nesto, Ratehub.ca and True North Mortgage are three of the best-known ways to get a mortgage outside a bank branch in Canada, and they work differently: nesto is an online lender that also brokers, Ratehub is a comparison site with its own brokerage, and True North is a brokerage with stores and salaried advisors. This page sets them side by side; each one’s full review has the detail and sources. More platforms and brokers are in our mortgage lenders and brokers hub.
Side by side
| Platform | What it is | Head office | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| nesto | Online mortgage lender and brokerage | Montréal, Quebec | Prime borrowers who want a fully online process and a long rate hold |
| Ratehub.ca | Rate comparison site with its own licensed mortgage brokerage (formerly CanWise Financial) | Toronto, Ontario | Researching rates, then applying through its brokerage or elsewhere |
| True North Mortgage | Mortgage brokerage with an in-house lender (THINK Financial) | Calgary, Alberta | Borrowers who want a face-to-face meeting or have income that takes explaining |
How they differ
Advisor pay. nesto: Salaried, no commission; a possible quarterly bonus is not tied to the rate or product chosen. True North: Salaried, with team-based performance pay. Ratehub doesn’t publish how its brokerage agents are paid; see the Ratehub review. How pay usually works at a brokerage is in how mortgage brokers get paid.
Rate hold. nesto’s stated hold is Up to 150 days on select offers. Ratehub and True North don’t state a single maximum hold; it depends on the lender chosen.
Stores. Only True North has them: Retail locations in cities including Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver and Halifax. nesto and Ratehub work online and by phone.
Cost to you. Ratehub: Free to use; Ratehub is paid by providers and on mortgages its brokerage funds. True North: No cost to the borrower. nesto earns money on the mortgages it funds as a lender and on those it brokers; see the nesto review.
Rate promises. Promotions change. As of October 2026, True North advertised a “beat it or $500” promise on primary-residence purchases, and nesto advertised a float-down during its rate hold and a cash-back option; the True North review and the nesto review have the wording. Confirm the current offer with each company.
Rates. All three publish rates that move daily. For today’s rates across lenders, see our mortgage rates section rather than any snapshot.
Which suits which situation
| Situation | Platforms to look at first | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First purchase, salaried income | nesto or True North | Long rate hold online, or an advisor in person |
| Researching before choosing anyone | Ratehub | Free comparison tables across many providers |
| Renewal | Any of the three | Compare each against your current lender’s terms |
| Complex or irregular income | True North | See its review and the self-employed guide |
| Wants to meet in person | True North | The only one of the three with stores |
| Tracking home equity after closing | None of the three; see Perch | Perch’s homeowner tools |
The verdict
There is no single winner. nesto leads for a fully online process with a long rate hold and salaried advisors; Ratehub leads for research, with a brokerage behind its tables; True North leads for in-person service and harder-to-place income. A common approach is to benchmark rates on a comparison site, then get quotes from two or three of these platforms or a broker and compare them on the same term and closing date. Two other digital brokerages, Perch and Homewise, are reviewed separately, and the wider bank-versus-broker choice is in our digital mortgage comparison.
Related articles
Sources
The figures and rules on this page come from these sources, last checked against them on October 5, 2026. How we check facts.
- nesto: nesto's Answers to all your mortgage questions - FAQ - nesto.ca
- ratehub.ca: Best mortgage rates in Canada - Ratehub.ca - About us
- truenorthmortgage.ca: Careers | True North Mortgage