Key highlights
- Pricing starts with the lender's cost of funds
- A margin is added for the risk in your deal
- Credit, the asset and structure all shape the rate
- Each lender weighs these factors differently, so offers vary widely
Lenders price equipment finance by starting with their own cost of funds and adding a margin that reflects the risk in your deal. That risk is judged from your credit and trading history, the asset being financed, the deal structure and deposit, and broader market conditions. The lower the risk, the sharper the price. Because each lender weighs these differently, Overdrive Machinery Finance compares 80+ lenders to find the one that prices your deal most keenly.
It starts with the cost of funds
Every lender has to source the money it lends, and that funding has a cost which moves with broader market conditions. This cost of funds is the foundation of the rate. On top of it, the lender adds a margin to cover its operating costs, its risk and its profit. When market funding costs rise, the base beneath every rate lifts, which is why pricing across the market tends to move together over time. But the cost of funds is only the starting point; the margin added on top is where your particular deal, and the differences between lenders, come into play, producing the varied offers borrowers see.
Assessing the risk in your deal
The margin a lender adds depends heavily on how risky it judges your deal to be. It looks at your credit file and trading history for evidence you manage repayments well, at how long your ABN has traded, and at your capacity to service the finance. A clean, established profile signals lower risk and earns a sharper margin, while defaults, a very new ABN or thin documentation raise the risk and the price. Low-doc deals, where the lender has less information, are priced above full-doc ones for the same reason. In short, the more confident a lender is that it will be repaid, the less it needs to charge.
The asset and the structure
Because equipment finance is secured by the asset, that asset is central to pricing. A newer, mainstream item that holds value and resells easily lowers the lender's risk, supporting a keener rate, while older, specialised or fast-depreciating gear pushes pricing up. The structure matters too: a larger deposit or trade-in reduces the amount at risk, and the term affects how long the lender is exposed. As a guide, rates start from around 6.55% p.a. for strong, asset-backed deals, with lower-doc, older or cheaper assets and weaker credit priced higher, indicative and subject to lender assessment. These elements combine into the final margin.
Why lenders reach different prices
Given the same deal, lenders often arrive at different prices, because they do not weigh the factors identically. Each has its own cost of funds, its own risk models, and its own appetite for particular assets and industries. A lender keen to grow in your segment may price sharply to win the business, while one with little interest prices high or declines. Fee structures differ as well. This is why the rate is not a single market number but each lender's individual answer to your deal, and why comparing across many lenders is the most reliable way to find the keenest price for your circumstances.
Understanding how pricing works shows why the same deal can attract such different offers, and why comparison matters so much. Overdrive Machinery Finance puts your deal to 80+ lenders to find the one whose pricing suits it best. Reach out for a free quote and we will show you where your deal is priced most keenly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do all lenders use the same base rate?
No. Each lender has its own cost of funds, which moves with broader market conditions but is not identical across lenders. On top of that, they add different margins based on their own risk models and appetite. This is why the same deal can be priced quite differently from one lender to the next.
What is the biggest factor in my rate?
There is no single factor; the cost of funds sets the base, then your credit, the asset, the deal structure and market conditions combine to set the margin. For many borrowers, credit strength and the quality of the asset carry the most weight, but each lender weighs them differently, subject to its own assessment.
Why do low-doc deals cost more?
Because the lender has less information to assess your risk. With limited financials, it cannot verify capacity as fully, so it prices in that uncertainty with a higher margin. Providing more documentation, where you can, may unlock sharper pricing, particularly on larger deals, subject to the lender's assessment of your full application.
Can I influence how a lender prices my deal?
Yes, to a degree. A clean credit file, a mainstream asset, a reasonable deposit and complete documentation all lower the perceived risk and can sharpen your rate. You cannot control the cost of funds or the market, but you can present the strongest possible deal and compare lenders to find the keenest fit.
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