Bankrate
US personal finance site that compares mortgage, savings, CD, credit card and loan rates.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web
Is Bankrate free?
Yes, free to use
Switch from Bankrate to
All 3
Credit KarmaFree
ExperianPaid plan: $24.99/month after a 7-day trial
ClearScoreFree
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 3
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About Bankrate
Bankrate is one of the oldest US money comparison sites, started in 1982 by a journalist who wanted to show people whether their bank was giving them a fair rate. Today it surveys hundreds of banks and credit unions every week and publishes rate tables for mortgages, refinancing, home equity lines, savings accounts, CDs, personal loans, auto loans and credit cards, alongside calculators, lender reviews and news. For mortgages you can describe the loan you want and see offers from competing lenders without a credit pull, and your details are only passed on when you decide to contact one. It is free for readers; Bankrate earns money from the lenders and card issuers it lists, so it is worth checking how a given table is ranked. The site is aimed at US borrowers and savers only and runs in the browser. It is owned by Red Ventures, which also runs other finance and review sites.
Best for: US borrowers and savers comparing mortgage, CD, savings and loan rates before picking a lender.
Pros and cons
What works
- Weekly rate surveys covering hundreds of banks and credit unions
- Mortgage rate comparison without a credit pull
- Broad coverage: mortgages, savings, CDs, cards and several loan types
- Large library of calculators and lender reviews
Why people leave
- Only covers the US market
- Paid by the lenders and issuers it lists, so rankings deserve a second look
- No credit score or credit report monitoring of its own
Bankrate vs Credit Karma, Experian and ClearScore
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | Bankrate | Credit Karma | Experian | ClearScore |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free | Free plan + paid | Free |
| Verified price | — | — | $24.99/month after a 7-day trial | — |
| Free plan | Free app | Free app | Yes | Free app |
| Open source | No | No | No | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
Top Bankrate alternatives
See all 3- 1Credit Karma68.8
Free credit scores plus personalised loan and card offers based on your credit profile, not just rate tables.
- 2Experian64.8
See your credit report and score, then compare loan and card offers matched to it in the same app.
- 3ClearScore61.8
The same compare-and-apply idea built around a free credit report, for people in the UK, Australia, Canada and other markets.
Why people left Bankrate
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
No switching stories yet. If you moved away from Bankrate, review the app you switched to and tell us why.
Reviews
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Bankrate: common questions
What is Bankrate?
Bankrate: US personal finance site that compares mortgage, savings, CD, credit card and loan rates. Best for US borrowers and savers comparing mortgage, CD, savings and loan rates before picking a lender. Available for Web.
Is Bankrate free?
Yes, Bankrate is free to use.
Is Bankrate open source?
No, Bankrate is not open source.
What platforms does Bankrate run on?
Bankrate is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to Bankrate?
The highest-ranked Bankrate alternatives right now are Credit Karma, Experian and ClearScore. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
Bankrate vs Credit Karma: what's the difference?
Both Bankrate and Credit Karma are free to use. Only Credit Karma runs on iOS and Android.