Four calculators
Four calculators, each built to show total cost and total interest, not just a monthly payment.
Mortgage payment breakdown
See the full monthly payment — principal, interest, taxes and insurance — and total interest over the life of a home loan.
Assumptions this uses
- Uses a standard amortizing loan formula with a fixed rate for the full term
- Assumes equal monthly principal-and-interest payments across the entire term
- Property tax and insurance are estimated annually and divided evenly across 12 months
- Does not include closing costs or PMI unless you enter them separately
- Assumes no extra or early payments during the term
Limitations: Does not reflect ARM rate resets, PMI removal thresholds, or lender-specific fee structures.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The monthly payment is the least useful number on any mortgage offer
Two mortgages can have the same monthly payment and differ by tens of thousands of dollars in total interest, because term length and loan type change everything. Before you compare offers, ask each lender for the total amount you'll pay over the full term, not just the payment. If a lender won't give you that number plainly, that's information too.
How much home you can afford
A sketch of how much mortgage your income and existing debts can realistically support before you start touring homes.
Assumptions this uses
- Uses a standard debt-to-income ceiling to cap the estimated affordable payment
- Assumes gross (pre-tax) monthly income as entered
- Assumes the interest rate and term you provide apply to the full loan
- Does not account for property tax, insurance or PMI unless entered elsewhere
- A sketch, not a lender's affordability decision
Limitations: Does not reflect a specific lender's underwriting criteria or credit-score-based rate adjustments.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The US Mortgage Cost Checklist
A worksheet for comparing mortgage offers by total cost, not just the monthly payment.
Get the free guide →Refinance break-even point
Find out how many months it takes for a mortgage refinance to pay for itself before you commit to the closing costs.
Assumptions this uses
- Compares monthly payments under the old and new rate on the same remaining balance and term
- Assumes refinancing closing costs are paid upfront, not rolled into the new loan balance
- Assumes a fixed rate on the new loan for the comparison
- Does not account for any change in remaining term length beyond what you enter
- Break-even is calculated purely on monthly payment savings versus upfront cost
Limitations: Does not account for tax treatment of mortgage interest or PMI elimination savings.
Runs entirely in your browser.
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See real rate ranges from US mortgage partners
Once you know your target price range and rough credit range, comparing actual offers is the next honest step.
Compare mortgage partners →Debt-to-income check
Check the ratio most US mortgage lenders look at first, before you spend time on a formal application.
Assumptions this uses
- Uses gross (pre-tax) monthly income as the denominator
- Adds the estimated new mortgage payment and other debt payments together as total monthly obligations
- Does not include utilities, groceries or non-debt monthly expenses
- Compares your ratio against commonly used US mortgage lender thresholds, which vary by lender and loan type
Limitations: Actual lender thresholds vary by loan type and individual lender underwriting policy.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The monthly payment is the least useful number on any mortgage offer
Two mortgages can have the same monthly payment and differ by tens of thousands of dollars in total interest, because term length and loan type change everything. Before you compare offers, ask each lender for the total amount you'll pay over the full term, not just the payment. If a lender won't give you that number plainly, that's information too.