Pepper Money is the latest lender to invest in broker-facing technology, launching a new application tracking tool as competition around speed and service intensifies.
The lender's new digital platform called App Tracker allows brokers to follow the progress of home loan applications from lodgement to settlement through Pepper's broker portal. It also provides a central hub for updates, outstanding tasks, document uploads and communication with Pepper's credit team.
The platform streamlines the application process, the company said, by putting everything a broker needs — to-do lists, updates, a place to upload documents and communication with Pepper's credit team — in one place.
“In an environment where customer expectations are accelerating, technology plays a critical role," Barry Saoud, Pepper's chief executive, mortgages and commercial, told Australian Broker. "App Tracker reduces administrative burden and gives brokers more time to focus on what matters most, their customers and their business growth.”
The non-bank said the platform is part of a broader technology push, aimed at reducing administrative work for brokers. By bringing application tracking, document uploads and lender communication into a single system, Pepper said brokers can spend less time chasing updates and submitting paperwork.
“Brokers are increasingly choosing lending partners based on how easy they are to work with," Saoud said. "Speed, visibility and clear communication are no longer nice to have. They're essential. As deals become more complex, having real-time insight into the status of an application is critical.
“Chasing updates shouldn’t be part of the job," the executive continued. "Brokers are looking for a frictionless experience with direct access to credit and real-time visibility. App Tracker delivers exactly that, bringing live updates, support and communication into a single, streamlined platform.”
Ahead of the launch, App Tracker was piloted with Mortgage Choice brokers, with the both companies reporting a positive response from participants.
"Throughout the pilot we consistently received great feedback about the App Tracker from our network, particularly around the speed and clarity it unlocks,” said Aaron Slater, general manager, distribution at Mortgage Choice.
Saoud added: “Technology plays a critical role in how we support brokers as volumes grow."
Meanwhile, non-banks are cementing their place in Australia's lending landscape, with Pepper's recent performance highlighting the sector's momentum.
The ASX-listed non-bank, which turned 25 last year, posted record originations in February. Mortgage originations surged 66% in the year ending 31 December 2025, with total assets under management (AUM) increasing 14%, year-over-year, to $21.8 billion, up from $19.1 billion in December 2024.
Pepper was in the spotlight that same month after it was confirmed that Australian investment manager Challenger Limited was in advanced talks with Pepper parent company Pepper Group ANZ HoldCo., to buy a portion of Pepper Money. By March, the potential deal was called off.
Pepper offers residential home loans in both Australia and New Zealand, as well as personal, commercial, asset finance and self-managed super fund lending in Australia. The firm was founded in 2000, and went public in 2015, only to go private again after being acquired by KKR in 2017. Pepper was eventually relisted on the ASX in 2021.
The company has since served roughly 570,000 customers. At the firm's 25th anniversary celebration last spring in Sydney, Mario Rehayem, chief executive officer of Pepper, said Pepper's next goal is to surpass more than one million customers by 2029.
