Rocket Mortgage vs Guaranteed Rate (Rate)
46.9% of Rocket Mortgage's 2025 loans were cash-out refinance loans, versus 14% nationally; 74.8% of Guaranteed Rate (Rate)'s 2025 loans were conventional, averaging $414k.
The short answer
Lean toward Rocket Mortgage if…
- you want the lower typical price: on conventional 30-year fixed purchase loans with at least 20% down, its borrowers' median APR ran 0.07 percentage points lower against the market benchmark (2025 HMDA).
- you're refinancing — refinances and cash-outs were 63.8% of its loans versus 18.4%.
- you're buying in Louisiana, where it lends at 15× the other's volume.
Lean toward Guaranteed Rate (Rate) if…
- service record matters most to you: it drew about 1.5 CFPB complaints per 1,000 loans it made in 2025, against 8.1 (a rough ratio — complaints also cover loans each services).
No meaningful difference on FHA focus and VA focus — there, the better quote decides.
Every point above comes from federal lending data, not from either lender. Your own rate depends on your credit, down payment and points, so get Loan Estimates from both on the same day.
Rocket Mortgage
Best for online experience
The largest U.S. retail mortgage lender, known for a fully digital application and fast, guided online closings.
429,332 loans in 2025 · avg $270,571
Full reviewGuaranteed Rate (Rate)
Best for digital + local mix
A large retail lender (rebranded "Rate") pairing an online application with local loan officers nationwide.
70,579 loans in 2025 · avg $413,553
Full reviewRocket Mortgage vs Guaranteed Rate (Rate): side by side
| Rocket Mortgage | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Nonbank lender | Nonbank lender |
| Headquarters | Detroit, MI | Chicago, IL |
| Best for | Online experience | Digital + local mix |
| Loan types | Conventional · FHA · VA · Jumbo · Refi | Conventional · FHA · VA · Jumbo |
| Loans originated (2025) | 429,332 | 70,579 |
| Total lending (2025) | $116.2B | $29.2B |
| Average loan | $270,571 | $413,553 |
| Approval rate* | 79.5% | 90.6% |
| Conventional share | 76.9% | 74.8% |
| FHA share | 15.2% | 15.1% |
| VA share | 7.9% | 9.6% |
| Purchase share | 31.8% | 76% |
| Refinance + cash-out share | 63.8% | 18.4% |
| Approval: conventional* | 81.6% | 90.9% |
| Approval: FHA* | 69.5% | 86.5% |
| Approval: VA* | 82.2% | 95.2% |
| Second-lien / home-equity share | 24.0% | 8.9% |
| Manufactured homes share | 1.8% | 1.6% |
| CFPB complaints (12 mo.) | 3,481 | 108 |
Source: 2025 HMDA data (FFIEC/CFPB); CFPB Consumer Complaint Database. *Approval = originated ÷ (originated + denied); it mirrors each lender's channel and borrower mix, not how hard it is to qualify — see our approval breakdown.
What their borrowers actually paid
Medians from 2025 HMDA loan-level records for 30-year fixed home purchases, compared like for like. "Vs benchmark" is the APR minus the average prime offer rate for the week each rate was locked, so loans locked in different weeks compare fairly.
| Loan type | Rocket Mortgage | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | All lenders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional | 6.50% · +0.01 vs benchmark · $5,816 costs (35,588 loans) | 6.625% · +0.08 vs benchmark · $5,990 costs (13,523 loans) | 6.50% · +0.02 · $5,476 |
| Jumbo | 6.50% · −0.06 vs benchmark · $9,947 costs (1,520 loans) | 6.625% · −0.02 vs benchmark · $8,460 costs (1,148 loans) | 6.625% · +0.00 · $10,251 |
| FHA | 6.25% · +0.38 vs benchmark · $11,293 costs (21,677 loans) | 6.375% · +0.55 vs benchmark · $12,385 costs (5,843 loans) | 6.25% · +0.42 · $11,291 |
| VA | 6.125% · −0.39 vs benchmark · $8,600 costs (8,229 loans) | 6.20% · −0.40 vs benchmark · $5,647 costs (4,759 loans) | 6.125% · −0.36 · $6,554 |
Source: 2025 HMDA loan-level data (FFIEC/CFPB), first-lien 30-year fixed purchases; costs are the borrower-paid total loan costs. Rates have moved since 2025: use these to compare the two lenders, not as today's quote — see average mortgage rates.
Rocket Mortgage or Guaranteed Rate (Rate): which fits your loan
Which of the two writes more of each loan type, from 2025 originations.
| Your situation | Does more of these | Evidence (share of loans) |
|---|---|---|
| Buying with an FHA loan | No clear edge | 15.2% vs 15.1% of loans (U.S. 13.2%) |
| Using a VA loan | No clear edge | 7.9% vs 9.6% of loans (U.S. 8.2%) |
| Buying a home (purchase) | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | 31.8% vs 76% of loans (U.S. 52.5%) |
| Refinancing to a lower rate | Rocket Mortgage | 16.9% vs 10.9% of loans (U.S. 15.3%) |
| Cash-out refinance | Rocket Mortgage | 46.9% vs 7.5% of loans (U.S. 14%) |
| Large or jumbo loan | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | avg loan $271k vs $414k |
Where each one is bigger
Rocket Mortgage reported more 2025 HMDA activity than Guaranteed Rate (Rate) in 50 of 51 states, and Guaranteed Rate (Rate) led in 1. Rocket Mortgage's strongest relative edge is Louisiana (15× the other's volume).
| State | Rocket Mortgage | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | Bigger here |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 64,004 | 15,450 | Rocket Mortgage |
| Texas | 50,865 | 10,233 | Rocket Mortgage |
| Florida | 51,107 | 8,992 | Rocket Mortgage |
| Illinois | 19,307 | 19,791 | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) |
| Michigan | 34,325 | 3,185 | Rocket Mortgage |
| Georgia | 32,386 | 3,587 | Rocket Mortgage |
| North Carolina | 27,765 | 5,493 | Rocket Mortgage |
| Pennsylvania | 25,282 | 5,968 | Rocket Mortgage |
The eight states where the two together are most active. HMDA records include applications and loans reported for 2025.
Approval by loan type
The widest gap is on FHA applications: Rocket Mortgage approved 69.5% of decisioned FHA applications in 2025 and Guaranteed Rate (Rate) 86.5%. Their books also differ on home equity: second-lien loans were 24.0% of Rocket Mortgage's originations and 8.9% of Guaranteed Rate (Rate)'s.
Complaints to the CFPB
| Rocket Mortgage | Guaranteed Rate (Rate) | |
|---|---|---|
| Mortgage complaints since November 2025 | 3,481 | 108 |
| Most common issue | Trouble during payment process | Trouble during payment process |
| Timely company response | 100.0% | 99.1% |
| Closed with relief | 0.5% | 0.0% |
CFPB Consumer Complaint Database, complaints received since November 2025 under "Rocket Mortgage, LLC" and "GUARANTEED RATE INC.". Counts grow with the number of loans a company services and are not adjusted for size; complaints are not verified findings.
Who each lender is for, and not for
Rocket Mortgage
Good fit: Rocket suits borrowers who value a polished, self-directed digital experience and want a large, well-capitalized lender that will likely keep servicing the loan after closing.
Think twice if: Its 10-K lists corporate offices and client support locations rather than a retail branch network, so local face-to-face help is limited.
Guaranteed Rate (Rate)
Good fit: Rate suits buyers who want a genuinely digital application and quick preapproval but still value a named, local loan officer they can call.
Think twice if: Scored slightly below the industry average in J.D. Power's 2025 mortgage origination satisfaction study.
From our independent reviews of Rocket Mortgage and Guaranteed Rate (Rate).
How to check Rocket Mortgage and Guaranteed Rate (Rate) before you choose
- Get both Loan Estimates the same day, with the same lock period and points, and compare section A (origination charges) and the APR.
- Check experience where they differ most: purchase loans. They were 76% of Guaranteed Rate (Rate)'s 2025 lending but 31.8% of Rocket Mortgage's. If that is your loan, ask Rocket Mortgage's loan officer how many they closed last year.
Benchmark both quotes against average mortgage rates and run the payment in the mortgage calculator.
Rocket Mortgage vs Guaranteed Rate (Rate): FAQ
Is Rocket Mortgage or Guaranteed Rate (Rate) better for an FHA loan?
Neither stands out: FHA loans were 15.2% of Rocket Mortgage's 2025 lending and 15.1% of Guaranteed Rate (Rate)'s, against 13.2% nationally. If FHA is your plan, also get a quote from a lender that does more FHA volume.
Where does Rocket Mortgage lend more than Guaranteed Rate (Rate)?
Rocket Mortgage reported more 2025 HMDA activity than Guaranteed Rate (Rate) in 50 of 51 states, and Guaranteed Rate (Rate) led in 1. Rocket Mortgage's biggest relative edge is in Louisiana.
Does Rocket Mortgage or Guaranteed Rate (Rate) get more complaints?
Since November 2025, consumers filed 3,481 mortgage complaints about Rocket Mortgage and 108 about Guaranteed Rate (Rate) with the CFPB, not adjusted for how many loans each services.
Which is better for refinancing, Rocket Mortgage or Guaranteed Rate (Rate)?
Rocket Mortgage is the more refinance-focused lender: refinances and cash-out refinances were 63.8% of Rocket Mortgage's 2025 loans and 18.4% of Guaranteed Rate (Rate)'s.
Independent comparison from public federal data; no lender paid for placement. Not personalized advice.
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