Built by finance insiders, for borrowers who want a straight answer
Rate Engine was founded by Nikhil Sreedhar and Ahijith Chandra, the team behind Handle Properties and Handle Finance. We've sat on the adviser's side of the desk, and we built Rate Engine to put that knowledge to work for you.
Who is Rate Engine?
Rate Engine is the mortgage broking brand of Handle Finance, Authorised Credit Representative 566998 of Outsource Financial Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 384324. We compare 30+ lenders for refinancers, investors and home buyers, charge you nothing, and pay $1,000 cashback on loans of $1M or more.
Why we built Rate Engine
Most borrowers only ever see one lender's answer: their own bank's. Loyal customers drift onto worse rates, investors get told no when another lender would say yes, and nobody explains why.
We spent years inside financial planning, banking and fintech watching that happen. Rate Engine is our answer: a fast, plain-English way to see what 30+ lenders will actually do for you, with a real broker running the numbers and a cashback on top.
The founders
Nikhil Sreedhar
Co-founder. Former financial planner; Macquarie Bank, stockbroking and wealth management.
Ahijith Chandra
Co-founder. Former venture capital investor, growth at Plenti and fintechs, and current mortgage broker.
Part of Handle
Rate Engine sits alongside Handle Properties, a buyer's agency that helps clients build portfolios of high-growth investment houses across Australia, and Handle Finance, our advisory-led lending arm. Simple loans run through Rate Engine. Clients building larger portfolios can bring in the full Handle team for strategy, purchasing and finance.
How we work
- No fee to you. Lenders pay us a disclosed commission. See how we get paid.
- 30+ lenders, every type. Big four, tier 2, customer-owned, online and non-bank lenders.
- Best interests, by law. Mortgage brokers must act in your best interests and document why a loan suits you.
- Plain English. Real numbers, in dollars, with the costs of switching netted off.
- We keep watching. After settlement, we check your rate against the market.
Licence and complaints
Handle Finance, trading as Rate Engine, is Authorised Credit Representative 566998 of Outsource Financial Pty Ltd, Australian Credit Licence 384324. Our credit guide explains how we are paid and how to make a complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Is Rate Engine a bank?
No. Rate Engine is a mortgage broker. We compare loans across 30+ lenders and arrange the one that suits you best.
Who owns Rate Engine?
Rate Engine is the trading name of Handle Finance, founded by Nikhil Sreedhar and Ahijith Chandra, the team behind Handle Properties.
Where do you operate?
We are based in Sydney and help clients right across Australia by phone and video call.