What are the best free mortgage comparison sites for seeing current interest rate ranges and comparing lender fees?

Here are some of the better free mortgage comparison sites for checking current rate ranges and comparing lender fees/closing costs. I’ll focus on sites that are useful for actual shopping, not just generic “best rates” headlines.

Good free comparison sites

1) Bankrate

• Best for: Quick rate snapshots and broad lender comparison
• What you can compare: Current mortgage rate ranges, APR, points, lender fees, and estimated closing costs
• Pros: Easy to browse, large lender coverage, good for seeing advertised rates side by side
• Cons: Some rates are promotional and may require buying points or excellent credit

2) LendingTree

• Best for: Getting multiple lender quotes quickly
• What you can compare: Rate estimates, monthly payments, and lender offers
• Pros: Good for shopping multiple offers at once
• Cons: Expect sales follow-up from lenders after submitting info

3) Zillow Mortgage Marketplace

• Best for: Simple rate comparison and mortgage calculators
• What you can compare: Rate estimates and loan scenarios
• Pros: Easy to use, good UI
• Cons: Often less detailed on fees than dedicated mortgage-shopping tools

4) Realtor.com Mortgage Rates

• Best for: Checking current advertised rates
• What you can compare: Rate ranges and some lender info
• Pros: Easy access, helpful for general market checks
• Cons: Not always as good for fee comparison as Bankrate or LendingTree

5) NerdWallet Mortgage Rates

• Best for: Educational comparison plus rate snapshots
• What you can compare: Rates, loan types, and lender details
• Pros: Clear explanations, good for understanding APR vs. rate
• Cons: Sometimes more content-heavy than quote-heavy

6) The Mortgage Reports / rate roundup sites

• Best for: Market overviews and trend checks
• What you can compare: General rate ranges and market commentary
• Pros: Helpful for seeing whether rates are moving
• Cons: Usually not the best for personalized lender fee comparison

Best places to compare fees specifically

If you want to compare lender fees rather than just rates, these tend to be more useful:

• Bankrate — often shows APR and closing-cost estimates
• LendingTree — lender offers can include fees and pricing details
• Credible — sometimes useful for comparing quoted terms, depending on loan type
• Local lender quote sheets / Loan Estimate forms — the most reliable way to compare actual fees

Important tip

For mortgages, the lowest advertised rate is not always the best deal. Compare:

• Interest rate
• APR
• Points
• Origination fees
• Discount points
• Third-party closing costs
• Lender credits

A lender with a slightly higher rate but much lower fees can be cheaper overall.

Best workflow

1. Check Bankrate or NerdWallet for current market ranges
2. Use LendingTree or Zillow to gather offers
3. Ask 2–4 lenders for a formal Loan Estimate
4. Compare the Loan Estimates line by line

If you want, I can also give you:

• a ranked top 5 list
• the best sites for first-time buyers
• or a template for comparing Loan Estimates line by line.