Best VA Loan Lenders 2025: Pros, Cons, and How to Choose

VA loans are a convenient way to buy a house with little or no money down while still getting a competitive interest rate. However, finding the best VA loan lender for your needs isn’t always easy. Service members and veterans sometimes face unique challenges when buying a home, such as Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves and stricter appraisal requirements.

We’ll look at five of the best VA home loan lenders based on a number of critical factors, including costs, speed, and military-focused service. Beyond ranking the top lenders, we’ll also show you how to choose a VA loan provider that best aligns with your goals.

5 best VA loan lenders ranked

Navy Federal Credit Union (NMLS# 399807)

Best for VA loan expertise

Strengths: Navy Federal Credit Union is one of the leading names in VA loan lending and is the nation’s largest credit union.[1] Its membership is open only to military members and their families, so they have a lot of expertise in VA loans and other financial issues that affect service members.

That expertise can be useful for qualifying for a VA loan where understanding military pay structure is important. Navy Federal’s focus on military members has also helped it score especially high on customer service, outranking any other lender in J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction Study.[2]

Weaknesses: While Navy Federal doesn’t have many shortcomings, it’s not as digitally focused as some other lenders, so its website and app aren’t always as robust as the competition’s. Also, fast processing isn’t a major selling point, so if you need to close in a hurry, another lender may be a better fit.

SoFi (NMLS# 1121636)

Best for low fees

Strengths: SoFi is a digital-first lender that scores well for offering low fees on its VA loans. Of special note is a promotion for zero origination fees, a great deal given that SoFi’s standard origination fee for a mortgage is $1,495.

Plus, because SoFi is focused on online services, its application process tends to be fast and convenient. It even offers an up to $10,000 on-time closing guarantee for eligible borrowers.

Weaknesses: SoFi offers VA loans, but it doesn’t specialize in them, so it can’t always offer the same in-depth expertise that a military-focused lender can. Also, while SoFi offers a great digital experience, it’s not always a good fit for borrowers who prefer in-person support.

NBKC Bank (NMLS# 409631)

Best for fast processing and closing

Strengths: NBKC Bank also stands out for its streamlined application process and easy-to-use app. It excels at processing applications quickly and offers an on-time closing guarantee where both you and the seller will get $2,500 if NBKC Bank is late closing. That guarantee has the added benefit of making your offer even more enticing to sellers, since it increases the odds of a smooth closing.

Weaknesses: Because of its focus on processing applications quickly, NBKC Bank can sometimes come up short with more complex transactions. Keep in mind that NBKC isn’t a VA loan specialist, which means that unique VA loan applications may be better handled at an institution focused on service members.

Freedom Mortgage (NMLS# 2767)

Best for borrowers with low credit

Strengths: Freedom Mortgage is a good choice for borrowers who have low or moderate credit ratings. While many lenders require a minimum credit score of 620[3], Freedom has a minimum credit score requirement of just 550.

Freedom Mortgage also has a lot of experience in handling VA loans and other government-backed mortgages, so they can provide advice specific to veterans and service members.

Weaknesses: While Freedom Mortgage is a good fit for credit-challenged borrowers,  you can probably find a better rate elsewhere if you have excellent credit. Also, customers have mixed experiences with the app and with resolving disputes with Freedom’s customer support.

Rocket Mortgage (NMLS #3030)

Best for online application and support

Strengths: Rocket Mortgage provides a fast online application process and some of the best customer support in the mortgage industry. It ranks among the best lenders in the mortgage servicer industry by J.D. Power and receives praise from customers for its ease of use.[2]

Rocket Mortgage is also the third-largest VA lender in the country.[4] So, despite being a generalist lender, it has a deep understanding of the VA loan application process and of the issues that affect military members buying a home.

Weaknesses: While Rocket Mortgages handles a high volume of VA loans, it’s not a specialist and is instead focused on processing relatively straightforward loans quickly. That means complicated cases can cause delays with closing.

How to choose a VA loan lender

Before checking whether you can prequalify for a mortgage from a VA loan lender, you should ensure your financial goals align with the company’s strengths. While it may be tempting to look solely at each lender’s advertised rates, you should take into account the full picture, including closing speed, VA loan expertise, technology, and customer service.

Speed vs. service: Some lenders stand out for their fast processing and closing times, which can give you a competitive advantage in a hot market. However, such lenders aren’t always the best with underwriting complex loans.

This is especially true for VA loans, where the mortgage loan process can easily get complicated because of unique income and appraisal requirements. That said, VA loan specialists in particular are often able to balance speed with expertise. 

Digital vs. in-person service: You’ll find that certain lenders focus heavily on offering digital platforms. They tend to make online applications easy and allow you to manage your mortgage via an app. But these lenders may have limited branches.

While many borrowers prefer a digital-first approach, more in-person support may be better suited to you. In that case, you’ll want a lender that has physical branches in your area with convenient opening times.

Rates vs. fees: Consider the total cost of a VA loan with a particular lender, not just the headline interest rate. In some cases, lenders will advertise low interest rates but then charge high fees and closing costs.

Similarly, keep a lookout for special promotions, like introductory rates or waived origination fees. These discounts have the potential to save you thousands of dollars, but you’ll need to make sure you’re not losing out through higher rates later on.

VA loans vs. other loans: Just because you’re eligible for a VA loan doesn’t mean you shouldn’t consider other options. VA loans are an excellent choice if you don’t have much money saved up — they’re one of the few true zero down payment mortgage options. But if you do have savings, consider other mortgage types.

Compare VA loans to conventional loans to get a complete picture of what you’re eligible for. In some cases, borrowers with excellent credit can get better rates and terms with a conventional loan.

On the other hand, if you have a lower credit rating or income, you may want to consider FHA loans over VA loans instead.

Generalist vs. specialist: Some lenders provide a wide range of products to the general public, including VA loans. Others are more focused on military members and may even restrict their products to veterans and service members.

Generalist lenders typically have more options to choose from, so they can be a good choice if you want to compare different products. But VA loan specialists tend to have a better understanding of mortgage issues that specifically affect service members and can better handle issues like PCS moves or deployment.