About us
Everyone deserves a friend who knows lending
LendFriend helps New Zealand business owners understand their borrowing options in plain English, then matches them with a suitable lender from our lending panel. We're not a bank. We're the person you'd ring before you went to one.
Why "LendFriend"?
Some business owners have a mate in finance. When a tax bill lands or a big opportunity comes up, they make a quick call: "Is this a good idea? Who should I talk to? What am I missing?" That friend tells them the truth, points out the catch in the fine print, and nudges them towards the right lender — or away from borrowing altogether.
Most owners don't have that person. They have search results full of headline numbers, lenders keen to sell their own product, and not much time to work out the difference. So they apply in a few places, collect credit enquiries, and hope.
We built LendFriend to be that friend. The concept is simple: what a good friend in finance would tell you before you borrow, followed by a match with the right option from our lending panel.
What do we actually do?
Four things, in this order:
- Listen. You tell us what you need and what you've got to work with.
- Look at your situation. Trading, property, credit, tax, timing and how you'll repay.
- Match you. With the lender on our panel whose criteria genuinely suit you — and explain why.
- Step back while you decide. With the offer explained in plain English.
The lenders on our panel offer property-secured business loans from $20,000 up to $1m, secured on New Zealand property, and unsecured business loans and lines of credit based on turnover and bank statements. Every loan is priced on the borrower's individual circumstances, and we look for the sharpest option available for yours. You can read more on how matching works.
Who do we help?
New Zealand business owners of every shape: sole traders, companies, partnerships and trusts, from cafes and trades to importers, retailers, professional services and rural businesses. The funding is for business purposes only — we don't do personal or household lending.
Many of the people we talk to have been told "no" or "not yet" somewhere else. Their accounts are behind, their credit has a mark or two, there's IRD debt, or they simply can't wait weeks for an answer. Others just want someone to sense-check a plan before they commit. Both are exactly who we're for.
Our five promises
The things a good friend would do. We hold ourselves to them on every call.
We'll explain, not sell.
Every option in plain English — what it costs in total, how repayments work, and what happens if things go wrong.
We'll tell you when not to borrow.
If a loan would make things worse, we'll say so. Even though it means no loan.
We'll match, not spray.
One well-matched application instead of five hopeful ones leaving marks on your credit file.
We won't judge.
Tax debt, defaults, messy books — most of it is just life. Tell us, and we'll work with it.
You decide.
No pressure, no manufactured deadlines. It's your business and your call.
What we're not
- We're not a bank. We work with a panel of lenders and match you with one that suits.
- We're not a rate-shouting comparison table. We don't publish rates, because real pricing depends on your situation.
- We're not a pressure-sales call centre. If you want to think it over, think it over.
How we write our guides
Our friend-to-friend guides are written by the LendFriend editorial team for New Zealand owners, using current sources such as Inland Revenue, the Reserve Bank, MBIE, the Companies Office and Employment New Zealand. We link to the source where it matters and update guides when the rules change. If you spot something that's out of date, tell us.