What is a fixed rate home loan?
A fixed rate home loan is a home loan where the interest rate is locked in (or fixed) for a set period of time. During this time, your interest rate and your repayments won’t change.
This is different to a variable rate home loan, where the interest rate can change at any time. Lenders typically move their rates up or down in line with the official cash rate set by the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and other factors.
Another option is a split home loan, where a portion of your loan is fixed and the remainder is variable.
How to compare fixed rate home loans
A loan’s interest rate is an important consideration and it can make a big difference to the total cost of a loan. But there are also other factors to consider. This includes any fees attached to the loan and the features available.
Canstar’s Home Loan Star Ratings and Awards could also help with your decision. Canstar’s expert researchers assessed thousands of home loans, including fixed rate home loans, to see which ones offered the best value. Canstar also has a separate Fixed Rate Home Loan Award.
A low rate isn’t the only factor to consider when judging a loan. Other factors could play a part, such as if it comes with any features, like an offset account or redraw facility, extra fees or similar considerations. Consider if you need to seek professional financial advice.
Learn more:
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About our finance experts
Josh Sale, Home Loans Ratings Manager
As Canstar’s Ratings Manager, Josh Sale is responsible for the methodology and delivery of Canstar’s Home Loan Star Ratings and Awards. With tertiary qualifications in economics and finance, Josh has worked behind the scenes for the last five years to develop Star Ratings and Awards that help connect consumers with the right home loan for them.
Josh is passionate about helping consumers get hands-on with their home loans, always reminding home buyers that finding the right loan can be as important for your finances as negotiating a fair property purchase price. Josh has been interviewed by media outlets such as the Australian Financial Review, news.com.au and Money Magazine, discussing topics including home loan equity and wider finance trends.
When it comes to Josh’s own property journey, the home loans expert once bought two houses in the same transaction when he ensured the cubby house his daughter loved was listed on the purchase contract for his new home. You can follow Josh on LinkedIn, and Canstar on Twitter and Facebook.
Nina Tovey, Editor-in-Chief

As Canstar’s Editor-in-Chief, Nina heads up a team of talented journalists who research and write articles to provide our readers with valuable insights about the home loan and property markets. Previously Nina founded her own agency where she provided content and communications support to clients around Australia for eight years. She also spent four years as the PR Manager for American Express Australia, and has worked at a Brisbane communications agency where she supported dozens of clients, including Sunsuper and Suncorp.
Nina has ghostwritten dozens of opinion pieces for publications including The Australian and has been interviewed on finance topics by the Herald Sun and the Sydney Morning Herald. When she’s not dreaming up ways to put a fresh spin on finance, she’s taking her own advice by trying to pay her house off as quickly as possible and raising two money-savvy kids.
Nina has a Bachelor of Journalism and a Bachelor of Arts with a double major in English Literature from the University of Queensland. She’s also an experienced presenter, and has hosted numerous events and YouTube series.
You can follow her on Instagram or Twitter, or Canstar on Facebook.
You can also read more about Canstar’s editorial team and our robust fact-checking process.
Additional reporting: Canstar Finance Journalist Tamika Seeto
This content was reviewed by Deputy Editor Sean Callery and Sub-Editor Tom Letts as part of our fact-checking process.
Important information
For those that love the detail
This advice is general and has not taken into account your objectives, financial situation or needs. Consider whether this advice is right for you.