How we rank refinance lenders

Last updated: March 2026

Our approach

Wirly ranks refinance lenders using a combination of publicly available government data and editorial evaluation. Our goal is to help borrowers identify lenders that offer competitive terms, transparent pricing, and a reliable experience. Affiliate compensation does not influence lender rankings or editorial recommendations.

Data sources

FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data): Daily and weekly mortgage rate data including 30-year fixed, 15-year fixed, and 5/1 ARM rates sourced from Freddie Mac PMMS
Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS): Weekly national average rate benchmarks dating back to 1971
HMDA (Home Mortgage Disclosure Act): Aggregate lending data by lender including approval rates, denial rates, and loan volumes published by the CFPB
CFPB Consumer Complaint Database: Mortgage complaint volume, timely response rates, and top issues per lender
FHFA (Federal Housing Finance Agency): Conforming loan limits by county and house price indices
U.S. Census Bureau: Housing demographics and median home values by state

Lender evaluation criteria

Lenders are evaluated across the following dimensions:

Rate competitiveness: How the lender's published rates compare to market averages from FRED and Freddie Mac PMMS
Fee transparency: Whether the lender clearly discloses origination fees, closing costs, and other charges before application
Loan product variety: Availability of conventional, FHA, VA, jumbo, and other loan types
Credit score requirements: Minimum credit score and how it compares to competitors
Customer experience: Based on CFPB complaint data (complaint volume, timely response rate, top issues) and quality of digital tools
HMDA lending volume: Refinance origination volume and approval rates from public HMDA data

What we do NOT consider

Advertising spend: How much a lender spends on marketing has no effect on their ranking
Affiliate commission rates: The referral fee Wirly may earn from a lender does not influence their position in our rankings
Direct requests: Lenders cannot request or pay for a specific ranking position

Calculator methodology

Wirly's calculators use standard amortization formulas with rate data from the Federal Reserve. Results are estimates based on the inputs you provide and publicly available rate data, not loan offers or pre-qualifications.

Actual rates, payments, and savings will vary based on your credit profile, loan-to-value ratio, property type, and lender. Calculator inputs stay in your browser and are not transmitted to Wirly or any third party.

Content creation process

Wirly's educational content is drafted using AI writing tools and reviewed by the editorial team for accuracy. All data claims are verified against primary government sources before publication. We do not publish unverified claims or use unattributed data. For full details, see our editorial guidelines.

Update frequency

Rate data: Updated daily from the FRED API
Lender rankings: Reviewed quarterly and updated when significant changes occur
HMDA data: Updated annually when the CFPB publishes new aggregate data
Educational content: Reviewed periodically for accuracy as rates and regulations change