Your Borrowing
Range.
A lender's full assessment usually lands higher than a more conservative budget rule. Both estimates are useful. The right number depends on how much breathing room you want.
FAQ
Common questions about your borrowing range
Why are the two numbers so different?
The Comfort number applies a conservative budget rule: 30% of your disposable income, no rate stress test, capped at a 7-year term. The lender estimate applies the APRA-aligned model that lenders use: full surplus, plus a +3% rate buffer for stress testing. The same income produces a smaller “lifestyle-friendly” number and a larger “lender-aligned” number. Both are estimates. The right number depends on how much breathing room you want.
What does the slider show?
Drag the slider between Comfort and the Lender estimate to see the weekly repayment at that loan amount, using your current rate and term. It's a quick way to test “could I afford $X/week?” against your real cashflow. The slider doesn't change the two endpoint numbers, just shows what borrowing somewhere in between would cost weekly.
Is the lender estimate what I'll actually be approved for?
No. The lender estimate is our calculator's read of APRA APG 223 serviceability rules. A real lender layers on their own credit policies, income verification, expense benchmarks (often using the Household Expenditure Measure), credit scoring, and product-specific overlays. Your actual approved amount may be higher or lower. Use this as a starting point, then “Compare lenders for me” to get real quotes without impacting your credit file.
Why is the rate 6.49%? Can I change it?
6.49% p.a. is a representative rate for personal and car loans on our lender panel. It lets the calculator show an indicative result on first paint. Change it in the input card to your actual rate or a rate you want to test. The two estimates and the slider update live.
Why does the comfort estimate use a 7-year term?
The comfort estimate is deliberately conservative. It reflects a “this fits my lifestyle” view, not a “what is theoretically borrowable” view. Capping the term at 7 years matches typical personal and car loan tenors and prevents the comfort number inflating just because a longer term reduces monthly repayments. The lender estimate uses your chosen term.