Perfect Payday Fees & Charges
Quick honesty note. Perfect Payday is not a lender. It’s a trading name of Tiny Ventures (ABN 52 168 226 480), Credit Representative No. 516845, a credit referral service. When you apply, we may pass your details to a panel of licensed lenders who assess your application and set any fees. We don’t decide that, and we don’t charge you.
When people search for Perfect Payday fees and charges, they usually want one clear answer: what will this cost me? The short version is that using Perfect Payday is free for you. We don’t charge consumers anything to compare options or to be matched with a lender. This page explains exactly how we’re paid and, separately, the fees a licensed lender on our panel may legally charge if you take out a loan.
Perfect Payday fees and charges: what we charge you (nothing)
There is no consumer fee for using Perfect Payday. You won’t be charged to:
- Read our guides and comparisons,
- Submit an application, or
- Be referred to a licensed lender on our panel.
You only ever enter a credit contract (and pay any fees) if you choose to accept an offer directly from a licensed lender. Applying through us is free, doesn’t commit you to anything, and never guarantees approval; lenders are legally required to assess whether a loan is suitable and affordable for you.
If money is tight right now, a loan may not be your cheapest option. A Centrelink Advance Payment or a No Interest Loan (NILS) can cost $0 in fees, and the free National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) offers confidential financial counselling. We’d rather you found the cheapest path, even when that isn’t us.
How Perfect Payday gets paid
We’re a referral service, so our income comes from the lenders in our panel, not from you. When a licensed lender accepts a referral and you go on to take out a loan with them, that lender may pay us a referral fee (sometimes called a commission).
A few things that matter about that arrangement:
- It never adds to your cost. The fees you pay are set by the lender within the legal caps below; our referral fee comes out of the lender’s side, not yours.
- It doesn’t change the lender’s decision. Whether a licensed lender approves you, and on what terms, is their responsible-lending assessment alone.
- It doesn’t change your rate. We can’t set, raise or negotiate the fees a lender charges.
You can read more about who we are and how the service works on our about page.
What licensed lenders may charge: the legal SACC caps
Most short-term loans in Australia are Small Amount Credit Contracts (SACCs): loans of up to $2,000 repaid over 16 days to 12 months. SACCs don’t carry an interest rate in the usual sense. Instead, the law caps the fees a licensed lender can charge:
| Fee | Legal maximum | What it’s for |
|---|---|---|
| Establishment fee | Up to 20% of the amount borrowed | A one-off fee for setting up the loan |
| Monthly fee | Up to 4% of the amount borrowed, each month | An ongoing fee for the life of the loan |
These are maximums, not the figure every lender charges. Your actual fees depend on the licensed lender who assesses you and your circumstances. Larger loans (Medium Amount Credit Contracts over $2,000) are structured differently and can include interest. For a full breakdown, see our guide to payday loan fees explained.
Why you won’t find a worked cost example on this page
We’ve kept lender pricing off this page on purpose. Our side of the arrangement is the simple half: you pay us nothing, and a panel lender may pay us a referral fee if you go ahead with them. What a loan costs is the lender’s disclosure to make, inside the caps above and inside the contract you’re asked to sign, and putting our own worked sum next to it would only muddy whose number is whose. If you want dollar figures before you apply, our index of the capped cost of any loan size sets them out properly.
Watch for red flags. Any lender promising “guaranteed approval”, “no credit check” or fees beyond the 20% + 4% caps for a SACC is not following the rules. Licensed lenders must assess affordability and belong to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), where you can complain for free if something goes wrong.
Check the numbers for yourself
We think the most trustworthy comparison is one you can verify. Before you commit to any loan, it’s worth using an independent source:
- ASIC Moneysmart runs a free payday-loan calculator and a plain-language guide to fees and caps.
- The National Debt Helpline (1800 007 007) offers free, confidential financial counselling, not a sales pitch.
In one line: Perfect Payday is free for you; lenders pay us a referral fee; and any loan fees are set by a licensed lender within the legal 20% + 4% SACC caps. No hidden consumer charges, and no quotes from us.
If you’ve weighed the cheaper options and a small short-term loan is still the right fit, you can apply below, free and with no obligation. We’ll pass your details to a licensed lender who assesses affordability and makes any decision.
Frequently asked questions
Does Perfect Payday charge me a fee to use it?
No. Perfect Payday is completely free for consumers. You'll never pay us to compare options or to be matched with a licensed lender. We're paid a referral fee by lenders in our panel, not by you.
How does Perfect Payday make money if it's free for me?
When a licensed lender on our panel accepts a referral and you proceed with them, that lender may pay us a referral fee. This never adds to your cost and never influences a lender's affordability decision or your rate.
What fees can a payday lender actually charge?
For a Small Amount Credit Contract (SACC), the law caps fees at a 20% establishment fee plus a 4% monthly fee. There's no interest rate as such; those capped fees are the cost of the loan. Your actual fees depend on the licensed lender who assesses you.
Will I get a quote on this page?
No. We're a referral service, not a lender, so we can't quote a rate. The licensed lender who assesses your application sets any fees within the legal caps. We set out the caps here and link to our cost index if you want the dollar figures.
Does applying through Perfect Payday cost anything or commit me?
Applying is free and never commits you to a loan. You only have a contract if you accept an offer from a licensed lender. Applying also never guarantees approval, because lenders must assess affordability.
Where can I check fees independently?
ASIC's Moneysmart has a free payday-loan calculator and a plain-language guide to fees and caps. It's a trusted, government-run source for comparing the true cost of any short-term loan.