Compare Mortgage Scenarios
The lowest payment, lowest interest, and lowest total are labeled in words. You can add or remove a third scenario.
Published by the Mortgage Guide editorial team. Rate assumptions and content updated October 2026. This page is educational. It is not a loan offer, approval, or personalized financial advice.
How this calculator works
- Each column has its own price, down payment, rate, and term.
- Taxes and insurance use the same placeholders in every column so the loan is what changes.
- Monthly payment includes those placeholders plus estimated PMI when the down payment is under 20%.
- A tie is highlighted on every column that shares the best value.
The lowest payment is not always the lowest cost
A 30-year loan often wins the monthly-payment line and loses the interest line. A 15-year loan often does the reverse. The table keeps both results so one highlighted cell does not hide the other.
Use it for 15 versus 30 years, 10% versus 20% down, or two lender quotes. The rates are the ones you type.
Sources
Common questions
Can I compare more than three loans?
The page holds three at a time. Remove one if you want to test a different offer.
Why do the columns share taxes and insurance?
So a difference in payment comes from the loan terms, not from a different tax guess in one column. Change the price if the homes themselves differ.
Related calculators
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Estimate a US mortgage payment with principal, interest, taxes, insurance, HOA, and PMI. See the payoff date and amortization schedule.
- Down Payment Calculator
Compare 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% down. See cash required, the loan amount, the payment, and whether estimated PMI applies.
- Mortgage Refinance Calculator
Compare your current mortgage payment with a new rate and term. Break-even appears only when the new payment is lower.
Longer guides on these topics are linked from the guides library.