15-Year vs. 30-Year Mortgage Calculator

By NerdWallet 
Edited by Tim Manni Reviewed by Michelle Blackford

Some or all of the mortgage lenders featured on our site are advertising partners of NerdWallet, but this does not influence our evaluations, lender star ratings or the order in which lenders are listed on the page. Our opinions are our own. Here is a list of our partners.

MORE LIKE THISMortgages

Mortgage loans from our partners

Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

Rocket Mortgage

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
580

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

NBKC - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on NBKC

NBKC

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
NBKC - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
3%

Check Rate

on NBKC

Guaranteed Rate - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Guaranteed Rate

Guaranteed Rate

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Guaranteed Rate - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
3%

Check Rate

on Guaranteed Rate

New American Funding - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
New American Funding - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
500

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on New American Funding

Veterans United - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Veterans United

Veterans United

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Veterans United - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
0%

Check Rate

on Veterans United

What's the difference between a 15-year and 30-year mortgage?

A 15-year mortgage is designed to be paid off over 15 years. A 30-year mortgage is structured to be paid in full in 30 years. The interest rate is lower on a 15-year mortgage, and because the term is half as long, you'll pay a lot less interest over the life of the loan. Of course, that means your payment will be higher, too, than with a 30-year mortgage.

When to consider a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage

The main draws of 15-year fixed-rate loans are their lower interest rates and the fact that they'll be paid off more quickly. Like any fixed-rate loan, they also offer stability; the monthly payment won’t change no matter what happens to inflation or market interest rates.

But the monthly payment will be much higher than that of a 30-year loan for the same property due to the shorter term, and that will make it harder to qualify for the loan.

When to consider a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage

You can likely claim a sizable tax deduction based on interest payments for your 30-year loan, especially in the early years, when most of your payments go toward interest. And because it's a fixed-rate loan, you’ll pay the same amount every month. However, if you don’t plan to stay put for several years, or if you want a lower rate, a 15-year fixed-rate mortgage or an adjustable-rate mortgage might be a better option.

More from NerdWallet:

Mortgage loans from our partners

Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

Rocket Mortgage

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Rocket Mortgage - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
580

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on Rocket Mortgage

NBKC - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on NBKC

NBKC

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
NBKC - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
3%

Check Rate

on NBKC

Guaranteed Rate - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Guaranteed Rate

Guaranteed Rate

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Guaranteed Rate - PURCHASE logo

5.0

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
3%

Check Rate

on Guaranteed Rate

New American Funding - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on New American Funding

New American Funding

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
New American Funding - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
500

Min. down payment 
3.5%

Check Rate

on New American Funding

Veterans United - PURCHASE logo
Check Rate

on Veterans United

Veterans United

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Veterans United - PURCHASE logo

4.5

NerdWallet rating 
Min. credit score 
620

Min. down payment 
0%

Check Rate

on Veterans United


How much house can you afford?

Understanding how much you can afford is a great first step to buying a home. NerdWallet helps you easily determine your home buying budget with our home affordability calculator.


Did you know? NerdWallet partners with highly-rated mortgage lenders to find you the best possible rates
Answer a few questions to match with your personalized offer
Won’t affect your credit score
Get more smart money moves – straight to your inbox
Sign up and we’ll send you Nerdy articles about the money topics that matter most to you along with other ways to help you get more from your money.