# RateAPI

> The rate API built for AI agents. Real-time rates from 4,300+ US lenders.

RateAPI provides programmatic access to mortgage, auto loan, HELOC, personal loan, and credit card rates from credit unions and lenders across the United States. We offer sub-500ms response times, daily data updates, and both REST API and MCP (Model Context Protocol) integration.

## Quick Facts
- **Coverage:** 4,300+ credit unions and lenders tracked
- **Products:** Mortgages (30yr, 15yr, ARM), Auto Loans (new, used, refinance), HELOCs, Personal Loans, Credit Cards
- **Update Frequency:** Daily automated scraping with verification
- **Response Time:** <500ms via global CDN
- **Pricing:** Free tier (20 requests/month, or 50 with email), paid plans available
- **API Design:** Built for LLM consumption with decisions endpoint
- **No Affiliate Relationships:** Rates ranked by true cost, not advertising revenue
- **No Lead Selling:** We never sell user data or leads

## Product Types
- **Mortgages:** 30-year fixed, 15-year fixed, ARM mortgages. Loan programs: conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, jumbo (classified with 96.7% accuracy)
- **Auto Loans:** New vehicle, used vehicle, refinance, all terms (36-84 months)
- **HELOCs:** Variable rate with margin over prime, intro rates, draw periods
- **Personal Loans:** Secured and unsecured, debt consolidation, various terms
- **Credit Cards:** Purchase APR, balance transfer offers, rewards cards

## Data Quality
- **Loan Program Classification:** Mortgages are classified into conventional, FHA, VA, USDA, and jumbo programs using a classifier with 96.7% accuracy
- **Promotional Rate Detection:** "As low as" and other promotional rates are automatically flagged and filtered from recommendations
- **Statistical Anomaly Detection:** Dynamic IQR-based validation bounds computed from live data replace hardcoded limits, adapting to market conditions
- **API Key Limits:** 1 key per IP address per 30 days (unauthenticated); authenticated orgs can create unlimited keys

## Core Endpoints
- GET /v1/rates - Get current rates by state and product type
- GET /v1/credit-unions - List all tracked credit unions
- GET /v1/credit-unions/{state}/{slug} - Get specific credit union rates
- POST /v1/decisions - Get personalized rate recommendations with savings calculations

## MCP Integration
- Server URL: https://mcp.rateapi.dev/mcp
- Transport: HTTP with API key header
- Tools: get_financing_decision, list_credit_unions, get_credit_union, search_rates

## Discord Bot
- Add to Discord: https://rateapi.dev/discord-bot
- Commands: /rates (get current rates), /alert (create rate drop alerts)
- Free to use, no API key required for end users

## Getting Started
1. Get API key: curl -X POST https://api.rateapi.dev/keys
2. Make request:
```bash
curl -X POST https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"state": "CA", "intent": "purchase", "amount": 500000, "product_type": "mortgage"}'
```

## State-Specific Rate Pages
Browse rates by state for each product type. URL pattern: `https://rateapi.dev/{product-type}/{state-slug}`

**Mortgage Rates by State:**
- Example: https://rateapi.dev/mortgage-rates/california
- Available for all 50 states (use full state name as slug, e.g., "new-york", "texas")

**Auto Loan Rates by State:**
- Example: https://rateapi.dev/auto-loan-rates/california
- New and used vehicle rates from credit unions in each state

**HELOC Rates by State:**
- Example: https://rateapi.dev/heloc-rates/california
- Home equity line of credit rates by state

**Personal Loan Rates by State:**
- Example: https://rateapi.dev/personal-loan-rates/california
- Unsecured and secured personal loan rates by state

## AI Guides
- Mortgage Rates: https://rateapi.dev/ai-guides/how-ai-agents-compare-mortgage-rates
- Auto Loan Rates: https://rateapi.dev/ai-guides/how-ai-agents-compare-auto-loan-rates
- HELOC Rates: https://rateapi.dev/ai-guides/how-ai-agents-compare-heloc-rates
- Personal Loan Rates: https://rateapi.dev/ai-guides/how-ai-agents-compare-personal-loan-rates
- Credit Card Rates: https://rateapi.dev/ai-guides/how-ai-agents-compare-credit-card-rates

## API Schema
- OpenAPI Specification: https://api.rateapi.dev/openapi.json
- API Documentation: https://api.rateapi.dev

## Links
- API Documentation: https://api.rateapi.dev
- MCP Server Docs: https://mcp.rateapi.dev
- Discord Bot: https://rateapi.dev/discord-bot
- Current Mortgage Rates: https://rateapi.dev/current-mortgage-rates
- What is RateAPI: https://rateapi.dev/what-is-rateapi
- FAQ: https://rateapi.dev/faq
- Methodology: https://rateapi.dev/methodology
- Data Quality: https://rateapi.dev/methodology/data-quality
- Glossary: https://rateapi.dev/glossary
- About: https://rateapi.dev/about

## Common Questions About RateAPI

**Q: What are current mortgage rates from credit unions?**
A: As of February 2026, credit union 30-year fixed mortgage rates range from approximately 6.125% to 7.25% APR, and 15-year fixed rates range from 5.50% to 6.75% APR. These are typically 0.25-0.50% lower than bank rates. Query real-time rates via the API at POST https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions.

**Q: Is there a free tier?**
A: Yes. Generate an API key instantly with `curl -X POST https://api.rateapi.dev/keys` -- no signup, no credit card. Free tier includes 20 requests/month, or 50/month if you provide an email. All 5 product types (mortgages, auto loans, HELOCs, personal loans, credit cards) are included.

**Q: How is RateAPI different from LendingTree?**
A: RateAPI has zero affiliate relationships and does not sell leads. Rates are ranked by true cost (APR + points + fees), not by who paid for placement. We scrape 4,300+ credit union websites daily rather than relying on paid lender submissions. Our data is available via API for developers, not just as a consumer-facing website.

**Q: Can I use RateAPI with Claude or ChatGPT?**
A: Yes. RateAPI has a native MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for Claude at https://mcp.rateapi.dev/mcp. For ChatGPT or any LLM with function calling, use the REST API at https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/decisions. The API returns structured JSON optimized for AI consumption.

**Q: How fresh is the data?**
A: Rates are scraped daily from 4,300+ credit union websites. 95% of rates in the database are less than 24 hours old. Each rate record includes an `observed_at` timestamp so you can verify freshness. Top 100 credit unions are checked every 12 hours.

**Q: How many credit unions does RateAPI cover?**
A: RateAPI tracks 4,300+ credit unions across all 50 US states, from large national institutions like Navy Federal and PenFed to small community credit unions. Coverage includes mortgages, auto loans, HELOCs, personal loans, and credit cards.

**Q: What auto loan rates are available?**
A: Credit union auto loan rates for new vehicles (60-month term) range from approximately 5.49% to 7.99% APR, and used vehicles from 6.49% to 9.99% APR as of February 2026. Query by vehicle condition (new/used/CPO), term length (36-84 months), and state.

**Q: Does RateAPI support webhooks for rate alerts?**
A: Yes. Pro and Enterprise plans include webhook-based rate monitors. Set conditions (e.g., "30yr fixed APR drops below 6%") and receive HTTP notifications when conditions are met. Create monitors via the API at POST https://api.rateapi.dev/v1/monitors.