5 Best mortgage lenders

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Best mortgage lenders

Compare top brands by home loan type, state availability and credit score. Select See rates to provide the lender with basic property and financial details for personalized rates.

Disclaimer: The partners on Finder's mortgage comparison tables are sorted in alphabetical order.

2 of 2 results

Loan products offered	State availability	Min. credit score
Rocket Mortgage	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance, Home equity loan	Available in all states	620	Apply online for free and lock in your rate for 90 days.	See rates More info Compare product selectionCompare	loading
Veterans United	Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, Refinance	Available in all states	620	Veterans United stands out from other lenders for its focus on serving the military community.	See rates More info Compare product selectionCompare	loading

Showing 2 of 2 results

Buying a new home is an exciting time at any stage of life. But amid a multitude of mortgage lenders, choosing the right one can be a challenge. To point you in the right direction, here are our picks for America’s top lenders.

What are the best mortgage lenders?

Best for first-time buyers: Rocket Mortgage
Best for low rates: Guaranteed Rate
Best for refinancing: Better

Best for veterans: Veterans United
Best for lending marketplace: Credible

How we picked the best lenders

We chose these five lenders based on several criteria, including fees, loan amounts, interest rates and eligibility requirements. We also considered customer reviews from sites such as Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Learn more about our home loan rating methodology.

Best for first-time buyers

Rocket Mortgage

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Between the seemingly endless documents and the confusing terminology, buying a home can be stressful if you've never done it before. With Rocket Mortgage, the preapproval process takes place online, and you can get a conditional prequalification in less than 10 minutes. The company offers more options than many other mortgage lenders, and there's no penalty for paying your loan off early.

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 VA: 580 FHA: 500 (with 10% down), 580 (with 3.5% down) Jumbo: 680 Home equity loan: 680 Refinancing: 580

Between the seemingly endless documents and the confusing terminology, buying a home can be stressful if you've never done it before. With Rocket Mortgage, the preapproval process takes place online, and you can get a conditional prequalification in less than 10 minutes. The company offers more options than many other mortgage lenders, and there's no penalty for paying your loan off early.
Pros

Speedy service. Conditional prequalification approval takes only minutes, and most loans close within one week.

Flexible options. Rocket Mortgage offers a variety of loan terms, giving you more control.

No prepayment penalty. If you pay off your loan early, Rocket Mortgage won't penalize you.
Cons

Deposit required. You'll need to pay between $400 and $750 to have Rocket Mortgage process your application.

Limited loan types. Rocket Mortgage doesn't offer loans for construction or mobile homes.

No face-to-face service. Rocket Mortgage doesn't have any brick-and-mortar branches. If a personal touch is important to you, it won't be a fit.

Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance, Home equity loan
Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 VA: 580 FHA: 500 (with 10% down), 580 (with 3.5% down) Jumbo: 680 Home equity loan: 680 Refinancing: 580
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
State availability	Available in all states
NMLS #	3030

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 VA: 580 FHA: 500 (with 10% down), 580 (with 3.5% down) Jumbo: 680 Home equity loan: 680 Refinancing: 580

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Read review

AmeriSave

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AmeriSave is a competitive lender, offering a standard suite of mortgage products and an intuitive online application. Its track record of quick closings and its fully online process has won the lender high ratings in customer reviews. If you prequalify, AmeriSave will lock your rate for up to 90 days while you shop around for a house — many mortgage companies only lock your rate for 30 to 60 days. Great customer reviews and a Certified Closing Promise make this lender stand out.

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 600 VA: 600 USDA: 600

AmeriSave is a competitive lender, offering a standard suite of mortgage products and an intuitive online application. Its track record of quick closings and its fully online process has won the lender high ratings in customer reviews. If you prequalify, AmeriSave will lock your rate for up to 90 days while you shop around for a house — many mortgage companies only lock your rate for 30 to 60 days. Great customer reviews and a Certified Closing Promise make this lender stand out.
Pros

Great customer reviews.

Lock in a rate for up to 90 days while you shop around

Three-minute prequalification online with no impact to credit.
Cons

Application fee not refundable if you don’t close on a mortgage.

Limited branch locations.

Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, USDA, Refinance
Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 600 VA: 600 USDA: 600
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
State availability	Not available in: NY
NMLS #	1168

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 600 VA: 600 USDA: 600

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Guaranteed Rate

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When it comes to mortgage rates, a difference of just 1 percentage point can translate to tens of thousands of dollars over the life of your loan. Guaranteed Rate offers some of the lowest mortgage rates in the industry, online prequalification only takes a few minutes and the company is committed to transparency when it comes to calculating rates.

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Other mortgages: As low as 580, depending on type

Pros

Competitive rates. Guaranteed Rate offers some of the lowest interest rates available to qualified borrowers.

Transparent website. The company clearly details the factors it considers when determining interest rates.

Prequalify online. The online prequalification process offers near-instant decisions.
Cons

Slow service. Customer reviews are critical of Guaranteed Rate's slow service at branch locations.

Must have decent credit. You must have a credit score of at least 620 to qualify for the best rates.

Limited locations. Guaranteed Rate operates nationwide, but some states have only one or two branches.

Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance
Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Other mortgages: As low as 580, depending on type
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
State availability	Available in all states
NMLS #	2610

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Other mortgages: As low as 580, depending on type

Read review

Best for refinancing

Better

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Plenty of mortgage lenders offer refinancing loans, but few are as impressive as Better. Better is a direct lender that doesn't charge origination fees. Plus, the company price-matches competitors if you find a better deal elsewhere. Better's loan officers don't earn commissions on loans, so you don't have to worry about pressure to pick options you're not interested in.

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Refinance: 620 FHA: 580 VA: 620

Pros

Fast approval. The online preapproval process takes three minutes.

No origination fee. Better never charges processing fees on applications.

Direct lending. You deal directly with Better. And unlike some other direct lenders, it doesn't charge application or origination fees.
Cons

Limited loan options. Better doesn't offer some types of loans, including VA and USDA loans.

Not available nationwide. Better is growing, but as of September 2020 it's not licensed in Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nevada, New Hampshire, Vermont or Virginia.

Loan products offered	Conventional, Jumbo, FHA, VA, Refinance, HELOC, Equity Unlocker
Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Refinance: 620 FHA: 580 VA: 620
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
State availability	Available in all states
NMLS #	330511

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 Refinance: 620 FHA: 580 VA: 620

Read review

Best for veterans

Veterans United

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Read review

To thank veterans for their service to our country, the US government has established exclusive programs that help members of the military purchase homes. Several mortgage lenders specialize in these programs, but among them all, Veterans United is the best. Its specialists can walk you through every step of the process. The lender also has low rates, earns an impressive rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot and offers approval with no down payment to qualified veterans.

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 620 VA: 620

To thank veterans for their service to our country, the US government has established exclusive programs that help members of the military purchase homes. Several mortgage lenders specialize in these programs, but among them all, Veterans United is the best. Its specialists can walk you through every step of the process. The lender also has low rates, earns an impressive rating of 4.9 out of 5 on Trustpilot and offers approval with no down payment to qualified veterans.
Pros

Options. Veterans United offers a variety of loan types, even if you aren't in the military.

Easy application. The online application process is intuitive and speedy.

Excellent for veterans. Veterans are likely to qualify for better terms than with other lenders.
Cons

Limited locations. As of September 2020, offices are in AL, AK, CA, CO, FL, GA, HI, ID, IL, KT, NB, NC, OK, SC, TN, TX, VA and WA.

No HELOCs. Veterans United doesn't offer home equity loans or lines of credit.

Not ideal for civilians. Only veterans and active-duty service members get the best terms.

Loan products offered	Conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, Jumbo, Refinance
Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 620 VA: 620
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	0%
State availability	Available in all states
NMLS #	1907

Minimum credit score	Conventional: 620 FHA: 620 VA: 620

See rates

Read review

Best lending marketplace

Credible

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This San Francisco–based company was founded in 2012 with a focus on student loans. Today it can help you secure a mortgage as well. Yet unlike traditional mortgage lenders that loan out their own capital, marketplace lenders like Credible act as brokers that match borrowers with investors. Credible's loan officers aren't commissioned, so they won't try to upsell you on options you're not interested in. Plus, the excellently rated marketplace doesn't charge fees and offers higher lending limits than many of its competitors.

Minimum credit score	Mid-600s (varies by lender)

This San Francisco–based company was founded in 2012 with a focus on student loans. Today it can help you secure a mortgage as well. Yet unlike traditional mortgage lenders that loan out their own capital, marketplace lenders like Credible act as brokers that match borrowers with investors. Credible's loan officers aren't commissioned, so they won't try to upsell you on options you're not interested in. Plus, the excellently rated marketplace doesn't charge fees and offers higher lending limits than many of its competitors.
Pros

No fees. Credible doesn't charge any fees, although the lenders it pairs you with might.

Strong reviews. Credible currently earns a rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Trustpilot.

Soft inquiry. Credible performs soft credit checks during prequalification, which means it won't hurt your credit score.
Cons

No negotiation. Credible is not a direct lender, so you can't negotiate interest rates or loan terms.

Limited availability. Credible mortgages are not available in all states.

No face-to-face support. Credible is online-only, so you can't meet with representatives in person.

Loan products offered	Conventional, FHA, VA, Jumbo, Refinance
Minimum credit score	Mid-600s (varies by lender)
Minimum down payment (Conventional)	3%
State availability	Not available in: MO, NY, RI
NMLS #	1681276

Minimum credit score	Mid-600s (varies by lender)

Read review

How do I choose the best mortgage lender?

Choosing the right lender can be a challenge if you’re not sure what to look for. A few features to compare while you’re shopping around:

Types of loans. There are several types of mortgages — including jumbo, conventional, fixed rate, adjustable rate and government insured. Not all lenders offer all types, so knowing which kind you want can help you narrow down your options.
Mortgage rates. Generally speaking, the lower the rate on a home loan, the less you’ll pay over time.
Down payment requirement. If the amount you’re able to put down on a home is limited, the lender’s requirements based on your financial situation can make or break your purchasing power.
Cost and fees. Some are less than transparent. Comb through the fine print and ask about all fees involved.
Prepayment penalties. Some lenders penalize you for paying off your loan early, while others don’t. If you plan on paying off your mortgage ahead of time, look for a lender that won’t charge you a fee for it.
Credit score flexibility. Different lenders have different requirements when it comes to credit scores, and some are more strict than others. Knowing where your score stands can help you find the lenders most likely to approve you.
Face-to-face service. Many modern digital lenders lack brick-and-mortar branches. If in-person service is important to you, a more traditional lender might be a better fit.

Bottom line

Our top five mortgage lender picks offer some of the lowest rates and best loan terms around — and they’re each well-reviewed by their customers. But if they don’t align with your needs, continue comparing your mortgage options until you find the right fit.

Home loans ratings

★★★★★ — Excellent

★★★★★ — Good

★★★★★ — Average

★★★★★ — Subpar

★★★★★ — Poor

We analyze top home loan providers and rate them one to five stars based on factors that are most important to you. These factors include: rates and fees, product selection and borrower experience.

Read the full methodology of how we rate home loan providers.

Thank you for your feedback!

Written by

Michael Benninger

Staff writer

Michael Benninger is lead editor of banking at Forbes Advisor and a former writer at Finder, specializing in banking. His work and analysis has been featured in Business Insider, Yahoo Finance, GoBankingRates and the Los Angeles Times, among other top media. He holds a B.A. in business administration and marketing from Rowan University in New Jersey. See full bio

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Michael has written 22 Finder guides across topics including:

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Best mortgage lenders

Explore the country’s top lenders based on your unique circumstances.

Best mortgage lenders

What are the best mortgage lenders?

How we picked the best lenders

Best for first-time buyers

Best for refinancing

Best for veterans

Best lending marketplace

How do I choose the best mortgage lender?

Bottom line

Home loans ratings

Michael Benninger

Ask a question

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