We've noticed something that doesn't sit right.
Smaller lenders — credit unions, CDFIs, community finance providers — need data to make good lending decisions. That's obvious. But what do those searches actually cost them? Upwards of £2.50 for a basic credit search. More than £1.00 for an open banking check. And for organisations operating on thin margins with a social mission, those numbers add up fast.
The result? Lenders search less. They lend less. And when they lend less, it gets harder for everyday people to access credit — particularly the people these organisations exist to serve.
We think there's a better way. So we built one.
Introducing CONNECT
CONNECT is a suite of APIs giving lenders direct access to run standalone searches — credit checks, affordability data, identity verification — for whatever their need might be, on demand, at a fraction of the cost they're used to paying.
We're not asking lenders to rip and replace anything. CONNECT sits alongside whatever you already have, giving you access to the searches you need without the price tag that makes you think twice about running them.
Why we built it
Here's what we believe: data isn't the benefit. It never was. The benefit is the analysis you draw off the back of it — the insight that helps you make better decisions for your members and your business.
Data should be hygiene. Like running water. Available, affordable, and invisible. Not something that forces a trade-off between cost and good practice.
The problem isn't that lenders don't understand the value of data — of course they do. It's that they haven't had access to pricing that reflects what data actually is: an input, not a finished product. For too long, smaller players simply haven't had the options available to larger ones.
CONNECT changes that.
How we can do it
Our business model is built on outcomes, not data margin. We charge for the platform — for the value it creates over time. That means we have every incentive to make data as cheap and accessible as possible. The more you search, the better your decisions, the more value the platform delivers.
Our incentives and yours point in the same direction. That's how it should be.
What this means in practice
When data is affordable, lenders don't have to ration their searches. They can check what they need to check, when they need to check it. They lend more confidently. They serve more members. Borrowers get access to credit from organisations that actually understand their circumstances.
That's the cycle we want to create — one where accessible data leads to more lending, better decisions, and better outcomes for everyone.
Get in touch
CONNECT is available now. If you're a lender who wants access to affordable, flexible data searches, we'd love to show you what's possible.
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