Small business grants and loans for a website or software in 2026: what’s actually available
Updated November 2, 2026 · 5 min read
In late 2026, there is no open government grant in Australia that simply pays for a small business website. What is available is cheap or free expert advice, a handful of state programs for particular industries or for cyber security and AI, and the tax system. From 1 July 2026, small businesses with turnover under A$10 million can immediately deduct assets costing less than A$20,000, which can include a website they have built, and hosting and software subscriptions are deductible in the year you pay them.
What is open now
| Program | Who it’s for | What you get | Status, October 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital Solutions (federal) | Fewer than 20 full-time staff, and sole traders | Up to 5 hours of one-on-one digital advice for A$110, plus free workshops | Open |
| AI Adopt Centres (federal) | SMEs in National Reconstruction Fund priority sectors | Free AI training, consultations and roadmaps | Open |
| Small Business Advisory (NSW) | NSW small businesses | Up to 4 hours of advice a year, including digital and AI | Open |
| Business Skills Mentoring (Vic) | 20 or fewer employees | Three one-hour mentoring sessions, including on going digital | Interest closes 31 December 2026 |
| Digital Jobs (Vic) | Construction and advanced manufacturing businesses | Free digital skills training for staff | Round 3 open until the end of 2026 |
| AI Capability Pilot (SA) | Fewer than 20 full-time staff | 9 hours of AI support for A$150 in co-contributions | Open |
| Tasmanian Business Advice Service | Up to 19 full-time staff, ABN at least 12 months old | Up to 5 hours of free advice a year | Open |
| Business Advice and Support (ACT) | Canberra businesses | Up to 4 hours of free tailored advice | Open |
| Cyber Invest Business Program (NT) | Under 200 staff and turnover under A$10 million | Up to A$20,000 for half the cost of cyber controls, software-as-a-service or moving to the cloud | Closes 15 January 2027 |
| Grow Your Business (NT) | Territory businesses | Up to A$5,000 at the first tier, matched 50:50, for specialist advice | Closes 13 November 2026; excludes website builds and software subscriptions |
| CSIRO Kick-Start | Turnover under A$10 million or trading under 3 years | A$20,000–60,000 matched, for research with CSIRO | Open all year; research only |
The A$110 Digital Solutions fee includes GST and is waived for businesses in financial hardship, according to the program’s grant terms. Its previous round supported almost 17,000 small businesses, the Minister for Small Business said in August 2026.
Loans instead of grants
Most state help for growing a business comes as concessional loans, not grants. In Tasmania, the Business Growth Loan Scheme lends A$100,000 to A$5 million over up to five years to GST-registered Tasmanian businesses that can service the loan, until 18 December 2026 or until funding runs out. Elsewhere, current state loan schemes are mostly limited to primary producers or disaster recovery.
Closed or paused, so don’t chase them
- Queensland Business Basics paid A$7,500 with website builds among its priorities, and Business Boost paid A$10,000–20,000 including for software. Both are closed, according to Business Queensland. Queensland’s 2026–27 Budget announced a A$10 million program to help small businesses adopt AI, with no application dates yet, according to a ministerial statement.
- WA Small Business Growth Grants are closed, and the Local Capability Fund’s digital round is closed and under review, according to the Small Business Development Corporation and WA Government.
- The Industry Growth Program is paused to new applications, according to business.gov.au.
- The technology investment boost ended in June 2023, says the ATO, though some older lists still show it.
Grants are the exception, not the rule: 12% of Australian businesses received financial or advisory help from a government organisation in 2024–25, and 5% received a grant, according to the ABS.
The tax help that does apply
| Cost | How it is treated | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Building a website you own | Capital, treated like in-house software | ATO ruling TR 2016/3 |
| If it costs under A$20,000 | Deducted immediately by a small business using simplified depreciation; made permanent from 1 July 2026 for turnover under A$10 million | ATO |
| If it costs A$20,000 or more | Into the small business pool: 15% in the first year, 30% after | ATO |
| Hosting, registrations, software subscriptions | Deducted in the year you pay them | ATO |
| GST on business purchases | Claimable if you’re registered; keep tax invoices for purchases over A$82.50 | ATO |
For example, a small business that pays A$8,000 for a website it owns can deduct the full amount in that year rather than over the five years in-house software otherwise takes, according to the ATO. The 2026–27 Budget estimated the permanent write-off would improve small businesses’ cash flow by around A$890 million over five years, according to budget.gov.au. Ask your accountant how it applies to you.
How to check what you can get
- Use the grants and programs finder on business.gov.au. Filter by “Online and digital” and set the status to “Open”; when we checked in October 2026, 4 of 21 digital programs were open.
- Check your state or territory’s business site as well, because some programs, such as free advice services, appear there first.
- Read the guidelines before you apply. Many programs need matched funding or exclude website builds and ongoing subscriptions.
- Book the free or low-cost advice first. An adviser can help you work out what to build before you spend.
Sources
- business.gov.au: Business Growth Loan Scheme TAS (November 2026)
- business.gov.au: Grants and programs finder
- business.gov.au: Digital Solutions and Digital Solutions Round 3 grant terms
- Minister for Small Business: Small businesses embrace digital support (August 2026)
- business.gov.au: AI Adopt Centres and Industry Growth Program
- Service NSW: Small Business Advisory (September 2026)
- Business Victoria: Business Skills Mentoring (October 2026) and Digital Jobs (September 2026)
- Business SA: AI Capability Pilot Program
- Business Tasmania: Tasmanian Business Advice Service
- ACT Government: Get help and advice (September 2026)
- business.gov.au: Cyber Invest Business Program NT and NT Government: Grow Your Business
- CSIRO: Kick-Start (August 2026)
- Business Queensland: Grants schedule (September 2026) and Queensland ministerial statement (June 2026)
- WA Small Business Development Corporation: Grants (October 2026) and WA Government: Local Capability Fund digital round (March 2026)
- ATO: TR 2016/3, deductibility of expenditure on a commercial website
- ATO: $20,000 instant asset write-off (August 2026), Simpler depreciation for small business (August 2026) and In-house software
- ATO: Deductions for digital product expenses (May 2026) and When you can claim a GST credit (September 2026)
- ATO: Small business technology investment boost
- Budget 2026–27: Tax reform
- ABS: Characteristics of Australian Business, 2024–25 (June 2026)
Programs, amounts and dates were checked on official pages in October 2026 and change often; check the program page before you apply. General information, not tax or financial advice.
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