Guaranteed Rate. It denied 9.2% of the applications it decided on in 2025, against 18.5% at Pennymac Loan Services. Product mix explains part of any gap: HELOC and FHA-heavy lenders naturally deny more. Pennymac Loan Services, with a median rate of 6.49% on loans it originated in 2025 versus 6.58% at Guaranteed Rate. Medians reflect the loans each lender actually made, so a lender writing more VA or 15-year loans will look cheaper.
| Metric | Guaranteed Rate | Pennymac Loan Services | All lenders |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | B | C | |
| Grade score (0–100) | 62.3 | 47.0 | |
| Applications 2025 | 129,106 | 193,807 | 11,766,671 |
| Origination rate | 54.7% | 52.0% | 58.0% |
| Denial rate (all applications) | 5.7% | 12.3% | 18.0% |
| Decision denial rate | 9.2% | 18.5% | 22.6% |
| Withdrawn + incomplete | 38.1% | 33.7% | 2,405,729 |
| Median interest rate | 6.58% | 6.49% | 6.63% |
| Median rate spread (pts) | 0.21 | 0.24 | 0.25 |
| Median total loan costs | $6,363 | $6,423 | |
| Median loan amount | $335,000 | $275,000 | $225,000 |
| Loan volume | $29B | $35B | |
| States active | 51 | 51 | |
| FHA share | 16% | 28% | 14% |
| VA share | 8% | 17% | 8% |
| Refinance share | 29% | 56% | 32% |
Green marks the better figure where "better" is unambiguous. Shares and sizes are context, not scores. Source: CFPB HMDA 2025.
Guaranteed Rate. It denied 9.2% of the applications it decided on in 2025, against 18.5% at Pennymac Loan Services. Product mix explains part of any gap: HELOC and FHA-heavy lenders naturally deny more.
Pennymac Loan Services, with a median rate of 6.49% on loans it originated in 2025 versus 6.58% at Guaranteed Rate. Medians reflect the loans each lender actually made, so a lender writing more VA or 15-year loans will look cheaper.
