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Estimate Compare

Compare Loan Estimates side by side and see which offer really costs less

Lenders price the same loan in different ways: a lower rate with points, a higher rate with credits, extra fees tucked into Section A. Upload 2 to 4 Loan Estimates and we line them up on the same terms, flag fees that look unusual, and show which offer costs you less, with the reasoning spelled out.

Estimate Compare

$79one-time, no subscription

Usually ready in a few minutes once your estimates are uploaded. You download it as a PDF from your account.

See a sample report first (PDF, opens in a new tab)
  • If we can't produce your report, email hello@mortgagelens.ai and we'll refund you in full.
  • Independent. We never take money from lenders.

Also included in the Refi Pilot and Buyer Pilot bundles, with two other reports for the same refinance or home purchase.

  • Compare 2 to 4 Loan Estimates from any lenders
  • Rate, points, lender credits and fees weighed together
  • Talking points to bring to the lenders you didn't pick

Who it's for

Is Estimate Compare right for you?

  • You're shopping lenders

    You have Loan Estimates from two or more lenders and the cheapest one isn't obvious from the rate alone.

  • One lender, several options

    Your lender quoted the same loan a few ways (with points, without points, with credits) and you want to know which fits how long you'll keep it.

  • Buying or refinancing

    It works for purchase and refinance Loan Estimates. If the offers aren't for comparable loans, the report says so instead of forcing a pick.

What you get

What's in your Estimate Compare report

What you'll need

Your Loan Estimates. No forms to fill out.

  • 2 to 4 Loan Estimates, from one lender or several
  • Ideally requested on the same day, for the same loan amount, term and loan type
  • The PDFs your lenders sent (up to 20 MB each). Photos work too (JPG or PNG, up to 3.5 MB), but a PDF has every page.

Official Loan Estimates work best. A lender's fee worksheet isn't binding, so if you include one, the report treats its numbers as provisional.

  • The result up front

    Which offer costs less for your situation, or whether the offers are effectively tied. If the answer depends on how long you keep the loan, the report says so.

  • Side-by-side comparison

    Rate, APR, monthly payment, closing costs, lender credits and cash to close for each offer, in one table.

  • A ranking, with reasons

    Each offer ranked, with its strengths and what to watch out for, so you can see why one comes out ahead.

  • Flagged fees

    Fees that look high against typical costs, stacks of small lender fees, and points that don't actually buy a lower rate.

  • Talking points

    Facts to raise with the lenders you didn't pick, in your own words: specific dollar differences and fees to question.

  • Cautions

    Anything that makes the comparison less apples to apples, such as different loan amounts, terms or loan types.

How it works

How Estimate Compare works

  1. Step 1: Buy and upload

    Check out, then upload each Loan Estimate. As each one is read, we show the lender, rate and closing costs so you can catch a misread.

  2. Step 2: We line them up

    Our code puts the offers on the same footing and does the math on rate, points, credits and fees. AI weighs the results against our written rules to rank the offers and writes the plain-English explanation.

  3. Step 3: Download your comparison

    Your PDF is usually ready in a few minutes. Use it to pick an offer or to ask the others to match it.

The short version

What actually makes one offer cheaper

  • Rate versus points

    Discount points in Section A buy a lower rate. They only pay off if you keep the loan long enough to earn back what you paid.

  • Lender credits

    A slightly higher rate can come with a credit that lowers your closing costs. That can win for a short stay and lose over a long one.

  • Section A fees

    Origination charges are set by the lender, so they vary the most between offers and are the easiest to negotiate.

APR helps, but it spreads some closing costs over the full loan term, as if you'll keep the loan for 30 years. Most people sell or refinance sooner. That's why the report weighs rate and upfront costs over the time you expect to keep the loan. Our Loan Estimate guide walks through each section, and the junk fees guide covers which charges you can push back on.

Sample report

See a full sample comparison

Three fictional Loan Estimates lined up side by side, with a ranking, flagged fees and talking points for the offers that lost.

FAQ

Estimate Compare questions

  • How many Loan Estimates can I compare?

    Two to four. You need at least two for a comparison. Estimates from the same lender count too, which helps when a lender quotes the same loan with and without points.

  • Should I compare APR or interest rate?

    Both, along with closing costs. APR folds some costs into one number but assumes you keep the loan for its full term. The report weighs rate, points, credits and fees together and tells you when the answer depends on how long you keep the loan.

  • When should I get my Loan Estimates?

    Ask each lender on the same day, for the same loan amount, term and loan type, so the rates are comparable. A lender must send your Loan Estimate within three business days after it receives your application.

  • Will you negotiate with lenders for me?

    No. We give you talking points with specific dollar differences, and you raise them with the lender in your own words.

  • Do lenders pay you to recommend them?

    No. We never take money from lenders, and the report only compares the offers you upload. It doesn't name or recommend lenders you didn't bring.

  • What if you can't produce my report?

    If we can't produce your report, email hello@mortgagelens.ai and we'll refund you in full.

Pick the offer that really costs less.

Upload your Loan Estimates and get a side-by-side comparison, flagged fees and talking points for the other lenders.

$79one-time

Usually ready in a few minutes once your estimates are uploaded.

Keep reading

  • Guide

    How to read your Loan Estimate, page by page

    What each part of the three-page form means, which closing costs you can shop for, red flags to look for, and how to compare two offers.

  • Guide

    Mortgage junk fees and how to push back

    Which lender fees are negotiable, common padded charges to question, what you can't change, and wording you can adapt when you ask a lender to cut fees.

  • Report

    Closing Disclosure Audit

    Your Closing Disclosure checked line by line against your Loan Estimate and the federal tolerance limits, before you sign.

  • Free calculator

    Mortgage payment calculator

    Your full monthly payment: principal, interest, taxes, insurance and PMI. Free, no sign-up.

  • Report

    Refi Check

    Should you refinance? Your expected rate, monthly savings and break-even month, worked out from your mortgage statement.

  • Guide

    TRID tolerance: which closing costs can go up

    Zero tolerance, the 10% group and no-limit fees in plain language, with worked examples, valid reasons for changes, and the 60-day refund rule.