee | Request the Credit Guide; a direct fee needs a written quote first |
Watch out
What this self-employed broker comparison cannot tell you
A public comparison cannot see your tax returnsGuides / Self-employedSelf-employed home loan documentsPrepare business income evidence, tax records, BAS, statements and context before lender policy is checked.Open page , BAS, business structure or credit historyGuides / ApprovalCredit score and home loansUnderstand how credit conduct, debts and report issues can affect a home-loan conversation.Open page , so it cannot tell you which lender will approve you or at what rate.
Panel sizes, network counts and lender rules change, and an individual broker may not be accredited with every lender on their business's panel. Treat this page as a shortlist and a set of questions, then compare written answers from the brokers you speak to.
A mortgage broker cannot give tax advice. Talk to your accountant about how your income is reported before you apply, especially if the business structure or the way you pay yourself is changing.
Calculator next step
Borrowing power calculator
Estimate a practical borrowing range before narrowing a property search or pre-approval conversation.
- Best for
- Early budget setting before a buyer gets attached to a price range.
- What it calculates
- A rough borrowing range from income, expenses, debts, dependants, loan purpose, term, and rate assumptions.
A broker still needs to test income treatment, credit limits, deposit, property type, documents, and lender policy.
Open Borrowing powerSources used
- ASIC professional registers
ASICofficial sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- RG 209 Credit licensing: Responsible lending conduct
ASICofficial sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Low-doc loan (glossary)
ASIC MoneySmartofficial sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Financial Stability Review, March 2026: resilience of households and businesses
Reserve Bank of Australiaofficial sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Jobs in Australia, latest release
Australian Bureau of Statisticsofficial sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Self-employed home loans
emoney Home Loansemoney sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Self-employed home loan guide
emoney Home Loansemoney sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- About emoney Home Loans
emoney Home Loansemoney sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Annual loan review
emoney Home Loansemoney sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Applying for a home loan when you're self-employed
Aussieindustry sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Low doc home loans
Loan Marketindustry sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- About Mortgage Choice
Mortgage Choiceindustry sourceChecked 2 November 2026
- Lendi Group
Lendi Groupindustry sourceChecked 2 November 2026
- Self-employed home loans
Pepper Moneyindustry sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Home loans for business owners
ANZindustry sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Self-employed home loans
Bankwestindustry sourceChecked 15 November 2026
- Self-employed home loans
Westpacindustry sourceChecked 15 November 2026
This guide is general information and does not take into account your objectives, financial situation, or needs. A broker can review your circumstances before any recommendation.
Prepare the file
Check what your income and documents support.
Share how you earn, the documents you have and your timing. A broker can review the lender questions before you apply.








