Did you know there’s a way to efficiently calculate your 21 mortgage rate with a mortgage calculator? Well, I definitely didn’t, so I was relying on random websites and my own cruddy calculations by hand to figure out the numbers. I hated every second of it, it was incredibly slow, and I constantly found myself making errors.
I’m able to stay on top of current mortgage rates as well as calculate taxes and insurance with calculator apps that help me determine my payment in a few clicks. There are even amortization calculators and reverse mortgage calculators to help me keep all of my boos and notes clean and proper. I’ve loved these apps so much that I just knew I had to share them with you ASAP.
Mortgage by Zillow – Rating: 4.6, Downloads: 500K
Mortgage by Zillow is incredibly useful because it helps you find the best mortgage option that fits your budget so there is no more desperate guesswork. You are able to access a free mortgage payoff calculator so you can quickly find out how much you can afford to spend on a new or current mortgage. Plus, you also have the ability to compare mortgage rates, fees, and monthly payments with personalized quotes from over 100 banks, credit unions, and other lenders near you.
The only negative that I can think to highlight is that when entering your down payment information, there is no option to enter a dollar amount directly. You just select the percentage that closest fits your budget and go from there, which can be a bit unhelpful if you’re looking for something more exact.
Pros: You have access to free calculators to figure out your mortgage payments and interest costs with a variety of banks.
Cons: Can’t add a dollar amount for the down payment.
Overall: Great for quickly determining your mortgage costs and interest payments, but the down payment is calculated by the percentage you can afford and not the dollar amount.
Karl’s Mortgage Calculator – Rating: 4.5, Downloads: 1M
I also really enjoy Karl’s Mortgage Calculator because it allows you to calculate your mortgage principal, interest, and term to see exactly what your monthly payments will look like without being overwhelming. You can easily break things down into small pieces in order to factor in additional costs like taxes, interest rate changes, or extra, one-time payments. You also have the ability to see the numbers and amortization schedules on a table view as well as use the analytics feature to generate graphs and charts for each calculation, which are particularly helpful if, like me, you are a visual learner.
Because these calculator features are very in-depth and have more input fields than some other calculators, you may have some trouble figuring out what numbers you need to put where. On the other hand, having something so detailed is definitely beneficial for your records, so you will have to weigh this benefit for yourself.
Pros: Breaks down payments into small numbers and categories for a thorough, highly-detailed result.
Cons: Having so many input values can be intimidating and a tad confusing if you’re new to mortgage calculators.
Overall: If you’re looking for a mortgage calculator that is extremely detailed, then this is the one for you, but beginners might be a bit overwhelmed.
Mortgage Calculator by QL – Rating: 4.5, Downloads: 100K
My last pick is Mortgage Calculator by Quicken Loans because of its 4 free intuitive calculators to choose from. With a variety of calculators to help you achieve your mortgage goals, you can quickly find out what your monthly mortgage payments will look like, what refinancing options are available to you, home affordability and more. You can also see how extra payments might affect your loan. I really enjoy this calculator because it eliminates the need to look up mortgage rates. Real-time rates are updated automatically, so you always know the number that is most pertinent to you.
Mortgage Calculator by QL actually has the exact opposite problem of Mortgage by Zillow. You are able to enter the exact down payment amount that you plan to make, but you can’t input a percentage amount. If the percentage amount is what you’re looking for, then you’re going to want to check out Mortgage by Zillow instead.
Pros: Has 4 types of calculators to determine different numbers related to your mortgage payments, including refinancing options and home affordability.
Cons: Can only enter dollar amounts for the down payment.
Overall: There are four different mortgage calculators to help you cover all of your bases but you will need to input exact dollar amounts.
Conclusion
Although these are my top 3 picks, there are a couple of more apps I suggest you check out, especially if the 3 aren’t what you’re looking for. Thus, I’ll share the link to the list I used to help me with the article. Feel free to give it a look.
Top Mortgage Calculator Apps
Making the best decision possible when purchasing your new home can be an intimidating feat. At least, this has been my experience. I’m so lucky that I found the great apps I listed above because they’ve made my mortgage payment calculations so much easier! I’m so grateful for them and I really wanted to share my luck with you so, hopefully, the home-buying process will be significantly easier for you too.
