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Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Lenders in the US

Updated June 4, 2026

Rankings are a starting point, not a verdict. Safe Rate recommends speaking with 2-3 lenders to find the right fit for your home loan!

The 5 PsRankings are calculated from observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place, plus Promptness when a lender has answered real shopper quote requests.
No Pay to PlayLenders cannot buy their way to the top. Rankings are 100% earned.
HMDA 2024Built using publicly available originated loan data from the federal government.
Peer BenchmarkedPerformance is normalized and benchmarked against peer institutions.
Total Lenders2391
Total Loans3,581,509
Median Rate Spread0.20%
the US Market Insights
  • Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association is Safe Rate's top-ranked lender in the US, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
  • Top-ranked by institution type in the US: Bank: Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association (#1). Credit union: Navy Federal Credit Union (#2). Mortgage company: Flat Branch Mortgage (#7).
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In the US, Morgan Stanley Private Bank National Association and Navy Federal Credit Union scores highest on pricing while Flat Branch Mortgage and Manufacturers and Traders Trust leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
  • United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #12 in the US, serving as the platform behind many independent local brokers who live and work in the community. A local broker knows the neighborhoods, the local market, and is personally invested in your outcome. Real estate agents often prefer referring local brokers for their accessibility and responsiveness, qualities that matter when a deal is moving fast. Pricing and experience can vary by broker.
  • Rocket Mortgage ranks #17 in the US, the nation's largest lender by volume.

Explore Rankings by Type

By Loan Product

Lenders often score differently for different loan products. Get tailored rankings by selecting your product type.

By Institution Type

Some consumers only want to work with a credit union, bank, or focused mortgage company. See our rankings here!

Shopping for a mortgage? Hit Get Quote on any lender to add it to My Home and request real quotes.

Overall
Exceptional
Avg Fees
$331Fees
2
NFCU
Navy Federal Credit Union
Credit UnionDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$749Fees
3
NB
NBKC Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$560Fees
4
BAN
Bank of America
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,021Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$283Fees
6
CN
Citibank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$568Credit
7
FBM
Flat Branch Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,570Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,064Fees
9
TB
Truist Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$802Fees
10
PFA
Provident Funding Associates
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,206Fees
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$415Fees
12
UWM
United Wholesale Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,828Fees
13
PBN
PNC Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$186Fees
14
CBN
Citizens Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,074Fees
15
VMF
Vanderbilt Mortgage and Finance
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,102Fees
16
ALTF
Ark-La-Tex Financial Services
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,079Fees
17
RM
Rocket Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$3,881Fees
18
LC
loanDepot
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,582Fees
19
AB
Ameris Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,801Fees
20
FTBN
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$542Fees
21
FM
Freedom Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,402Fees
22
WFBN
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$1,660Fees
23
JCBN
JPMorgan Chase Bank
BankDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,283Fees
24
FCM
First Community Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Strong
Avg Fees
$2,818Fees
25
PLS
PennyMac Loan Services
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,952Fees
26
MM
Movement Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,921Fees
27
FB
Flagstar Bank
BankDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,572Fees
28
LS
The Loan Store
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,398Fees
29
BB
Bell Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,876Fees
30
CM
CMG Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,940Fees
31
PHM
Prosperity Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,384Fees
32
MOM
Mutual of Omaha Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,029Fees
33
KL
Kind Lending
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,761Fees
34
CFP
Cardinal Financial Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,469Fees
35
SPM
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,577Fees
36
GR
Guaranteed Rate
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,477Fees
37
PP
PrimeLending
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,445Fees
38
N
NFM
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,705Fees
39
FIM
Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,254Fees
40
GM
Guild Mortgage Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,553Fees
41
BE
Bay Equity
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,852Fees
42
PHM
Plaza Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,801Fees
43
DA
DAS Acquisition Company
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,766Fees
44
MRC
Mortgage Research Center
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,956Fees
45
UHM
Union Home Mortgage
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,996Fees
46
PCB
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,989Fees
47
RB
Regions Bank
BankDirect
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,948Fees
48
PRMG
Paramount Residential Mortgage Group
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$3,279Fees
49
L
Lower
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$2,834Fees
Overall
Sound
Avg Fees
$1,831Fees

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in the US?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 5 Ps framework. Four are derived from HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) data: Pricing (how competitively a lender prices loans vs. the market benchmark), Pullthrough (how effectively a lender closes applications), Place (the lender's depth of expertise in the US), and Product (performance on specific loan types). The fifth, Promptness, is behavioral: it credits lenders who answer real shopper quote requests quickly. Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0 to 100. No lender pays to appear in the rankings.

What is the Safe Rate Score?+

The Safe Rate Score is a 0–100 composite index measuring a lender's performance across Pricing, Pullthrough, Place, and Product. Scores of 80 or above earn Champion status; scores of 60–79 earn Superstar status. All scores are calculated from verified HMDA data — no lender can pay to improve their position.

How many mortgage lenders are active in the US?+

Based on 2024 HMDA data, 2,391 lenders originated a combined 3,581,509 loans in the US. Safe Rate's rankings evaluate all of them — not just a curated shortlist.

What does the rate spread tell me about a lender in the US?+

Rate spread measures how much above the Average Prime Offer Rate (APOR) a lender charges. The median rate spread in the US is 0.20%. Lenders in Safe Rate's top rankings consistently price below this median, meaning borrowers typically pay less interest over the life of their loan.

What is HMDA data and why does Safe Rate use it?+

HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act) is a federal law requiring every mortgage lender to disclose every loan application annually — including rates, amounts, approvals, and denials. Safe Rate uses HMDA because it is government-verified, covers all lenders equally, and cannot be gamed. It is the most objective foundation available for lender rankings.

Does Safe Rate accept payment from lenders to appear in rankings?+

No. Safe Rate rankings are strictly data-driven. No lender can pay to appear in or improve their position in Safe Rate's rankings. The only factor that determines a lender's rank is their verified HMDA performance data.

What is the difference between a bank, credit union, and independent mortgage company?+

Banks and credit unions offer mortgages alongside checking, savings, and other products. Independent Mortgage Companies (IMCs) focus exclusively on originating loans and often offer more product variety and speed. In the US's rankings, all three institution types are evaluated on the same HMDA performance metrics.

How We Rank Lenders

Our rankings use an equal-weight average of scores across the 5 Ps — Pricing, Product, Pull-Through, and Place — with lender promptness blending in as the fifth once a lender has responded to real shopper quote requests.

Our Point System (Max 50 Points)

10/ 50 pts
Pricing
How competitively a lender prices vs. the market benchmark (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Product
Performance on your specific loan type (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Pull Through
How reliably a lender closes the loans it starts (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Place
Depth of a lender's expertise in your local market (20%).
10/ 50 pts
Promptness
How quickly a lender answers real quote requests — blended in once they respond (20%).

Data Integrity & Updates

Data is updated quarterly based on the latest HMDA filings and proprietary SafeRate analysis. All metrics are calculated using standardized methodologies to ensure fair comparison across lenders.

Licensing & Disclosures

Lender rankings and market statistics are created by Dylan Hall, licensed mortgage loan officer (NMLS #1658740). Safe Rate is a mortgage technology platform; mortgage lending services are provided by PartnerOwn LLC dba Safe Rate Mortgage, a licensed mortgage broker and lender (NMLS #1590949). Safe Rate Mortgage is a lending partner of some of the lenders ranked on this page, and Safe Rate Inc. has software or service customers on this list; however, all rankings are calculated using objective, public Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) datasets, completely independent of any corporate partnerships, client relationships, or compensation.