Safe Rate Rankings

Best Mortgage Companie 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 4 PsRankings are calculated based on observed lender differences on closed loans across Pricing, Pull-through, Product, and Place.
🛡️ 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 Lenders2386
Total Loans3,560,099
Median Rate Spread0.20%
the US Market Insights
  • Flat Branch Mortgage is Safe Rate's top-ranked mortgage company in the US, leading the composite scorecard across pricing, pullthrough, products, and local expertise.
  • There is often a pricing vs. pullthrough tradeoff in mortgage lending. In the US, Provident Funding Associates LP and Pennymac Loan Services scores highest on pricing while Rocket Mortgage and United Wholesale Mortgage leads on likelihood to close. That is why we encourage speaking with multiple lenders.
  • United Wholesale Mortgage (UWM) ranks #3 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 #6 in the US, the nation's largest lender by volume.

Explore Rankings by Type

Overall Rankings

All lenders in the US

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RankLenderOverallPricingPull ThroughPlaceAvg FeesRate Spread# of LoansAction
1
FLAT BRANCH MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
$1,570Fees
0.401%Above
13,335
2
PROVIDENT FUNDING ASSOCIATES, L.P.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Exceptional*
Sound
$1,206Fees
0.101%Below
12,582
3
UNITED WHOLESALE MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
$2,828Fees
0.185%Above
285,901
4
VANDERBILT MORTGAGE AND FINANCE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Strong
Sound
Exceptional
$3,102Fees
0.063%Above
7,432
5
ARK-LA-TEX FINANCIAL SERVICES, LLC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Exceptional
$2,079Fees
0.294%Above
14,849
6
ROCKET MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
$3,881Fees
0.334%Above
266,411
7
LOANDEPOT.COM, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
$2,582Fees
0.136%Above
57,340
8
FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Sound*
Strong
$2,402Fees
0.164%Above
37,313
9
FIRST COMMUNITY MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Strong
Acceptable*
Exceptional
$2,818Fees
0.429%Above
9,840
10
PENNYMAC LOAN SERVICES, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Sound*
Strong
$1,952Fees
0.038%Above
35,887
11
MOVEMENT MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$2,921Fees
0.343%Above
51,046
12
THE LOAN STORE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$2,398Fees
0.284%Above
16,835
13
CMG MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$2,940Fees
0.289%Above
46,733
14
Prosperity Home Mortgage, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$2,384Fees
0.287%Above
18,786
15
MUTUAL OF OMAHA MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Sound
Sound
$2,029Fees
0.181%Above
11,542
16
KIND LENDING, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$2,761Fees
0.348%Above
13,399
17
CARDINAL FINANCIAL COMPANY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Exceptional
$3,469Fees
0.467%Above
11,689
18
Sierra Pacific Mortgage Company, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$3,577Fees
0.263%Above
7,145
19
GUARANTEED RATE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Sound
Strong
$2,477Fees
0.229%Above
51,353
20
PRIMELENDING, A PLAINSCAPITAL COMPANY
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$3,445Fees
0.321%Above
21,082
21
NFM, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$3,705Fees
0.346%Above
16,100
22
FAIRWAY INDEPENDENT MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$3,254Fees
0.445%Above
61,160
23
GUILD MORTGAGE COMPANY LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$3,553Fees
0.387%Above
58,550
24
BAY EQUITY LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Sound
Strong
$2,852Fees
0.180%Above
9,468
25
PLAZA HOME MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$2,801Fees
0.380%Above
11,165
26
DAS Acquisition Company, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Exceptional
$2,766Fees
0.587%Above
7,507
27
Mortgage Research Center, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$1,956Fees
0.540%Above
60,588
28
UNION HOME MORTGAGE CORP.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Exceptional
$2,996Fees
0.562%Above
23,240
29
Paramount Residential Mortgage Group, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$3,279Fees
0.479%Above
17,073
30
LOWER, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$2,834Fees
0.450%Above
15,793
31
AMERICAN PACIFIC MORTGAGE CORPORATION
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Mediocre
Exceptional
$4,289Fees
0.552%Above
17,767
32
AMERICAN FINANCIAL NETWORK, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$2,206Fees
0.608%Above
9,656
33
CROSSCOUNTRY MORTGAGE, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$3,549Fees
0.497%Above
86,295
34
NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$3,487Fees
0.386%Above
21,352
35
AMERICAN NEIGHBORHOOD MORTGAGE ACCEPTANCE COMPANY LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Mediocre
Strong
$3,961Fees
0.505%Above
8,262
36
NEWREZ LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect & Wholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Sound
$2,479Fees
0.382%Above
32,880
37
GUARANTEED RATE AFFINITY, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$2,588Fees
0.279%Above
12,743
38
ZILLOW HOME LOANS, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$2,906Fees
0.435%Above
9,356
39
EVERETT FINANCIAL, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Mediocre
Exceptional
$4,249Fees
0.678%Above
13,110
40
PRIMARY RESIDENTIAL MORTGAGE, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Mediocre
Strong
$4,134Fees
0.531%Above
8,466
41
Equity Prime Mortgage LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Strong
$3,519Fees
0.812%Above
9,354
42
OCMBC, INC.
Independent Mortgage CompanyWholesale
Sound
Acceptable*
Strong
$3,899Fees
0.665%Above
8,372
43
NEW AMERICAN FUNDING, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Sound
Acceptable
Sound
$3,182Fees
0.556%Above
37,119
44
Luminate Home Loans, Inc.
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Acceptable
Mediocre
Strong
$4,167Fees
0.581%Above
7,561
45
CARRINGTON MORTGAGE SERVICES, LLC
Independent Mortgage CompanyDirect
Acceptable
Acceptable
Sound
$4,326Fees
0.441%Above
8,697

Frequently Asked Questions

How are mortgage lenders ranked in the US?+

Safe Rate ranks lenders using the 4 Ps framework, derived entirely 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). Each lender receives a composite Safe Rate Score from 0–100. 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, 2,386 lenders originated a combined 3,560,099 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 a weighted average of scores across equally-weighted categories to evaluate lenders on a linear, raw performance scale.

Our Point System (Max 30 Points)

10
Pricing
Rate and fee competitiveness (33%)
10
Pull Through
Reliability in closing loans (33%)
10
Place
Local market expertise (33%)

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.