How we rank brokers
You should never have to guess why a broker appears in your shortlist. This page explains the whole ranking model — including, honestly, where money is involved and where it can never reach.
First, an eligibility filter
Before any scoring happens, brokers must clear a hard gate. No payment, subscription or relationship can get a broker past this filter. A broker cannot appear in your results unless:
- The broker's account is active
- The broker has been approved by our admin team
- Their profile meets minimum completeness standards
- They accept your type of enquiry
- They service your state or area (or remote works for you)
- They have remaining capacity to take on new clients
Then, a suitability score
Eligible brokers are scored on how well they fit you. These are the exact weights used in our current model (v0.1). Suitability makes up 70% of a broker's final ranking score.
Borrower goal fit
25%How closely the broker's core work matches what you are trying to achieve.
Broker specialisation fit
25%Verified specialisations — first-home buyers, SMSF, self-employed, complex credit and more.
Complexity fit
20%Whether the broker has real experience with situations as complex as yours.
Service style fit
10%Educator, fast transactor or strategic planner — matched to how you like to work.
Urgency / availability fit
10%Whether the broker can realistically take you on within your timeframe.
Location, language & preference fit
5%Local knowledge, languages and personal preferences where they matter to you.
Market context fit
5%Brokers whose strengths line up with current market conditions get a small edge.
Plus, a performance score
Suitability tells us a broker should be a good fit. Performance tells us how brokers actually behave once matched. It contributes 20% of the final score (with a further 5% for ranking confidence as data builds). Performance is measured on:
Response speed
How quickly the broker responds to new matches.
Lead status discipline
Whether they keep enquiry statuses up to date, so you're never left in the dark.
Appointment conversion
How often initial conversations turn into real appointments.
Consumer feedback
What borrowers like you say after speaking with them.
Settlement outcomes
Whether engagements result in successful outcomes.
Complaint flags
Any complaints weigh against a broker's score.
Scenario-specific performance
A broker can rank highly for refinances yet lower for SMSF, based on real results.
Performance scoring uses placeholder data in this v0.1 prototype and will be driven by live outcomes at launch.
Finally, the honest bit: paid placement
Participating brokers may pay subscription or placement fees. We would rather tell you exactly how that works than hide it in fine print. Brokers can hold one of four partnership tiers:
Verified brokers on the free/entry tier. Full access to matching with zero visibility boost.
Paid tier with a small visibility boost and richer profile presentation.
Paid tier for brokers with verified deep specialisations, highlighted in relevant matches.
The highest paid tier, with the largest (still capped) visibility boost and featured presentation.
What paid placement can do
- • Apply a small, capped visibility boost among already-suitable brokers
- • Unlock richer profile presentation and tier labels
- • Highlight verified specialisations in relevant matches
What it can never do
- • Override the eligibility filter
- • Put a broker in your results below our minimum suitability threshold
- • Outrank a clearly better-suited broker — the boost is capped at a few percent
- • Buy back a ranking lost to poor responsiveness or bad feedback
In plain terms: paid tiers act as a small tie-breaker among brokers who are already right for you. Money never decides whether a broker suits your situation — only your answers and the broker's verified capabilities and track record do that.
The loop that keeps it honest
Rankings are not set-and-forget. After each match, borrowers are invited to tell us whether the broker responded, listened and helped. Brokers update the outcome of every enquiry they receive. Both feed straight back into performance scores — so brokers who consistently look after borrowers rise, and brokers who do not, fall, whatever tier they pay for.
Your match → your feedback → better rankings → better matches for the next borrower like you.
BrokerFinder.ai helps match consumers with mortgage brokers based on information provided by consumers and participating brokers. BrokerFinder.ai does not provide credit advice, recommend specific loan products, determine eligibility, guarantee approval, guarantee lowest rates or guarantee that a broker will achieve a particular outcome. Participating brokers may pay subscription or placement fees. Paid placement may affect presentation or visibility, but brokers must still meet eligibility and suitability requirements before appearing in consumer match results.