Athena Home Loans review

Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Athena Home Loans suits Australian owner-occupiers and investors who want a fee-free home loan from a direct lender. It offers a variable rate of 6.24% with fees of AUD 0 on Straight Up, though the fixed period runs 1 to 3 only.

Key facts

Best for
Home owners and investors in Australia who want a fee-free variable home loan from a direct lender.
APR
6.24% to 6.39%↗
Loan amount
A$10,000 to A$2,000,000↗
Term
300 months↗
Arrangement fee
AUD 0 - no application, valuation, ongoing, monthly or exit fees on Straight Up and Power Up↗
Credit check
Soft prequal↗
Funding time
15 mins to apply online, with fast pre-approval↗
Representative example
Comparison rate based on a $150,000 secured loan over a 25 year term↗
Rate type
Variable↗
Lender type
Direct lender↗
Free early repayment
Yes↗
Eligibility
Home owners and investors, including self-employed; all loans subject to Athena's eligibility and lending criteria↗
Origination fee (%)
0%↗
Loan types
Secured, Bridging, Debt-consolidation↗
Legal entity
Athena Mortgage Pty Ltd↗
Headquarters
Australia↗
Founded
2019↗
Support channels
Email, Chat, Phone, Help-centre↗
Pricing model
Fixed rate
Official website
athena.com.au

Mortgages

Initial rate
6.24%↗
APRC
6.24%↗
Fixed period
1 to 3 years↗
Maximum loan to value
85%↗
Product fee
A$0↗
Purpose
Purchase, Remortgage, First-time-buyer, Buy-to-let↗

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 13 sources

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Straight Up and Power Up carry fees of AUD 0, with no application, valuation, ongoing, monthly or exit fees
  • Free early repayment, so you can pay the home loan off ahead of schedule without a charge
  • Variable rate of 6.24% with a 1 to 3 fixed period available
  • Applications take 15 mins to apply online, with fast pre-approval

Cons

  • The fixed period runs 1 to 3, short against a site median of 10 years for the wider market
  • Maximum loan to value is 85%, below the 90% seen across lenders on the site
  • Purpose covers purchase, remortgage, first-time-buyer and buy-to-let, with no split or construction option listed
Athena Home Loans

Ready to try Athena Home Loans?

Scored 9.3 / 10 by SumCue.

Who it suits

  • Home owners and investors in Australia, including self-employed applicants
  • Buyers who want fees of AUD 0 and no exit fee on Straight Up and Power Up
  • Self-employed applicants who can meet Athena's eligibility and lending criteria

Who should look elsewhere

  • Borrowers wanting a long fixed period, since the fixed period runs 1 to 3
  • Buyers needing a maximum loan to value above 85%, where Creduma ES may be worth checking
  • Anyone looking for a credit check free prequalification, since credit checks here are soft prequal

How Athena Home Loans compares

Where Athena Home Loans is available

Available
Australia
Licence in Australia
ASIC (502611), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

What does Athena Home Loans charge in fees?+

Straight Up and Power Up carry fees of AUD 0, with no application, valuation, ongoing, monthly or exit fees. Early repayment is free, so paying the home loan off early adds no charge. The legal entity behind the loans is Athena Mortgage Pty Ltd.

What rate does Athena Home Loans offer?+

Athena Home Loans is a variable rate lender, and the advertised initial rate is 6.24%. Comparison rates on Straight Up start at 6.24%, and the representative example is based on a secured loan over a longer term.

How long can I fix my rate for?+

The fixed period runs 1 to 3, so you can hold a fixed rate for a short stretch and then move to a variable rate. A site median for fixed periods among wider lenders is 10 years, so this is a shorter window than most.

How much can I borrow?+

Home loans run from AUD 10,000 to AUD 2,000,000 for purchase, remortgage, first-time-buyer and buy-to-let purposes. The maximum loan to value is 85%, so you will need a deposit on most Australian properties.

How does Athena check my credit?+

The credit check style here is soft prequal, so browsing for a rate does not carry the same weight as a full assessment. A hard credit check is the norm for 75% of brands listed on the site, and prequalification accounts for 20.1%.

Who can apply?+

Home owners and investors in Australia can apply, including self-employed applicants, and all loans are subject to Athena's eligibility and lending criteria. The lender is headquartered in Australia and was founded in 2019.

How long does applying take?+

Applications take 15 mins to apply online, with fast pre-approval, and the lender describes fast pre-approval. Support runs on email, chat and phone, so you can reach the team by email, chat, phone or the help centre.

Is Athena Home Loans regulated?+

The lender holds an Australian licence from 502611 under Athena Mortgage Pty Ltd. It lends as a direct lender rather than a broker, which means you deal with one lender across secured, bridging and debt-consolidation loans.

Sources

  • athena.com.au checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Credit check, Funding time

    “Calculate your repayments, see your loan options and check your eligibility in 3 minutes. No credit checks here!”

  • athena.com.au/fixed checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Fixed period

    “Fixed rate period 1, 2 or 3 years”

  • athena.com.au/products checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Purpose

    “Try these home loans on for size: Straight Up, Power Up, Interest Only, Fixed Rate - Loans for home owners and sophisticated investors, buying and refinancing”

  • athena.com.au/straight-up checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: APRC, Initial rate, Product fee

    “Our Straight Up rates - Owner Occupied, Principal & Interest, 0-50% Obliterate: Rate 6.24%, Comparison Rate 6.24%”

  • athena.com.au/tailored checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Maximum loan to value

    “We're one of the few lenders that offers 15% deposit home loans, meaning you can borrow up to 85% of your property's value, without LMI”

  • athena.com.au/about checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Founded, Legal entity

    “Athena Home Loans burst into the industry in 2019 to shake things up and change home loans for good.”

  • athena.com.au/eligibility checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Eligibility

    “All loans are subject to Athena's eligibility and lending criteria. Rates and features may vary depending on your individual circumstances and documentation provided.”

  • athena.com.au/faq/about-athena checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Headquarters, Support channels, Licences

    “Our Australian Credit Licence (502611 if you need to know) means we're governed by ASIC and legally bound to follow their compliance rules.”

  • athena.com.au/faq/athenas-home-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Loan amount, Loan types, Arrangement fee

    “Our minimum loan amount is $10,000 and our maximum loan amount is $2,000,000. These limits also apply to split loans.”

  • athena.com.au/faq/athenas-rates checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Lender type

    “You can now go direct to a reputable lender. By bypassing the banks and the brokers, you bypass all their big built-in costs.”

  • athena.com.au/features checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Free early repayment, Pricing model, Origination fee (%)

    “Unlimited extra repayments - Make as many extra payments whenever you want - Athena's fee-free turbo-boost.”

  • athena.com.au/our-loans checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: APR, Representative example, Term

    “Owner Occupier -> Principal & Interest Straight Up: 70-80% 6.39%, 60-70% 6.34%, 50-60% 6.29%, 0-50% 6.24%”

  • athena.com.au/products checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Rate type

    “Our super sharp variable rate product with redraw facility. No frills or fuss just an awesome low rate.”

Compiled from 13 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Athena Home Loans

Athena Home Loans

Home owners and investors in Australia who want a fee-free variable home loan from a direct lender.

9.3/10See alternatives