Help guide
Comparison rate: what it captures (and what it can hide)
Why comparison rates exist for regulated disclosure, how intro rates and fee timing can still shift true cost, and why scenario modelling beats one banner number.
Regulatory intent
Comparison rates annualise interest plus certain standard fees over a defined loan example — useful for like-for-like box checking between similar products.
They do not know your actual balance path, offset behaviour, split structures, or fee events you might trigger.
Use it as a signpost
Pair comparison rate with your own loan amount, term, fees you will pay, and any honeymoon or IO phase schedule.
Brokers still run lender serviceability engines — public calculators cannot reproduce credit policy overlays.