Athena Home Loans & Rates Comparison

RATE OF THE DAY
Variable
5.99%
Comparison Rate*
5.99%
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This is our pick of Athena’s top home loan rates. Rate shown is for owner occupiers making principal and interest repayments with a loan-to-value ratio of 50%.
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Athena’s best home loan rates

Athena is an online-only, non-bank lender that offers a range of variable and fixed loans for almost no fees with innovative features that aim to help borrowers pay off their mortgage faster. Compare some of Athena’s best variable and fixed home loan rates for owner occupiers and investors.

Lender
Variable
1-Year Fixed
2-Year Fixed
3-Year Fixed
4-Year Fixed
5-Year Fixed
5.99%
Interest Rate
5.99%
Comparison Rate
6.69%
Interest Rate
6.06%
Comparison Rate
6.74%
Interest Rate
6.14%
Comparison Rate
6.79%
Interest Rate
6.22%
Comparison Rate
N/A
Interest Rate
N/A
Comparison Rate
N/A
Interest Rate
N/A
Comparison Rate
Owner occupier loans with principal and interest repayments. Rates assume 50% LVR.
Lender
Variable
1-Year Fixed
2-Year Fixed
3-Year Fixed
4-Year Fixed
5-Year Fixed
6.09%
Interest Rate
6.09%
Comparison Rate
6.79%
Interest Rate
6.16%
Comparison Rate
6.84%
Interest Rate
6.24%
Comparison Rate
6.89%
Interest Rate
6.32%
Comparison Rate
N/A
Interest Rate
N/A
Comparison Rate
N/A
Interest Rate
N/A
Comparison Rate
Investment loans with principal and interest repayments. Rates assume 50% LVR.

Athena variable home loan rates

Athena has two variable rate home loans that offer different levels of inclusions and interest rates based on different loan-to-value ratio (LVR) tiers.

Straight Up Home Loan

Athena’s Straight Up Home Loan has a low variable interest rate and none of the standard fees that sometimes come with a home loan. There’s no offset account, but borrowers can redraw extra repayments at no extra fee. The interest rate will also decrease over the lifetime of the loan as part of Athena’s AcceleRATES program. Athena’s home loan rate tiers, based on the LVR band, are labelled Liberate (70-80%), Evaporate (60-70%), Celebrate (50-60%), and Obliterate (0-50%). 

Power Up Home Loan

Athena’s Power Up Home Loan is their more comprehensive and feature-rich variable rate loan. It has no fees, redraw capacity, as well as up to 10 offset accounts available.

Athena’s fixed home loan rates

Athena’s fixed rate home loan has no fees, can be split with a variable loan and lets borrowers make extra repayments. Fixed durations are available for up to three years with LVR bands up to 80% available.

Fixed Rate Home Loan

Athena’s variable investment home loan rates

Athena offers the same suite of variable home loans to investors with different rates. Its AcceleRATES initiative means that the interest rate will decrease the more that the loan is paid off. 

Straight Up Home Loan - investment

Power Up Home Loan - investment

Athena’s fixed investment home loan rates

Fixed Rate Home Loan - investment

Athena’s variable interest-only home loan rates for owner occupier

Athena has interest-only products in both its fixed and variable rate options, that let borrowers pay just the interest for up to 5 years, then the principal amount is added to repayments. 

Straight Up Home Loan - interest-only

Power Up Home Loan - interest-only

Athena’s fixed interest-only home loan rates for owner occupiers

Fixed Rate Home Loan - interest-only

Athena’s variable interest-only home loan rates for investors

Straight Up Home Loan - investment (interest-only)

Power Up Home Loan - investment (interest-only)

Athena’s fixed interest-only home loan rates for investors

Fixed Rate Home Loan - investment (interest-only)

How competitive are Athena’s home loan rates?

Athena’s home loan rates are relatively competitive, especially given the features it offers but there are sharper rates in the market. 

Its variable rates are more closely aligned to the bigger lenders than its fixed rates, but overall it tends to still be a bit higher. Athena generally offers better rates for borrowers with a low LVR band, but its rates increase with the size of the loan relative to the property value. 

Athena’s fairly middle-of-the-road rates are partially balanced out by its low fees and AcceleRATES program that reduces rates the more you pay down the loan. While these can be useful benefits for some borrowers, it’s worthwhile comparing options from other lenders to ensure that you're getting the best home loan rate for you. 

Compare Athena's home loan rates to other non-major lenders:

What are Athena’s lowest home loan rates?

Athena’s lowest rate currently available is from its variable Straight Up Obliterate Home Loan with a 0-50% LVR. 

For a fixed home loan Athena’s lowest rate is seen for their one-year fixed term for owner occupiers with an LVR band up to 50%. Given the low LVR requirement, this product is likely going to be better suited to borrowers looking for a low refinance home loan rate.

Shopping home loan rates beyond the big banks?

Non-major banks
Think ING, HSBC, Bendigo, Suncorp Bank etc. In terms of products and processes, these will be very similar to the big 4 banks who lead the trends in banking in Australia. But non-major banks often have lower rates and special offers (e.g. refinance cashback) in order to be competitive versus the bigger lenders. The non-major banks are still well-known brands with high-quality online tools systems.
Customer-owned
There are dozens of small member-owned banks and credit unions in Australia. Many are focussed on customers in a particular regional area, or even workers in a certain profession. These lenders often have the lowest rates in the market and personalised customer service, but the eligibility criteria may be more limited and the application process can be slow.
Non-bank lenders
Australian borrowers also have plenty of choice among non-bank home loan providers. Some are mainstream lenders (often online only) offering loans to your typical home loan borrowers. Others specialise in offering loans to cater for specific borrowers and scenarios, such as self-employed borrowers, bad credit borrowers or SMSF loans.

Athena home loan FAQs

Should I get my home loan from Athena?

Athena is a digital non-bank home loan lender that entered into the market in 2019 with the aim of challenging the big four banks’ hold over home loans. Since then it’s become known for having high customer satisfaction scores, no fees and innovative features to help borrowers pay down their loan faster. 

Athena’s status as a digital lender with no physical branches hasn’t prevented them from providing high levels of customer service. Its current Product Review rating is 4.4 with 464 customer reviews, which is higher than each of Australia's four major banks:
- ANZ home loans (1.3)

- CommBank home loans (1.6)

- NAB home loans (1.4)

- Westpac home loans (1.3)

Athena charges no fees for its Straight Up or Power Up home loans, but break costs apply for fixed rate loans and there’s some fees for its tailored home loans. For all of its loans, government charges or any third-party costs will still apply. 

It also has features to help borrowers pay their mortgage off faster, including Athena’s AcceleRATES initiative which decreases the loan’s interest rate the more it is paid down.

But is Athena the best option for you? Well, that depends on your personal circumstances and preferences, as there’s not one home loan that suits everyone’s needs. For example, if you’re happy to go with a lender that’s relatively new to the market versus a loan from a bank with more established experience in the industry. Either way, it’s important to compare home loans with multiple lenders to ensure that you're getting the best rates, features and fees for your situation. 

Is Athena increasing its home loan rates in 2026?

Yes, Athena, like most home loan lenders, has raised its interest rates in 2026 to align with the Reserve Bank Australia’s cash rate hikes. Predictions indicate that more interest rate rises are possible for the rest of the year. 

If you haven’t compared your rate recently, it’s worth checking to see if there’s a better home loan rate elsewhere. 

What’s the best Athena home loan?

There’s no one-size-fits-all option when it comes to home loans, and Athena’s products are no exception to that rule. The best way to decide whether a home loan is suitable for you is to weigh up the benefits with the cost. 

The lowest rate currently being offered by Athena is the Straight Up Variable Home Loan for a 0-50% LVR band. Just bear in mind it’s the most basic model available, with no fees and it doesn’t include features like multi-offset or a split loan option. 

How do I apply for an Athena home loan?

The process of applying for an Athena home loan takes place primarily online, with help available from its Loan Experts over a phone consultation. 

The process has been simplified to make the application and approval quicker. The first step is to compare loan options, check eligibility, and calculate repayments. The initial application is estimated to take 15 minutes to complete with a decision possible 60 seconds after submitting. The final step after approval is to review and return any necessary documentation requested by Athena. 

Does Athena offer home loans as part of the Home Guarantee Scheme?

No, Athena is not a participating lender in the Australian Government’s 5% Deposit Scheme. If you are a first home buyer looking to take advantage of this initiative it’s worthwhile perusing the government’s first home buyers website for suitable lenders. 

Can I get an offset account on an Athena home loan?

Yes, Athena does enable borrowers to have an offset account on their Power Up Variable Rate Home Loan. It has no additional fees, but doesn’t have access to a debit card.