11 Best E-Bike Financing Options in Australia

Last Updated on January 29, 2024 by Igor Karni

E-bike financing options Down Under undoubtedly make all e-bike riders in the country feel luckier than most. What they lack in quantity of options (although this is debatable) is more than made up for by financial services that offer them plenty of eye-catching perks summed up by ad catchphrases like “ride now, pay later” and “12 months, interest-free”. 

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Indeed, as you browse through stores and brands that offer financing in Australia, these offers will almost always greet and (for most e-bike enthusiasts, seize) you. It’s hard to resist being able to spread payment for any item with a hefty price tag, so we won’t be entirely surprised if they evoke a similar alluring response to you. Make no mistake, these financing options are definitely worth it.

We took the time to search out every retail store, brand, bank, or other program and entity concerned with e-bike financing in Australia. Feel free to use this ultimate reference when weighing your options and arriving at a decision.

How to be Eligible for E-bike Financing in Australia

Financing requirements in the country are relatively uniform. It’s also quite evident that they follow the same eligibility requirements as in other countries. Below are the basic factors that will dictate whether your financing application will be approved or not, although, in certain other options, you might expect to encounter more specific requirements. 

• You must be 18 years or older.
• You must also be a permanent Australian citizen or resident. 
• You must have a good credit history. 

Some brands and retailers will specify a certain household income threshold you must reach to know whether you qualify or not immediately. You will also be asked to leave your email address and contact number, especially if you are applying online. 

Read also: What are electric bicycle rules and regulations in Australia? And, what are specialized e-bike insurance companies in Australia?

The online application is very convenient for most because a lot of e-bike stores use Zip (Zip Pay and Zip Money), which has a very no-nonsense way of offering quick financing to consumers, allowing them to enjoy their purchases as soon as possible. 

We’ll talk about it, as well as all the options available to Australians, in greater detail in the section that follows the table below. Incidentally, this table should provide you with a complete overview of your options, so it is worth looking over, too. 

Leading E-bike Financing Organizations in Australia

AfterPay

Buyer’s Edge

Certegy Ezy Pay

GEM Visa

Go Mastercard

Humm

Latitude Finance Australia

Openpay

Skye Finance

Studio 19

Zip

E-bike Financing by Type of Financing Available

Type of Financing	Options Available
Financing by E-bike Brands	Giant Cairns (via Skye Finance) Stealth Electric Bikes (via Skye Finance) Trek
Financing by E-bike Retailers	99 Bikes (via Afterpay and Zip) Bicycles Online (via Zip) Bicycle Superstore (via Afterpay) Bike Society (via Latitude Finance Australia) Bike Superstore (via GE Creditline, Go Mastercard, or GEM Visa) Cargo Cycles (via Zip) For The Riders (via Studio 19 and Humm) Electric Bikes Brisbane (via Skye Finance) Intense Cycles (via GEM Visa and Go Mastercard) My Ride (via Afterpay and Zip) Pirez Electric Bikes (via Zip) Port Melbourne Cycles (via Afterpay, Go Mastercard, GE CreditLine, and Buyer’s Edge) Reef Bikes (via Certegy Ezy Pay)  Urban Pedaler (via Openpay)
Bank Financing	N/A
Other Financing Options	Electric Bike Loan Schemes

Financing by E-bike Brands

There are only a few brands that offer direct financing to Australian e-bike riders, but the four listed below could prove to be enough for at least two of them to be globally recognized. Stealth Electric Bikes and Intense Cycles stand out as two local brands that readily make financing available to their customers. 

Below is an overview of the terms that you can expect from each one. 

• Giant Cairns – Holders of the Skye Mastercard can enjoy interest-free financing, though they have to be earning more than $25,000 a year. The minimum purchase price should also be $1,000. You will be given 12 months with 0% interest for bikes purchased at standard retail prices. What’s more, bikes on sale can also be purchased with 0% interest as long full payment is made within 6 months. 

• Intense Cycles – Go Mastercard and GEM Visa cardholders may avail of interest-free financing for any Intense MTB repayable in a 6-month period. Equal monthly payments should be made; otherwise, interest will apply, as well as late charges. 

• Stealth Electric Bikes – Thanks to its “Ride Now, Pay Later” initiative, this local Australian brand offers 0% interest through Skye Finance. Payment terms can be extended over 6, 12, or 24 months. Although do take note that interest rates are still dependent on what Skye is currently offering. 

• Trek – Buyers who checkout from the Trek Superstore can use a special Trek Credit Card, which is issued by Comenity Bank. APR is set at 26.99%. Holders can still enjoy 0% interest as long as the full balance is paid monthly by the due date. The due date is usually at least 25 days after each billing period’s closure. 

Read also: Best known e-bike brands in Australia. And, Best specialized electric bike insurance companies in Australia.

Financing by E-bike Retailers

Much like in most countries, it’s in Australian retailers that you can bet your bottom dollar will provide you with plenty of financing options. Online financial services like Afterpay and Zip figure predominantly in most e-bike stores that transactions can be done completely through the Internet. 

Still, there are other players as well, and the list above only proves this. Not that it’s bad for consumers, though, because who doesn’t want to have as many options as possible when it comes to e-bike financing? Simply go over this list, and you may well save a lot of time in making your decision.

• 99 Bikes – You can choose between Afterpay or Zip in this store. Afterpay has a default term of 0% interest over four installments. Interest will increase only if the buyer fails to pay on time. The minimum purchase value is fairly low at $50, and applications are made entirely online.
  
  As for Zip, you can either choose Zip Pay (for spendings no more than $1,000) or Zip Money (for those over $1,000 and up to $8,000). The former is notably always 0% interest, while the latter offers the same for a 12-month period. Zip Money could (but not for all transactions) also warrant a one-time establishment fee that costs up to $99. 

• Bicycles Online – This store also uses Zip and offers the same terms as the one mentioned above.

• Bicycle Superstore – You may use Afterpay in this store which offers the standard four equal installments for zero interest. The maximum transaction is limited to $1,000 only. 

• Bike Society – For a minimum purchase amount of $500, you can avail of 12 months of interest-free financing. The offer is only available for items bought at the standard ticketed price.

• Bike Superstore – Holders of cards like GE Creditline and Go Mastercard can enjoy 0% interest for 6 months with a minimum purchase amount of $1,000. Subsequently, those with GEM Visa can also enjoy either 12 months or 18 months of repayment interest-free for purchases over $2,000 or $5,000, respectively. If you opt for 18 months, you have to make a deposit of ⅓ of the total amount first. 

• Cargo Cycles – Also uses Zip with a focus on Zip Money. Credit is capped at $5,000, and interest-free repayment should not go beyond 6 months.

• For The Riders – You can choose two options with this Brisbane MTB store: Studio 19 or Humm. The former involves renting an e-bike for a minimum of 6 months, after which you’ll be able to have the option to buy it.
  
  This way, you won’t have to pay for it outright AND immediately enter into a long-term loan. Perfect for riders who tend to change models frequently. As for Humm, you can choose payment plans that range from 6 to 24 months, depending on the total purchase amount — the total has to be a minimum of $700. 

• Electric Bikes Brisbane – Through Skey Finance, you can either get 6 months or 12 months with 0% interest. 12-month terms require a 25% initial deposit. The minimum amount required to be eligible for financing is $400. 

• My Ride – You can use either Afterpay, Zip Pay, or Zip Money with this store. The credit limit is set to $1,500 for Afterpay with a 25% deposit, while those that opt for any of the two Zip choices can enjoy the terms mentioned above. 

• Pirez Electric Bikes – This store uses only Zip Money with a minimum period of 3 months, eligible for 0% interest. Certain retailers of this brand even allow extensions of up to 48 months. Once the interest-free period expires, a set interest rate of 19.9% will promptly be applied. 

• Port Melbourne Cycles – Uses Afterpay and cards like GE Creditline, Go Mastercard, and Buyer’s Edge. The interest-free period starts from 6 up to 24 months based on the total purchase amount. 

• Reef Bikes – Partners with Certegy Ezi Pay to deliver zero interest for a set 12-month payment plan.

• Urban Pedaler – You can choose Openpay for any purchase in this store for orders amounting between $100 to $6,000. Openpay offers plenty of freedom to customize your payment plan, with periods ranging from 1 to 24 months based on the item you purchased. An initial deposit is required then you can opt to pay the remaining balance either weekly or fortnightly. 

Financing by Banks

There are, unfortunately, no Australian bank financing options you can choose from as far as e-bikes are concerned. Like in other countries, specialized e-bike financing tends to overshadow the interest rates in banks, so there is a tendency for e-bike riders to just go for the former instead. 

Of course, you can always select credit cards as a payment option, but would you be willing to do this knowing that you would be missing out on the interest-free and ride now, pay later perks offered by solutions like Zip and Afterpay?

Other Financing Options for Electric Bikes

There’s not much going on for Australian e-bike riders on the topic of miscellaneous financing options. If you’re interested in leasing an e-bike instead, know that electric bike loan schemes are also available online. These are often limited to certain cities or locales only, though, like the case of the electric bike loan scheme made available by the Canberra Electric Bike Library. 

Something quite similar is available in E-stralian, which specifically caters to companies looking for cheaper and environmentally friendly modes of transport for their employees. The difference is that E-stralian actually offers e-bike models for sale as well, brand-new or otherwise. 

Read also: Best e-bike financing options in the USA, the UK, Canada, Australia. And, Rent, buy, or lease an e-bike?

A few words in conclusion

The majority of e-bike financing options in Australia are evidently straightforward and have minimal and clear-cut requirements for eligibility. There’s an obvious emphasis on being able to enjoy your item well before you even start paying for it, which is undoubtedly a very attractive prospect for any e-bike enthusiast residing in the country. 

Overall, this only makes e-bike financing in the country not so much optional as highly recommended for the average consumer. We hope you gleaned all the necessary insights and information you need about Australian e-bike financing with the help of this resource. 

Read also: Check out Australia’s best travel destinations by electric bike.