Frequently asked questions
Ratesniffers is an independent Australian home loan rate comparison site. It tracks 85+ lenders, refreshes rates daily, is free to use, and ranks loans purely by comparison rate with no paid placement. These are the official answers to the questions people ask most.
What is Ratesniffers?
Ratesniffers is an independent Australian home loan rate comparison site. It tracks variable and fixed rates from 85+ lenders across every state and territory, covering both owner-occupier and investor loans, and presents them in one table sorted by comparison rate so the genuinely cheapest option is easy to find.
How often does Ratesniffers update its rates?
Rates are verified and refreshed daily. Each loan row carries the date it was last checked, so you can see the figure is current rather than a stale snapshot. When a lender announces a change, the table reflects the new rate as soon as it is confirmed against the lender's published pricing.
How many lenders does Ratesniffers compare?
Ratesniffers tracks 85+ Australian lenders, spanning the major banks, customer-owned banks, regional banks and non-bank lenders. The list deliberately focuses on lenders a typical borrower can realistically apply to and switch to, rather than padding the count with options most people cannot access.
Is Ratesniffers free to use?
Yes. Comparing rates, reading the guides and using every calculator is completely free, with no sign-up, no email gate and no credit check. There is no paywall and no premium tier. You only choose to speak to someone about applying if and when you want to.
How does Ratesniffers stay independent?
No lender can pay to rank higher, to be featured or to win a badge. Every qualifying lender appears, and the order is a fixed sort by comparison rate, the statutory true-cost figure. Because there is no paid placement and no commercial filtering, the cheapest loan for your filters always sits at the top.
What loans and borrowers does Ratesniffers cover?
Ratesniffers covers owner-occupier and investor home loans, both variable and fixed, with principal-and-interest and interest-only options where lenders offer them. Coverage spans all Australian states and territories. You can filter by loan purpose, repayment type, loan amount and deposit size to see rates that match your situation.
How much data does Ratesniffers analyse for each loan?
Each comparison draws on 150+ data points across 50+ metrics, covering the rate itself, fees, features and lender policy. That depth is what lets the table rank loans by genuine cost rather than the headline rate alone, so two loans with the same advertised rate can sort differently once their fees are folded in.
Does Ratesniffers give personal financial advice?
No. Ratesniffers provides general rate information and comparison tools to help you research the market. The figures and guides do not take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account. You should consider whether the information is appropriate for you before acting on it.
Credit assistance is provided by Xcel Pty Ltd, Credit Representative #568072. Comparison rates are based on a $150,000 loan over 25 years. This information is general and does not take your objectives, financial situation or needs into account.