Free speed tool
Cost of delay calculator
Waiting for money is not free. Add up what each day of delay really costs your business, then compare it with the total cost of getting funded fast.
The price of waiting
Total cost of the delay
$0
- Cost per day of waiting$0
- Lost profit over the wait$0
- Penalties and fees$0
- Discounts and other costs$0
- Waiting vs fast financeadd a quote
Your figures, your estimate. This is not financial advice or an offer of finance.
See how fast I could be funded →Ready to start the clock?
A 60-second enquiry shows what is possible for your business, and how fast. No credit check to enquire, and a real person reviews it.
Why the cost of delay matters
Most owners compare a loan against nothing. They see the fees and the repayments, decide it is expensive and wait. But waiting has a price too. It just does not arrive as a single invoice. It leaks out as a late fee here, a missed early-payment discount there, a weekend of sales lost because the shelves were bare, or a crew standing around because the materials could not be paid for.
This calculator puts those leaks in one place so you can make the decision with both sides of the ledger in view. Sometimes the answer is that waiting is cheaper, and that is a perfectly good answer. Often it is not.
How to fill it in honestly
- Lost profit, not lost sales. If a missed sale would have cost you $60 to make and earned $100, enter $40. Overstating this flatters the case for borrowing.
- Penalties you can actually see. Late fees in supplier terms, rent arrears charges, the ATO's general interest charge on an overdue balance, or contract penalties for running late.
- Discounts with a deadline. A supplier offering a discount for payment within seven days is a real, calculable saving you lose if the cash is not there.
- Knock-on costs. Extension fees on a property settlement, a lost tender, or idle machinery hire all belong in the other costs box.
Reading the comparison
Add the total cost of a quoted facility, including every fee and all interest over the term, and the calculator shows whether the delay costs more or less than the finance. If waiting is the more expensive option by a clear margin, speed is worth paying for. If the two are close, think about risk: a missed payroll or a lost key supplier can cost far more than the numbers here capture.
Not sure how long you would be waiting? Run the funding speed checker to see a realistic timeline, and read why waiting often costs more than borrowing for worked examples. When the numbers point to moving fast, start your 60-second enquiry. No credit check to enquire.
Questions about this tool
What counts as a cost of delay?
Anything your business loses because money arrives later than it is needed: late fees and penalties, a supplier discount you miss, sales lost because stock is not on the shelf, idle staff or machinery, and work you cannot start or invoice. The calculator lets you enter each one in dollars.
Why compare the cost of waiting with the cost of finance?
Because fast finance is never free, and neither is waiting. If a week of delay costs more than the total cost of a short-term loan, borrowing quickly can be the cheaper path. If it costs less, waiting or negotiating may be smarter. The comparison makes that call visible.
Should I include the ATO general interest charge?
If the delay involves an ATO debt, yes. The ATO publishes its general interest charge rate each quarter, and from 1 July 2025 that charge is no longer tax deductible. Work out the dollar amount for the days you expect to wait and enter it as a daily penalty.
Is this calculator saving my numbers?
No. It runs in your browser and nothing is stored or sent. If you decide to enquire, you will enter your details separately on the enquiry form.
Our promises
No credit check to enquire
Asking where you stand leaves your credit file alone. Any check comes later, and only once you decide to go ahead.
No spray and pray
Your enquiry is not blasted out to a dozen lenders. One team works it, start to finish.
A real person, fast
A human picks up your enquiry, usually within minutes in business hours. Accurate answers on the form mean a faster, cleaner match.
More free speed tools
Funding Speed Checker
Answer eight quick questions and see how fast you could realistically be funded, plus exactly what is slowing you down.
Open the tool →Cash Flow Gap Calculator
Eight weeks of money in and money out. See the lowest point, the day it hits and the size of the hole.
Open the tool →Repayment Estimator
Enter the amount, the term and the total cost quoted. See daily, weekly and monthly repayments. No rates needed.
Open the tool →Equity Release Calculator
Your estimate of the property's worth, what is owed and the lending ratio. See the equity you could put to work.
Open the tool →Fast-Funding Document Checklist
Build your personal checklist by loan type and structure, then tick it off before you apply.
Open the tool →How Much Do I Need?
Add up the bills, the buffer and the timing to find the right amount to ask for, not too little and not too much.
Open the tool →Numbers done? Now let's move fast.
One 60-second enquiry. No credit check to enquire, no spraying your details around, and a real person on it fast.