The fastest way to get cash is to apply for a smaller amount (up to $2,000), which lenders are more likely to approve as it is lower risk. Have everything ready before you start: ID, proof of residence, proof of income, and your online banking login to approve a read-only 90-day bank statement. Make sure your phone, email and application details are correct, since you will be contacted to accept the offer, and be ready to proceed. You will receive a pre-approval decision within 60 seconds of applying.

A quick cash loan is a fast, short-term loan for when you are short before your next payday, an unexpected or larger-than-budgeted bill, or a time-sensitive cost you want to cover now, often with the money in your account the same day. It can be a better option than high-interest credit card debt, borrowing from family or friends, or going without. Cash Today has helped Australians access short-term credit since 2006, with options from smaller loans up to $1,000, SAAC loans up to $2,000, MAAC loans up to $5,000, and personal loans up to $80,000.

There are three simple steps. First, check our rates and fees page so you can see the transparent fees for the amount you want, view example loan costs, and confirm the repayments are affordable. Second, complete the short online application. It only takes a few minutes and you get a pre-approval decision in about 60 seconds. Third, accept your loan offer. Once approved, your funds are transferred fast, often reaching your account the same day. Before you start, it helps to know how much you need to borrow so you can choose the right loan.

To be considered you will need:

• Proof of Australian residency (such as a utility bill) and a regular income
• A driver’s licence or other ID showing you are over 18
• A read-only 90-day bank statement via online bank verification
• Repayment affordability that can be established
• No direct debit dishonours on your recent bank statements

A credit check may also apply, unless you are applying for one of our no-credit-check loans.

It depends on how much you borrow. Quick cash loans are same-day loans, generally up to $5,000 (same-day funding is available for larger amounts too).

• Loans up to $2,000 can usually be approved without a credit check.
• Loans between $2,000 and $5,000 may involve a credit check. Before that, we generally ask you to self-report your credit rating, so we can match you with a lender able to approve lower credit scores. That way, even if a credit check is done, you can still be approved.

Checking your eligibility never affects your credit file. For more on no-credit-check options, see our No Credit Check Loans page.

Often, yes. A poor credit rating does not automatically rule you out, because we look at more than your credit score. We focus on your regular income and whether the repayments are affordable. Smaller amounts can usually be approved even if your credit score isn’t the best, and for those a Cash Today loan uses fixed flat fees rather than ongoing interest, with no collateral required.

Based on our Cash Today 90-day data, these loan purposes have higher approval rates when your credit score is poor:

• Vehicle expenses
• Vehicle repairs
• Debt consolidation
• Emergency loans
• Utilities bill
• Outstanding debt
• Home expenses
• Technology purchases
• Medical/dental bill
• Business hire or purchase
• Funeral loans

If your credit score isn’t the best and you need a loan for one of the above, Cash Today may be able to help. (90-day data updated 18 June 2026.) For the full detail, see our No Credit Check Loans page.

Yes. For a same-day quick cash loan (generally up to $5,000), we accept Centrelink payments as a valid income source when they are combined with other income, such as part-time or casual work. You generally need to earn at least $2,600 a month, with less than half of that coming from Centrelink. We assess your total income and whether the repayments are affordable, and if you qualify your funds can be paid the same day.

For a same-day quick cash loan, what matters most is a regular income and being able to comfortably afford the repayments. Full-time employment gives you the strongest chance of approval, but part-time or casual work can also qualify if your expenses leave room to repay. We also consider supplementary income, including business income and government benefits, as part of your overall affordability.

For a same-day quick cash loan, we check you can comfortably afford the repayments on top of your existing commitments. We work this out from your last 90 days of bank statements, looking at your net income, minus your existing debt repayments, minus your living expenses. The more of your income already tied up in other debts, the less room there is to repay a new loan. In our recent 90-day data, income being too low to support the repayments accounted for around 1 in 10 declines on loans between $2,000 and $5,000. Keeping your existing repayments low relative to your income gives you the best chance of same-day approval.

For a standard same-day quick cash loan (up to $5,000), no. These are unsecured, so you do not need to put up your car, home equity or any other asset, approval is based on your income and whether the repayments are affordable. Collateral generally only comes into play for larger same-day loans above $5,000 and up to $80,000, such as car or home renovation loans. For those, securing the loan against an asset can help you qualify for the higher amount and may get you a lower rate.

Yes. For same-day quick cash loans, smaller amounts up to $2,000 are the easiest to approve and can often be approved without a credit check, while amounts between $2,000 and $5,000 involve a closer look at affordability. A clear, specific purpose also helps, our 90-day data shows purposes such as vehicle repairs, utilities, medical bills and debt consolidation have higher approval rates, while a large amount with a vague purpose is harder to approve.

For a same-day quick cash loan, you will not currently qualify if you:

• Are not an Australian citizen
• Are currently bankrupt
• Have opened a personal loan in the last 90 days
• Already have two or more payday loans under $2,000
• Have online gambling transactions on your recent bank statements
• Have payments to debt collectors, arrears or dishonours in the last 90 days
• Have used wage-advance services such as Wagetap, Wagepay, MyPayNow or Beforepay in the last 90 days
• Have just paid off a loan and immediately applied again (declined to prevent debt cycles)

If any of these apply, it is worth considering other options or waiting until your 90-day bank history shows you are eligible and can comfortably afford the repayments. For the full breakdown of why applications are declined and how often each reason applies, see the “Chances of being approved” section above.

We assess your individual circumstances before offering any loan, because we want to make sure a same-day quick cash loan genuinely suits your situation. That means transparent terms so you know the full cost upfront, and if a better option exists, such as a payment extension or budgeting help, we will point you to it. A strong financial track record improves your chance of approval and can mean larger amounts and lower rates. If your income, credit history or debt-to-income ratio suggest the repayments would cause hardship, we may approve only a smaller amount, or decline, even if you could technically afford it, to protect your longer-term financial health.

A few things set a same-day quick cash loan apart: you can be pre-approved in about 60 seconds and funded the same day; smaller amounts use fixed flat fees rather than ongoing interest, with no collateral required; we look beyond your credit score at your real income and affordability; and you can check your eligibility without any mark on your credit file.

Before applying, it is worth considering your options. If you receive Centrelink or other government benefits, you may be eligible for an advance on your payments. Adjusting your budget to reduce short-term expenses can free up cash, and for smaller amounts, borrowing from family or friends and repaying on your next payday may suit. For independent guidance on managing money and other options, see the government’s MoneySmart website.