Best VA Loan Lenders in 2025: Complete Guide for Veterans

VA loans offer impressive benefits, such as zero down payments, no private mortgage insurance (PMI) requirements, and generally lower interest rates. For veterans, service members, and their families, VA loans can provide a quick and affordable path to home ownership.

However, not all mortgage lenders offer VA loans, and the ones that do aren’t always experts in VA loan requirements and benefits. To ensure you stand a better chance of getting the mortgage that suits you, we’ve ranked the five best VA loan lenders with  proven track records of excelling in these specialized loans.

Our methodology

Because VA loans already have many built-in advantages compared to conventional mortgages, such as zero down payment requirements and no prepayment penalties, our ranking of lenders is based on factors that go beyond these baseline benefits. Instead, we focused on four key factors:

VA loan expertise: Some general mortgage lenders can provide great service for VA loan borrowers. However, VA loan specialists are usually better at providing VA loan–specific advice and solving issues unique to veterans and service members.

Rates and fees: Lenders who offer interest rates better than the market average were given a boost in our rankings. We also gave extra points for low fees and transparent fee structures.

Customer satisfaction: We used online reviews from sources such as Trustpilot, the Better Business Bureau, and Google to assess overall customer satisfaction. We also relied on studies by J.D. Power to understand how lenders compared to their competition.

Veteran-specific benefits: Lenders were given extra credit for offering benefits exclusive to veterans and military members beyond those built into VA loans. This could include special military-only discounts, educational resources, or a general understanding of military-specific challenges, like Permanent Change of Station (PCS) moves and deployment.

5 best VA home loan lenders by category

Best overall: Navy Federal Credit Union (NMLS# 399807)

Navy Federal Credit Union is the largest credit union in the country[1], and membership is mostly limited to veterans, service members, and their families. As a non-profit, it can offer highly competitive rates. And the lender’s knowledge of VA loan requirements means it can often help even in complex situations, such as PCS moves.

“My husband and I opened accounts with them early this year, as we wanted to buy a home in another state, and we wanted to use his VA loan benefits. They really went above and beyond to initiate the process, and walked us through all of the preliminary paperwork, then the VA took over. It was a great process, and in no time, we were closing on a home across the country.” — Julie H., Trustpilot

Navy Federal also beats the competition for customer service. It scored a 770 in J.D. Power’s 2025 U.S. Mortgage Servicer Satisfaction Study, higher than any other lender.[2]

That said, there are some complaints about Navy Federal’s online platform not being user friendly.

“Using a VA loan through Navy Federal was more difficult than going the traditional route. The HomeSquad platform was not user-friendly; we had to upload the same documents multiple times, which was frustrating.” — G.W., Trustpilot

Best for fast closing: Veterans United Home Loans (NMLS# 1907)

Veterans United Home Loans is one of the largest VA loan providers in the country, giving it unique expertise in VA loan benefits. While it can help with all aspects of your VA loan application, a number of reviews highlight the speed of getting to closing in particular.

“Everyone on the team at Veterans United did an absolutely awesome job in helping us purchase our new home. The closing was FAST! Everything through the entire process was so awesome I almost wish I could do it again!” — Al M., Google

Veterans United sometimes falls short with customer service. Although, to be fair, this issue varies from branch to branch. Specifically, customers occasionally complain of a lack of communication from some loan officers.

“I made several calls to my loan agent and didn’t receive a call back for several months. When I decided to refi, I couldn't find my agent and went with another loan company.” — Robert B., Trustpilot

Best for bad credit: Rocket Mortgage (NMLS #3030)

Rocket Mortgage can be a good option for borrowers with low credit, as borrowers only need a score of 580 to qualify. Plus, the lender claims it works with borrowers to find solutions even if their score is under 580. In contrast, most lenders require a minimum 620 credit score for VA loans.[3]

“Rocket Mortgage did an exceptional job. They didn't give up on me although I had low credit to start (with) and am a low income family. They worked (with) me to increase my credit till I was approved. Then everything was smooth sailing. They practically did all the work for me.” — Stacey S., Trustpilot

While most reviews of Rocket Mortgage are positive, we did notice that some borrowers complained of closing delays for VA loans in particular. While this issue doesn’t appear to be widespread, it’s worth watching out for.

“Not good experience from start to finish. Took over 3 months to close a simple VA refinance.” — Greg K., Trustpilot

Best online VA loan lender: NBKC Bank (NMLS# 409631)

While NBKC Bank is based in the Kansas City area and has branches there, its online presence makes it available nationwide. NBKC has an easy online application process, and its mobile app is mentioned in reviews for its ease of use. As a bonus, the lender offers a $5k Close-On-Time Guarantee where it’ll pay the buyer and the seller $2,500 each if closing is delayed.

“NBKC BANK, is a great online bank. They really value your business. Because they are online I believe they put a special emphasis on customer support and they aim to please. That’s appreciated immensely.” — Jason H., Trustpilot

However, like many banks, NBKC sometimes sells its mortgages to other institutions. So, you could end up losing out on some of the perks of working with NBKC after being approved for your VA loan.

“My only complaint is that they sold my loan within two weeks where one of the selling points was their customer service. When we refinance, we will probably switch lenders.” — Benjamin K., Google

Best for VA jumbo loans: USAA (NMLS# 401058)

USAA is a financial services company that is exclusively open to veterans, service members, and their families. That gives it expertise in VA loans and other issues affecting military members. In particular, USAA gets points for its VA jumbo loan products, which are available for up to $3 million. Rates are also competitive, starting at 6.195% APR as of September 2025.

“Been a member for 32 years. Use them for home and auto. Rates are very good for level of service. Very pleased with USAA.” — Dre, Trustpilot

However, USAA does lose points when it comes to customer service. In recent years, a number of online reviews have complained of a significant drop in the quality of service, especially with communication problems.

“You will have the hardest time getting in touch with your mortgage officer with USAA. I have been a member for 15 years and I’m not getting any help after my pre approval.” — Ernest C., Google

How to choose the VA loan lender for you

Looking for a low interest rate is a good starting point when comparing VA home loan lenders. However, there are other factors to consider beyond the headline rate.

• Assess all your options: While VA loans have many benefits, other options may be better for you. For example, compare VA to FHA loans — both offer similar benefits but with different eligibility requirements. You may also want to compare VA loans to conventional loans. Conventional loans sometimes have better rates if you have excellent credit or a large down payment.
• Total cost: Interest rates don’t tell the full story of how much you’ll pay over the life of your loan. Annual percentage rates (APR) provide a clearer picture of your overall costs since they usually include both interest and fees. Also consider closing costs, origination fees, and any discounts that can offset higher fees.
• Veterans-specific service: The mortgage loan process for VA loans can be complex, so it can pay to use a lender that has a deep understanding of them. This often means using a lender that exclusively serves veterans and service members. But some general mortgage providers, like Rocket Mortgage, have also built a reputation for providing expertise on VA loans.
• Timeline: VA loans have special considerations that can slow down the approval and closing timeline, especially during the appraisal. A lender that is experienced in VA loans can often close on a timeline that’s similar to conventional loans.
• Digital vs. in-person support: Decide whether you’d prefer a mostly online experience or a lender that provides traditional in-person support at a local branch. While neither is inherently better, some lenders excel at a digital-first approach more than others.

Understanding VA loan requirements before you start shopping around will help you ask more informed questions of your lender. For example, use a VA residual income calculator to make sure you qualify for a VA loan in the first place — or see if another product may be a better fit. Knowing whether you qualify can save you time and effort upfront and help you better judge which VA lender is right for you.