Sharp vs Quickli — an honest comparison

Two of the most-named software tools for Australian mortgage brokers. They solve different problems. Here's where each one wins, where it falls short, and when most brokers end up using both.

Published 16 May 2026 · By James Larkey, founder of SecondBrain · ~5 min read

TL;DR. Quickli is a serviceability calculator — it tells you how much each lender will lend a given borrower. Sharp is a bank pricing tool — it tells you the live rate and fees each lender is offering, returned in Microsoft Teams in about 4 minutes. Many Australian brokers run both: Quickli to shortlist lenders by capacity, Sharp to compare actual pricing for the shortlist.

What each tool actually does

Quickli

Quickli is the dominant serviceability tool in the Australian mortgage broker market. Brokers enter borrower income, living expenses, existing debts, and dependants, and Quickli runs that profile through each lender's serviceability formula to estimate maximum borrowing capacity across the panel. It is built for the early "can this client even get a loan, and from whom" question.

Sharp

Sharp is a bank pricing tool. Brokers submit a request inside a dedicated Microsoft Teams workspace; Sharp queries every lender on the broker's configured panel simultaneously and returns indicative rates, fees, and offer position back in the same Teams channel — typically in about 4 minutes. It's built for the later "now that we know the client can borrow, what's actually the best deal" question.

Side-by-side

DimensionSharp by SecondBrainQuickli
Primary jobLive bank pricing comparisonServiceability / borrowing capacity
InterfaceMicrosoft Teams (channel-based)Web app
Typical turnaround~4 minutes per requestSeconds (calculator runs locally)
Data sourceLive pull from each lenderLender serviceability policies modelled by Quickli
Where client data livesIn the broker's own Microsoft 365 tenantQuickli's SaaS environment
Onshore (Australia)Yes — Azure Australia, ISO 27001Australian company; verify their hosting
OutputPricing table delivered to TeamsCapacity numbers per lender in the app
Pricing (May 2026)From A$100/broker/month (annual) or A$150 (quarterly) + GSTPer Quickli's site — check directly
SetupSecondBrain provisions; live in 1 business daySelf-serve sign-up
Best whenYou have a shortlist and need real pricing fastYou're early in fact-find and need to filter by capacity

Where Quickli wins

Quickli is the right tool when the question is can this borrower service the loan, and with whom. It models each lender's serviceability calculator so brokers don't have to log into every lender's calculator individually. For first-meeting fact-finds and serviceability filtering, Quickli is purpose-built and very fast.

Where Sharp wins

Sharp is the right tool when serviceability is settled and the question becomes which lender is actually cheapest right now. Bank pricing changes weekly — sometimes daily — and serviceability tools don't track live pricing. Sharp queries each lender directly so the comparison reflects the rate the broker can actually quote the client today. Because it runs inside the broker's own Microsoft 365 tenant, client data never leaves the broker's environment, which matters for compliance and security-conscious brokerages.

When to use both

The pattern we see across 40+ broker customers: Quickli during the fact-find to narrow the lender panel by serviceability, then Sharp once a shortlist exists to get live pricing back into Microsoft Teams in 4 minutes. The two tools complement each other rather than compete — the comparison only feels like a versus question because both are top-of-mind for AU brokers.

When neither is right

If you're a single broker doing one loan a month, both tools are overkill. If your panel is two lenders, both tools are overkill. These tools earn their place when you're running real volume across a broad panel and the manual cost of checking each lender's portal eats into client time.

What we'd say if you were on a call

If you already use Quickli and don't have a fast way to compare live pricing across your panel, Sharp is the obvious second addition. If you're not using Quickli, start there — serviceability is the bigger filter. Then add Sharp once you're regularly producing pricing comparisons for shortlisted clients.

See Sharp in 15 minutes

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Frequently asked questions

Is Sharp an alternative to Quickli?

Sharp and Quickli solve different problems. Quickli is a serviceability calculator; Sharp is a live bank pricing tool. They're complementary rather than substitutes, and many brokers use both.

What does Quickli do that Sharp does not?

Quickli models each lender's serviceability calculator to estimate borrowing capacity. Sharp does not do serviceability — it focuses on pricing comparison once capacity is established.

What does Sharp do that Quickli does not?

Sharp pulls live indicative rates, fees, and offer position from every lender on the broker's panel and returns the comparison inside Microsoft Teams in about 4 minutes. It runs inside the broker's own Microsoft 365 tenant.

Can you use Sharp and Quickli together?

Yes — the typical workflow is Quickli to shortlist by serviceability, then Sharp to pull live pricing for the shortlist.

How much do Sharp and Quickli cost?

Sharp is A$150/broker/month (quarterly plan) or A$100/broker/month (annual plan), both ex-GST. Quickli's pricing is published on their site — check directly. The two are not direct cost substitutes because they solve different problems.

Which is better, Sharp or Quickli?

Neither is strictly better — they solve different problems. The best answer for most brokers is to use both.