Mortgages / Loan Estimates
Compare the Loan Estimates you've received
Every lender must give you a Loan Estimate on the same three-page form, within three business days of your application. Type in the figures from up to three, choose how long you expect to keep the loan, and see which costs least in interest and upfront charges, and when paying points pays back.
Available now, no account neededNothing is saved on our server. Your figures live only in this page's address, so anyone you send the link to sees them, and the address stays in your browser history. Our analytics record the page, not the figures.
Sample offers These three offers are made up to show how the comparison works. They are not quotes from real lenders. Replace them with the figures from your own Loan Estimates.
Over 7 years, Sample lender A costs least: $509,372 in interest and upfront charges, $15,205 less than Sample lender C.
| Offer | Rate and APR | Points and credits | Upfront, A + B + C − J | Monthly principal and interest | Interest, 7 years | Total cost, 7 years | Rate lock |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sample lender ACheapest over 7 years$1,200,000 · Conventional · 30 years · fixed | 6.125% · 6.27% APR | 1% · $12,000 | $18,845 | $7,291 | $490,527 | $509,372 | Not locked |
| Sample lender B$1,200,000 · Conventional · 30 years · fixed | 6.50% · 6.55% APR | None | $7,345 | $7,585 | $522,120 | $529,465 | Not locked |
| Sample lender C$1,200,000 · Conventional · 30 years · fixed | 6.375% · 6.46% APR | 0.5% · $6,000 | $13,000 | $7,486 | $511,577 | $524,577 | Not locked |
Total cost is the interest you'd pay over those years plus the charges in sections A, B and C, less any lender credits in section J. Principal you repay isn't counted: it stays yours as equity. Sections E to H (taxes, prepaids, escrow and other costs) are left out: the lender doesn't set taxes or insurance, so they're largely the same whichever lender you choose.
Paying points: when does it pay back?
- Sample lender A costs $11,500 more upfront than Sample lender B for a rate 0.375 percentage points lower. It becomes the cheaper loan after 31 months (2 years 7 months).
- Sample lender C costs $5,655 more upfront than Sample lender B for a rate 0.125 percentage points lower. It becomes the cheaper loan after 46 months (3 years 10 months).
The CFPB suggests comparing offers with and without points over a short, a long and your most likely holding period. One point is 1% of the loan amount, paid at closing for a lower rate. CFPB: lender credits and points · modified 1 Oct 2024, checked 21 Oct 2026
What each part of the Loan Estimate means
How to read a Loan Estimate Our guide: every page and section, where New York's taxes appear, and points against lender credits.
- Page 1: Loan Terms
- The loan amount, interest rate and monthly principal and interest. Check the loan amount plus your down payment equals the price, and whether the rate is fixed or can change after closing.
- Page 1: Rate Lock
- Whether your rate is locked and until when. Some lenders lock it when they issue the estimate, some don't. Make sure the lock lasts until you close, and ask what an extension costs: it isn't on the form. CFPB: what's a rate lock? · reviewed 2 May 2023, checked 21 Oct 2026
- Page 2: A. Origination Charges
- The lender's own upfront fees, including any points. Compare the section's total across lenders; the total is what matters.
- Page 2: B. Services You Cannot Shop For
- Services the lender requires and chooses the provider for. Compare the total across Loan Estimates.
- Page 2: C. Services You Can Shop For
- Services the lender requires but lets you choose the provider for. You can save by comparing providers; check with the lender before using one not on its list.
- Page 2: Lender Credits
- Points in reverse: a higher rate in exchange for money towards your closing costs. They appear in section J, not section A; enter them in the J box and the comparison takes them off the upfront charges.
- Page 3: Comparisons
- The APR and the Total Interest Percentage (TIP) are two measures of the loan's cost. Use them alongside the total over the years you'll actually keep the loan, which this page works out.
CFPB: Loan Estimate explainer · modified 29 Oct 2025, checked 21 Oct 2026CFPB: what is a Loan Estimate? · reviewed 9 Aug 2024, checked 21 Oct 2026
A Loan Estimate is not a loan approval. This comparison is information, not advice; checked 2026-10-21.