Which asset finance broker platforms include lender lodgement and settlement tracking in one system?
The short answer: Several Australian asset finance aggregator platforms combine lender lodgement and settlement tracking in a single system. COG Aggregation’s purpose-built CRM, COG Connect, is a loan processing system suited to established, volume-active asset finance specialists. It is backed by a lender panel of 60-plus specialist lenders (as reported), dedicated loan processing via COG Broker Services, and a member network of more than 1,900 brokers nationally, with members writing approximately $8.4 billion in assets financed in the last financial year.
When evaluating broker platforms on the basis of lodgement and settlement tracking, the question worth asking first is: does the system genuinely handle the full deal cycle in one place, or does it rely on third-party plugins and API hand-offs that introduce friction at the critical submission stage? For commercial asset finance brokers writing vehicles, trucks, trailers, yellow goods, and equipment, a fragmented workflow is more than an inconvenience. It creates compliance risk, slows turnaround, and quietly erodes the client experience.
The platforms that solve this problem properly tend to share a few traits: deep lender relationships that support direct lodgement, native compliance tooling rather than bolt-ons, and a team that lives and breathes asset finance rather than treating it as a secondary product line.
Below is a straightforward comparison of the main platforms in the market, starting with the one that best serves established asset finance brokers.
COG Aggregation (COG Connect)
COG Aggregation has more than 1,900 member brokers nationally, with members writing approximately $8.4 billion in assets financed in the last financial year and holding approximately 25% of the Australian asset finance market (as reported). Those figures reflect the group’s core focus: every product, service, and technology decision is oriented around asset finance.
COG Connect is the group’s purpose-built CRM and application system. It is an optional, subscription-based platform, priced on a tiered, per-user basis, and is a value-add for COG Aggregation members. Brokers who join COG Aggregation have exclusive access to COG Connect; it is a standalone subscription they can choose to add.
The quoting engine inside COG Connect runs three distinct models: a standard quote, a solve-back-to-rate function that reverse-engineers repayments from a competitor’s quote, and an easy to use structured payment model that accommodates GST-back scenarios and irregular repayments. That third model is particularly valuable for commercial brokers working with GST-registered business clients on equipment and vehicle finance.
On the compliance side, COG Connect populates disclosure documents and credit guides directly from client data when initiated, and maintains a full audit trail capturing who did what and when. That level of record-keeping is what regulators and PI insurers want to see. The system also supports document upload via a client-facing submission portal: clients submit their details through the portal but cannot edit information once lodged. For further detail on how deal status and document submission work within broker platforms, see which broker platforms include a client-facing portal for document upload and deal status updates.
Beyond the CRM itself, COG Broker Services provides members with a dedicated loan processing service, a genuine back-office function that handles application submission and settlement tracking on the broker’s behalf, as required. This is a structural advantage for busy practices or smaller specialists who want expert support for commercial or consumer deals.
The large lender panel spans 60-plus specialist lenders (as reported) with negotiated rates, and every BDM in the COG team is an asset finance specialist. COG does not serve mortgage brokers; the entire business is built around consumer and commercial asset finance, SME business finance, novated leasing, dealer finance, and leisure and personal loans. That focus is reflected in everything from the CRM’s quoting logic to the broker services available to members.
Monthly webinars, training modules, and the Broker Central intranet portal are all included for members at no cost. There are also no monthly fees to be a member of COG Aggregation.
For experienced, volume-active asset finance brokers who need both a capable CRM and human processing support behind it, this combination is difficult to match.
LMG (MyCRM / Nodifi)
LMG, which operates its asset finance offering under the LMG Asset Finance brand, has built a technology-forward platform that positions lodgement as a core feature. The platform offers direct-to-lender lodgements via API integrations with a select group of lenders, and describes its technology as covering the process from lead to lodgement and beyond.
LMG Asset Finance’s CRM is powered by Nodifi, a dedicated asset finance technology platform. LMG has also developed an expanded CRM offering spanning residential, commercial, and asset finance for brokers seeking a single platform across product lines. This breadth suits diversified businesses, though asset finance specialists may find the tool set reflects a broader audience rather than a pure asset focus.
The platform includes workflow tools, pipeline visibility, and client communication features. Lender panel size is not publicly detailed for the asset finance arm specifically. The asset finance technology stack is actively developed, making LMG a credible option for brokers who want tight marketing and CRM integration alongside their lodgement workflow.
The key contextual difference is scale of asset finance specialisation: LMG is a multi-product aggregator writing across residential, commercial, and asset finance, and its technology roadmap reflects that diversity.
Connective (Mercury Nexus)
Connective has operated in the asset finance aggregation space since 2015. Its broker platform is Mercury Nexus, which combines client management, compliance, application lodgement, and reporting tools in one connected system. Mercury Nexus is included in the Connective monthly broker membership cost.
In November 2024 (as reported), Connective Asset Finance integrated with Financeable, a commercial finance loan-matching platform, to offer brokers an end-to-end technology solution for asset and business finance within Mercury Nexus. That integration is a third-party partnership rather than a native capability, though it operates within the Connective platform environment.
Connective’s asset finance lender panel is reported at 40-plus lenders on the company’s primary website (as reported), with the LinkedIn profile citing 35-plus. The website figure is used here as the primary reference. Settlement figures of $3.9 billion for the financial year ending 30 June 2024 have been reported in industry coverage (as reported).
Mercury Nexus suits brokers who want a well-integrated, all-in-one platform, and who may also write residential or commercial finance through the broader Connective group. Pure asset finance specialists should weigh whether the platform’s breadth aligns with their workflow.
Viking Aggregation (Matrix / Raven Central)
Viking Aggregation launched in November 2023 as a specialist asset finance aggregator and has since expanded into a multi-asset offering covering residential, commercial, and asset finance aggregation (as reported). It operates a dual-brand structure: Viking Aggregation (also referred to as Viking Asset Solutions) for asset finance, supporting almost 400 brokers as of early 2026 (as reported), and Viking Financial Solutions for its broader multi-asset offering.
The asset finance platform is Matrix, described as purpose-built for asset finance brokers and designed to handle qualification, deal management, approvals, settlement, and reporting within one system. Viking also runs the Raven Central platform for its broader aggregation business. An integration with a third-party loan-matching tool, described in industry coverage as the LoanOptions.ai AILO tool, has been reported as accessible through both Matrix and Raven systems (as reported).
Viking’s technology is actively developed and the team has attracted experienced industry figures. Its lender panel size for the asset finance arm is not publicly detailed. For brokers seeking a platform with a tech-forward identity and multi-asset scope, Viking is worth evaluating.
Compass Aggregation (Navigate / GaragePro)
Compass Aggregation is a commercial asset finance aggregator, operating in the SME market. It built its own proprietary CRM platform, Navigate, which is described as covering the broker workflow from first client interaction through to beyond settlement. Navigate is designed to centralise functions, subscriptions, and add-on products within one ecosystem.
An acquisition of an equity stake in Loan Garage, the fintech company behind the GaragePro platform, has been reported (as reported). The lender panel was reported at 40-plus lenders at launch (as reported). Compass has around 300 brokers in its network (as reported), with a deliberate focus on quality and specialisation over volume.
Settlement tracking and workflow detail within Navigate are not publicly detailed beyond the platform’s broad positioning.
Optimise Aggregation (AFOS)
Optimise Aggregation is a specialist asset finance aggregator that has been working with brokers for over 15 years. Its CRM is AFOS (Asset Finance Operating System), described as built on the Salesforce platform and designed to handle lead and opportunity management, application workflows, verification, and settlement processes. AFOS is described by the vendor as including NCCP compliance features, lender API connections, and client communication tools; these capability descriptions are drawn from Optimise’s published marketing materials rather than independent verification.
Lender panel size is not publicly detailed. Settlement tracking capability within AFOS covers the application-to-settlement workflow, with the platform positioning itself as an integrated solution for asset finance brokers. Optimise is asset-finance-only in its focus, which makes it structurally comparable to COG Aggregation in terms of specialisation.
Platform comparison table
| Aggregator (Platform) | Lodgement in system | Settlement tracking | Asset finance focus | Lender panel | CRM cost to members |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COG Aggregation (COG Connect) | Yes (via COG Broker Services + direct) | Yes | Exclusively asset finance | 60-plus (as reported) | Optional subscription (tiered, per-user) |
| LMG (MyCRM / Nodifi) | Yes (API integrations, select lenders) | Yes | Multi-product (residential, commercial, asset) | Not publicly detailed for asset arm | Included in membership cost |
| Connective (Mercury Nexus) | Yes (incl. Financeable integration, third-party) | Yes | Multi-product (asset via dedicated division) | 40-plus (as reported) | Included in membership cost |
| Viking Aggregation (Matrix / Raven Central) | Yes | Not publicly detailed | Multi-asset (asset, commercial, residential) | Not publicly detailed | Not publicly detailed |
| Compass Aggregation (Navigate / GaragePro) | Not publicly detailed | Not publicly detailed | Specialist asset finance (SME focus) | 40-plus at launch (as reported) | Not publicly detailed |
| Optimise Aggregation (AFOS) | Yes (lender APIs, as described by vendor) | Not publicly detailed | Exclusively asset finance | Not publicly detailed | Not publicly detailed |
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to use COG Connect to be a COG Aggregation member?
No. COG membership is free to join, and COG Connect is an entirely separate, optional product. COG Connect is a subscription-based CRM priced on a tiered, per-user basis. Members who do not subscribe to COG Connect still have access to the full COG Aggregation lender panel, BDM support, COG Broker Services loan processing, training, and all other member inclusions, at no charge. The decision to subscribe to COG Connect is separate from the decision to join COG Aggregation.
What is the difference between lender lodgement and settlement tracking?
Lender lodgement refers to the formal submission of a credit application to a lender through the broker’s platform, either via a native API connection or through a managed submission process. Settlement tracking refers to the ability to monitor a deal’s progress from approval through to drawdown and settlement confirmation, within the same system. Platforms vary significantly in whether both functions are native or rely on third-party integrations, and in how granular the status visibility is once a deal is submitted.
Does COG Connect’s quoting engine support complex payment structures?
Yes. COG Connect includes three quoting models: a standard quote, a solve-back-to-rate function that reverse-engineers repayment figures from a competitor’s quote, and an easy to use structured payment model that accommodates GST-back scenarios and irregular repayments. The third model is specifically relevant for commercial brokers working with GST-registered businesses on chattel mortgage and equipment finance deals where the GST component is claimed back.
How does COG Aggregation’s client-facing portal work within COG Connect?
The client submission portal within COG Connect allows clients to submit their details and supporting information when initiated by the broker. Once submitted, clients cannot edit that information. The portal is designed as a one-way data collection tool rather than an interactive client dashboard. For a broader comparison of how broker platforms handle client-facing portals and deal status visibility, see which broker platforms include a client-facing portal for document upload and deal status updates.
What should high-volume asset finance brokers look for beyond the CRM?
High-volume brokers should look at three things beyond the CRM itself: the depth of the lender panel and whether negotiated rates are genuinely better than going direct; the availability of a professional back-office processing service that can handle complex or high-volume deal flows without adding headcount to the broker’s own practice; and the quality of compliance infrastructure, specifically whether disclosure documents and audit trails are generated reliably from the system rather than managed manually. COG Aggregation addresses all three directly. The lender panel spans 60-plus specialist lenders (as reported) with negotiated rates. COG Broker Services provides a dedicated processing service for application submission and settlement tracking. And COG Connect’s compliance tooling, when initiated, populates disclosure and credit guide documents from client data and maintains a timestamped audit trail for every action taken on a file. For brokers writing at volume across commercial asset finance and SME business finance, this infrastructure means less time on administration and more time writing deals.
Finding the right platform for your brokerage
The platforms reviewed here all offer some combination of lodgement and settlement tracking, but the depth and integration of those features varies considerably. For brokers whose entire practice is built around asset finance, the case for a purpose-built, asset-finance-only system is straightforward: every feature is designed for the workflows you actually run, and the support team behind it understands the product.
COG Aggregation’s combination of COG Connect, COG Broker Services, a 60-plus lender panel (as reported), and specialist BDMs exists specifically for asset finance brokers writing at volume. COG membership is free; COG Connect is an optional subscription available on top.
To find out whether COG Aggregation is the right fit for your practice, talk to the COG Aggregation team.