The short version
PEXA Clear comes from PEXA Group — the team behind Australia's dominant electronic property settlement platform, with over 20 million settlements processed since 2013. PEXA Clear is built on that settlement infrastructure, and it's genuinely strong at what it's designed for: identity verification, KYC/KYB checks, and PEP/sanctions screening at the transaction stage, priced simply at $40–$65+GST per transaction with no subscription.
But being built on settlement infrastructure means PEXA Clear is oriented around the transaction itself. AML HQ covers the full designated-service relationship — from initial client engagement, through the written AML/CTF program, risk assessment, staff training, and independent review, with a named Compliance Officer accountable throughout, not just at the point of a transaction.
Worth knowing: an independent third-party comparison of PEXA Clear (reviewing publicly available materials) found that its "program-governance tooling — document management, training registers, governance calendars, and board reporting — is not clearly described." If PEXA Clear is your CDD tool, you may still need a separate solution for the rest of your AML/CTF program.
Quick comparison
| Feature | AML HQ | PEXA Clear |
|---|---|---|
| Named, embedded Compliance Officer | ✓ Included in CO & CFO models | ✕ Software only |
| Written AML/CTF program | ✓ Built & maintained for you | Template provided |
| Staff training | ✓ Included | ✓ Via REIQ partnership |
| Pricing model | From $350+GST/month + VOI/KYC at cost | $40–$65+GST per transaction, no subscription |
| Net cost after admin fee recovery | ✓ Can be $0 — we actively guide the setup | Same mechanism available with any provider |
| Coverage | Whole client relationship | Transaction / settlement stage |
| Franchise/group Head Office oversight | ✓ SENTINEL group portal | ✕ Not offered |
Sources: pexaclear.com.au, PEXA Group press materials, AML Guard's published comparison of PEXA Clear (accessed March 2026). Pricing and features as published June–July 2026. Verify current offerings directly with PEXA Clear before deciding.
Where PEXA Clear genuinely does well
PEXA Clear's biggest asset is trust — it comes from an ASX-listed group that already processes the vast majority of Australian property settlements, and its FrankieOne-powered identity verification is genuinely enterprise-grade. If your volume is highly transaction-driven and you mainly need fast, reliable per-transaction identity checks with no ongoing subscription, it's a serious, well-resourced option.
Where AML HQ is different
- Full program, not just the transaction stage. Risk assessment, written program, training, and independent review — the parts of AUSTRAC's requirements that exist outside a single settlement.
- A named Compliance Officer accountable for your whole client relationship, not a risk score generated per transaction.
- Predictable pricing regardless of your transaction volume, rather than cost that scales directly with every settlement.
- Fees can be passed on, so price isn't the deciding factor. Any agency can apply vendor admin fee recovery with any provider — it's a general business practice, not unique to us. We actively guide you through it because our fee reflects real human involvement.
- The CFO Model is genuinely unique, though — not fee recovery, but a real profit centre. The finance income it generates can cover the AML expense entirely and add further income on top.
- Franchise networks get real oversight through SENTINEL's Head Office portal — something we haven't found any competitor, including PEXA Clear, offering.
Worth knowing, in the interest of transparency: PEXA Clear's per-transaction, no-subscription pricing means PEXA earns revenue in direct proportion to the number of checks run through its systems. PEXA Group already holds one of the largest property transaction databases in Australia, having processed over 20 million settlements since 2013 — and a pricing model tied to transaction volume naturally extends that database further with every check. We're not suggesting anything improper here, just noting a structural fact worth being aware of when comparing pricing models, since it isn't something every provider's business model creates in quite the same way.
Already using PEXA Clear for transactions?
Worth a conversation about whether your written program, training, and governance are actually covered — or just the identity checks.
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