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Better Mortgage Review 2026
Last updated on May 29, 2026
Written by
Lead Writer & Content StrategistWritten by
Lead Writer & Content StrategistMany or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Why trust NerdWallet
Why trust NerdWallet
- 50+ mortgage lenders reviewed and rated by our team of experts.
- 40+ years of combined experience covering mortgages and financial topics.
- Objective, comprehensive star rating system assessing 120+ categories and 5,000+ data points.
- Governed by NerdWallet's strict guidelines for editorial integrity.
Our Take
4.0
Home loans overall
NerdWallet rating
The Nerdy headline:
Better is an online-only lender that stands out for its attractive interest rates and wide range of mortgage types, including mortgages for condos and manufactured homes. Most likely to appeal to borrowers who want a one-stop shopping experience: Better offers connections with homeowners insurance providers and real estate attorneys, as well as title insurance. However, the lender could improve its customer service.
Jump to:Full Review
Better: NMLS#330511
Great for: digital convenience
Min. credit score
620
Min. down payment
3%
Loan types and products
Purchase, Refinance, Jumbo, Fixed, Adjustable, FHA, VA
Pros
- Has a wide variety of mortgage types, including home equity products.
- Offers lower interest rates than many competitors.
- Sample online rates are customizable by location.
Cons
- We struggled to contact customer service.
- The lender scores poorly for customer satisfaction on Zillow.
- Does not offer construction loans.
Lender | Min. credit score | Min. down payment | |
|---|---|---|---|
 Visit Lenderat NBKC at NBKC | 620 | 3% | Visit Lenderat NBKC at NBKC |
 Visit Lenderat New American Funding at New American Funding | N/A | N/A | Visit Lenderat New American Funding at New American Funding |
 Visit Lenderat Rocket Mortgage, LLC at Rocket Mortgage, LLC | 580 | 3.5% | Visit Lenderat Rocket Mortgage, LLC at Rocket Mortgage, LLC |
 4.0 Visit Lenderat GO Mortgage at GO Mortgage | 620 | 3% | Visit Lenderat GO Mortgage at GO Mortgage |
 Visit Lenderat Veterans United at Veterans United | 620 | 0% | Visit Lenderat Veterans United at Veterans United |
Full Review
At a glance: Better mortgage options
Better is a nonbank lender based in New York City. It offers loans in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.
Better offers most standard types of loans, as well as home equity products and loans for condos and manufactured homes. However, you won’t find construction mortgages.
🏠 Common mortgages
- Conventional (fixed-rate and adjustable)
- Refinancing
- Jumbo loans
- FHA loans
- VA loans
🔑 Specialty loans
- Condo loans
- Loans for manufactured homes
💵 Home equity
- HELOCs
- Home equity loans
- Cash-out refinancing
Better special offers and discounts
Better offers a number of unique perks for borrowers to streamline the buying process. These things stood out in our research.
- Better Real Estate, which matches borrowers with partner real estate agents and provides up to $10,000 in closing cost credit.
- Better Cover, which shops and compares insurance offers.
- Better Attorney Match, which connects borrowers with real estate attorneys in New York, New Jersey, Illinois and Massachusetts.
- Better Settlement Services, which provides title insurance and settlement resources.
What does Better specialize in?
A lender’s experience with your loan type can make a big difference. We looked at the latest federal data to find the types of mortgages Better handles most often.
Conventional purchase mortgages make up most of Better’s lending business — however, 15% of the lender’s originations last year were refinances.
How we score Better Mortgage
Like to read the fine print? We do, too. Each year, NerdWallet writers and editors review the latest data and research on mortgage lenders, including federal data, and use a consistent method to score them based on what matters most to borrowers.
Better Mortgage earned a 4-star home loans overall rating from NerdWallet. Here’s how that score breaks down across our five weighted subcategories.
Poor
Rates and fees (30%)
Rates and fees determine how much a loan will cost you overall. NerdWallet reviews the latest federal data to score each lender’s average APR spread — a measure that combines interest rates and fees. A higher score means lower typical costs compared to other lenders.
Average
Product accessibility (20%)
We evaluate how widely available a lender’s products are across the U.S. and how accessible they are to different financial profiles. A higher score means broader availability and more flexible requirements. A lower score means fewer options or stricter requirements.
Average
Customer experience (20%)
We evaluate customer experience by testing and reviewing features like the online application, mobile app, and availability of phone or chat support. A higher score means a smoother, more convenient experience and easier access to help. A lower score means more friction or fewer support options.
Good
Loan variety (15%)
We evaluate loan variety based on the range of home loan types a lender offers. A higher score means more options, while a lower score means a more limited selection.
Good
Rate transparency (15%)
We review how clearly lenders share rate information on their websites, including sample rates and tools to estimate personalized rates. A higher score means it’s easy to find clear, comprehensive details and compare rates. A lower score means less information is available, often requiring you to contact the lender.
🤓
NerdWallet’s ratings are objective and well-researched (we have the spreadsheets to prove it). But choosing a mortgage lender isn’t just about a star rating or a score breakdown. It’s also about finding the right lender for your unique situation. So yes: you can learn a lot from how the mortgage Nerds scored Better Mortgage. But you’re the expert when it comes to the features of your own best-match mortgage lender.Nerdy Tip
Better reputation and customer experience
NerdWallet’s star ratings look at objective factors like rates, fees and loan options. To give you a sense of what the borrower experience is really like, we pulled the latest customer satisfaction scores from Zillow and we contacted the lender’s customer support.
Zillow Mortgage Lender Customer Rating
4.34
out of 5
Below-average rating as of the date of publication.
Rating reflects more than 880 customer reviews.
Better customer service options
Here’s how you can get in touch with Better.
Ways to reach Better
Physical branches . . . . . 🚫
Phone support . . . . . . . . ✅
Mobile app . . . . . . . . . . . 🚫
Online chat (bot) . . . . . . .✅
Online chat (human) . . . .🚫
» MORE: How to apply for a mortgage
🤓 Our Nerds say... customer service needs improvement
Taylor Getler, lead writer, mortgages
Borrowers can contact Better via email or phone. When we called their customer service line, we were first connected with a robotic voice (which sort of mimicked what you’d find with a chat bot). We had to ask to be transferred to a live agent, which never connected.
Alternatives to Better mortgage
Our biggest tip: Get offers from at least three different mortgage lenders. Comparison shopping can save you thousands of dollars. You can get rate quotes yourself, or work with a mortgage broker to shop around on your behalf.
If you’re interested in a lender that offers services for home buyers beyond the mortgage — such as connecting with a real estate agent — you may want to check out Chase.
Borrowers who are put off by Better’s customer service reputation may be interested in Citi, which scores highly on Zillow and JD Power for customer experience.
Finally, if you plan to refinance your mortgage, Truist could be a solid choice — the lender was NerdWallet’s pick for Best Lender for Refinancing Overall in 2026.
» MORE: Best mortgage lenders
More from NerdWallet
Methodology
NerdWallet rates mortgage lenders based on what matters most to borrowers: rates and fees, product accessibility, customer experience, rate transparency and the range of loan options.
We review more than 40 lenders and score them using a weighted system that prioritizes affordability and a smooth borrowing experience. Lenders earn higher scores for offering lower borrowing costs, making loans widely available, clearly displaying rate information and supporting borrowers from application through closing.
We use a mix of lender-provided information, publicly available data and our own research and analysis to evaluate each lender. Recent regulatory actions may affect a lender’s score.