Loan & Credit Agreement Review Workbook
The headline interest rate is rarely the full cost of a loan — origination fees, insurance add-ons, and the loan term itself all change what you actually pay back. Enter the real numbers from each offer and this workbook calculates the true total cost of credit for you, so you're comparing apples to apples instead of just the number lenders lead with.
The advertised rate isn't the number that determines what you pay
Two loan offers with the same headline interest rate can cost meaningfully different amounts once you account for origination fees, the loan term, and any add-on products bundled in. Comparing offers on the rate alone is how people end up choosing the more expensive option without realizing it — the math that actually matters isn't the one lenders put in the largest font.
This workbook takes the real terms from each offer and calculates the total cost of credit automatically, so the comparison is based on what you'll actually pay, not just what's advertised.
- Side-by-Side Offer Comparison — enter multiple offers and compare them in one view
- Auto-Calculating Total Cost of Credit — the real number behind the advertised rate
- Rate vs. Total Cost Breakdown — see exactly where the gap between the two comes from
- Red Flags Checklist — terms worth a second look before you sign anything
Step by step
- Download the Excel workbook and enter the terms of each loan or credit offer you're considering.
- Let the workbook calculate the real total cost of credit for each one automatically.
- Compare offers side by side using the total cost, not just the advertised rate.
- Run each offer against the Red Flags Checklist before you commit to anything.
- Keep the completed comparison as your own record of what you were actually offered.
Anyone comparing more than one loan or credit offer
Whether it's a personal loan, a car loan, or a credit line, the offer with the lowest advertised rate isn't always the cheapest one once fees and term length are actually accounted for.
- Editable Excel spreadsheet
- Side-by-Side Offer Comparison with auto-calculating total cost of credit
- Rate vs. Total Cost Breakdown
- Red Flags Checklist
- Works on any device
Compare what you'll actually pay, not just the number in the ad.
The real total cost of credit, calculated for every offer you enter.
Get it — $5.90 →One-time $5.90 · Excel · Works on any device