The Mortgage Lab

What The Mortgage Lab does

The Mortgage Lab (legal entity: Mortgage Lab NZ Limited) is a New Zealand-based mortgage advisory and brokering firm founded in 2014 by Rupert Gough. The company operates a network of 30+ advisers distributed across all major NZ regions — Auckland (headquarters in Ponsonby), Wellington, Christchurch, Bay of Plenty, Canterbury, and Central Otago — offering mortgage, KiwiSaver, insurance, and car loan advisory to first-home buyers, existing homeowners, property investors, and new-build clients. Its core product is a lender-comparison and loan-application service providing access to 27+ approved lenders including all major NZ banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, Westpac) and non-bank lenders (Avanti, Bluestone, Liberty, Pepper, Resimac), supplemented by online mortgage calculators, rate-comparison tools, an iOS mobile app, and multilingual content in English, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, and Hindi. The business is fundamentally human-adviser-led with no proprietary technology platform disclosed; the digital layer is supportive rather than core to delivery.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through commission paid by lenders upon loan settlement, making the service free to end-clients. Exceptions include clawback fees (capped at NZD $2,500) if a loan is discharged within 27 months, upfront broker fees on finance-company loans, and an hourly rate of NZD $250 (capped at $3,000) for aborted engagements. The company is a Licensed Financial Advice Provider (FSP 587228) under the Financial Markets Conduct Act and a member of Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL). Mortgage Lab is privately held, founder-led, has no disclosed external funding, no parent company, and no M&A history; it has grown entirely organically to 11-50 employees.

Name

The Mortgage Lab

Legal name

Mortgage Lab NZ Limited

Website

https://mortgagelab.co.nz

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Mortgage Lab is a New Zealand mortgage advisory firm operating a 30+ adviser network that connects individual borrowers with 27+ approved lenders across core mortgage, KiwiSaver, insurance, and car loan services, earning commission on settled loans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mortgage Advisory Services

NAICS

Mortgage and Nonmortgage Loan Brokers (522310)

SIC

Loan Brokers (6163), Mortgage Bankers & Loan Correspondents (6162)

akta.pro primary industry

Wholesale Mortgage Lending (Broker Channel) (FSALACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mortgage Comparison, Marketplace & Rate-Shopping Platforms (FSALABAJ), Mortgage & Loan Introducers (Residential & Commercial) (FSAEAMAA)

Keywords

• Mortgage advisory services
• Residential mortgage brokering
• Home loan advice
• Kiwisaver advisory
• Refinancing advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Tauranga

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Lender Commission: Mortgage Lab is paid a commission by lenders when a loan settles. This is the primary revenue stream and means the service is free to customers. There are some exceptions: clawback fees may apply if a loan is discharged within 27 months (capped at $2,500), finance company loans may have a broker fee disclosed upfront, and an hourly rate of $250 (capped at $3,000) may apply if a client decides not to proceed after significant work.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Mortgage Lab is a New Zealand mortgage advisory firm that connects individual borrowers with 27+ approved lenders (including ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, Westpac, and non-bank lenders) through a nationwide network of 30+ advisers. Advisers compare lenders, structure loans, handle the application process, and negotiate on the client's behalf, with the service typically free to the customer because the firm is paid lender commission at settlement. Adjacent offerings include KiwiSaver advice, insurance referrals, and car loan advisory.

Product overview

Mortgage Lab is a New Zealand mortgage advisory firm offering a unified mortgage brokering service. The core offering is Mortgage Advisory Services, which connects clients with 27+ approved lenders across main banks (ANZ, ASB, BNZ, Kiwibank, Westpac, and others) and non-bank lenders. This core service is supplemented by Mortgage Tools (online calculators and rate comparison), KiwiSaver Advice, Insurance Referrals, Car Loans, eBooks, and a Mortgage Lab App. The company operates on a commission basis from lenders, making their advisory services free to clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mortgage Advisory Services Core mortgage brokering service that helps first-home buyers, homeowners, investors, and new-build clients in New Zealand compare 27+ approved lenders, structure loans, and complete applications; typically free to clients as the firm is paid commission by lenders at settlement.
• KiwiSaver Advice Advisory service on KiwiSaver providers (Generate, NZ Funds, Booster, ANZ OneAnswer, Koura, Milford) and how to use KiwiSaver savings for first home purchases.
• Insurance Advice Advisory and referral service for life, health, and income protection insurance related to mortgage decisions, including referrals to providers such as Rothbury Insurance.
• Car Loans Advisory Vehicle financing advisory service to help New Zealand clients finance their next car through the firm's lender relationships.
• Mortgage Lab App iOS mobile application providing mortgage tools for clients, available on the New Zealand App Store under the name 'Mortgage Lab Tools'.

Quantifiable outcome

• $2B+ in loans settled
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• XE.comminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral partnership for currency exchange services for clients moving funds internationally.
• Rothbury InsuranceminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferral partnership for insurance products related to mortgage protection.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• RateMyMortgage: NZ digital mortgage comparison and brokerage platform; a more tech-forward emerging competitor to Mortgage Lab's adviser-led model, with overlap in lender comparison and rate-shopping use cases.

Direct peers

• Cinch Financial Advice: NZ licensed financial advice firm offering mortgage and broader financial advice; comparable in customer base (first-home buyers, homeowners) and regulated FAP status, competing for similar leads.
• Squirrel Mortgages: New Zealand mortgage broker with an adviser network across the country, directly comparable to Mortgage Lab in distribution model, lender panel, and target customer segments (first-home buyers, refinancers, investors).
• Mike Pero Mortgages: One of NZ's largest independent mortgage broker networks with nationwide adviser coverage, multi-bank lender access, and a comparable consumer-facing mortgage advisory offering.
• Loan Market NZ: Franchise-style mortgage broker network operating across NZ with multi-lender access; comparable business model, customer segments, and revenue model (lender-paid commission).
• Opes Partners: NZ advisory firm offering mortgage, investment property, and KiwiSaver advice; overlaps directly with Mortgage Lab's mortgage and KiwiSaver product lines and target first-home-buyer / investor segments.
• Mortgage Express: NZ mortgage broker network offering nationwide adviser-led services across multiple lenders, competing head-to-head with Mortgage Lab for first-home-buyer and refinance volume.
• NZ Home Loans: Established NZ mortgage broker focused on residential lending with multi-bank access; competes in the same first-home-buyer and refinancing segments as Mortgage Lab.

Regional players

• Aussie Home Loans (New Zealand): Australian-headquartered mortgage broker with NZ operations; shares the multi-lender adviser-led model, but is anchored in the Australian parent brand and broader geographic footprint.

Others

• CoreLogic NZ: NZ property data, analytics, and valuation provider; an enabler/ecosystem participant whose tools support mortgage advisers and underwriting workflows adjacent to Mortgage Lab's offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/themortgagelab
• Facebookfacebook.com/TheMortgageLab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-mortgage-lab

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mortgage Lab