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Opinion

Broker technology continues to evolve, but not all are adopted or trusted

Jake Sandford discusses the latest broker technology trends and which tools are delivering the strongest user experience.

Opinion
6 min read
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Broker technology continues to evolve, but not all are adopted or trusted
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Technology continues to play a pivotal role in how mortgage brokers manage client journeys, recommend products, and meet compliance requirements. But with such a wide range of tools available, not all solutions are equally adopted. Or equally trusted.

To understand how the market is using technology, we asked brokers in our H1 Mortgage Lender Benchmark Study: “For the following functions, do you use an in-house system, an external provider, or not use a tool at all?”

The latest results show that technology is continuing to evolve. While some tools are now widely used by brokers in their day-to-day work, others have yet to see consistent adoption. We’re also seeing an increase in brokers turning to more bespoke in-house systems than relying on external tech providers.

Criteria sourcing (69.9%) and product sourcing platforms (67.0%) remain the most widely outsourced elements of the broker tech stack, underlining the reliance on specialist external providers for accurate, up-to-date decisioning support. So much so, only 32.5% of brokers say they don’t use a sourcing tool. Affordability tools are also primarily outsourced (68.8%), whilst CRM usage remains split, with 41.8% using external systems and 47.7% self-managing or relying on in-house builds.

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The technology brokers use

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Brokers rely on a broad mix of technology to research, place and manage cases, but satisfaction continues to vary significantly by tool type.

Product sourcing is the strongest-performing category in H1 2026, with a Broker Experience Index of 71.0. It leads across most core measures, including overall satisfaction, ease of use and meeting expectations. This reflects the importance of sourcing platforms in helping brokers move quickly from client need to suitable product options.

Criteria sourcing follows closely with a Broker Experience Index of 70.4 and a strong NPS of +21.3. As criteria complexity continues to shape the advice process, brokers place significant value on tools that offer clarity, accuracy and confidence when assessing lender fit.

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Affordability tools also perform well, with a Broker Experience Index of 69.1. They score particularly strongly on ease of use, showing how important clear affordability checks have become to case placement and client conversations.

CRM remains the weakest category, with a Broker Experience Index of 62.8 and a negative NPS of -11.8. While CRM platforms are central to many broker businesses, the results suggest that user experience, innovation and flexibility still lag behind the more decision-led parts of the tech stack.

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CRM

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One Mortgage System leads the CRM table with a Broker Experience Index of 67.0. It performs well across overall satisfaction, ease of use, value for money and customer support, suggesting a balanced experience rather than reliance on one standout measure.

Mortgage Advice Bureau follows at 65.6, supported by the strongest NPS and solid ratings for ease and innovation. Acre Software ranks third at 64.1, and Finova, Primis Mortgage Network and Iress sit closely behind. These providers form a highly competitive middle tier, where even modest gains in areas such as value, customer support, or innovation could have a meaningful impact on overall perceptions and rankings.

CRM platforms remain the lowest-performing part of the four tech functions, with the category recording a Broker Experience Index of 62.8 and negative NPS. While CRM systems are essential to business operations, they often place significant demands on users and can feel less intuitive and flexible than other tools brokers use.

However, the CRM table shows that brokers want technology that reduces admin, adapts to advice journeys and helps them manage clients without adding unnecessary friction.

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Product sourcing

Product sourcing is the highest-performing broker technology category in H1 2026, with a Broker Experience Index of 71.0. This reflects the central role sourcing platforms play in research, advice, recommendation and compliance.

Air Sourcing leads the product sourcing table with a Broker Experience Index of 75.2. It scores particularly strongly for ease of use, customer support and innovation, showing how much brokers value platforms that make product comparison feel clear and efficient.

Mortgage Advice Bureau follows at 73.6 and records the highest NPS in the table at +68.8, alongside the strongest overall satisfaction rating. Twenty7tec ranks third, supported by consistently strong scores across usability, expectations, value and support. Iress also performs well at 71.6, while Mortgage Brain and Acre Software remain established, particularly on innovation and overall satisfaction.

The wider story is that brokers have high expectations for sourcing tools because they sit so close to the advice recommendation. Rather than simply returning results, the strongest providers are helping brokers filter, compare and evidence choices with speed and confidence.

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Affordability

Affordability tools remain a crucial part of the advice and placement process, helping brokers assess borrowing potential, manage expectations and identify suitable lender routes earlier in the journey.

Mortgage Broker Tools leads the affordability table with a Broker Experience Index of 72.8. It records the highest NPS in the category at +52.5, plus standout scores for overall satisfaction, ease of use, meeting expectations and value for money.

Twenty7tec ranks second with a Broker Experience Index of 69.2, supported by strong ease of use and expectation scores. Legal & General (L&G) follows closely at 69.0, with strong value for money and innovation ratings.

Iress and Mortgage Brain also perform well, both scoring above 68.0 and showing broad consistency across the core measures. Acre Software sits lower in the table at 65.8, with a negative NPS despite reasonable ease-of-use and support scores.

This category performs strongly because affordability is directly linked with case confidence. Brokers value tools that provide clear outputs and help them explain borrowing options with greater certainty.

Criteria sourcing

Criteria sourcing remains one of the strongest-performing areas of broker technology, with a category Broker Experience Index of 70.4. In a market where lender appetite, policy detail and case fit can change quickly, brokers continue to place high value on tools that make criteria easier to search, interpret and apply.

Air Sourcing leads the table with a Broker Experience Index of 74.5. It achieves the highest overall satisfaction score, the strongest NPS and standout ratings for customer support and innovation. Its performance points to a well-rounded broker experience – combining accuracy, usability and confidence.

Iress follows at 72.2, scoring strongly across ease of use and customer support. Knowledge Bank is close behind at 72.1, with particularly strong value for money and solid scores across the wider experience. Legal & General (L&G) and Twenty7tec also perform well, both achieving Broker Experience Index scores of 70.0 or above.

Criteria sourcing is now a core decisioning tool rather than a nice-to-have. The leading providers are those that help brokers move from uncertainty to confidence quickly, particularly on cases where policy detail can determine whether a recommendation succeeds.

Overall, the strongest tools are those that help brokers make better decisions faster. The biggest opportunity lies in making operational systems feel as intuitive and valuable as sourcing and affordability platforms.

Jake Sandford is head of data and analytics at Smart Money People

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