Home Loans

Best Home Loans in India

Compare home loan interest rates, processing fees, prepayment terms and tenure from HDFC, SBI, ICICI and LIC Housing Finance.

HDFC Home Loans
home loan
Starting at
8.50%
Processing Fee
Up to 0.50%
Approval
3-7 days
Amount
Up to ₹10Cr
SBI Home Loan
home loan
Starting at
8.40%
Processing Fee
0.35% (max ₹10K)
Approval
5-10 days
Amount
Up to ₹15Cr
ICICI Home Loan
home loan
Starting at
8.75%
Processing Fee
Up to 1.00%
Approval
3-7 days
Amount
Up to ₹10Cr
LIC Housing Finance
home loan
Starting at
8.50%
Processing Fee
Up to 0.50%
Approval
7-10 days
Amount
Up to ₹15Cr

Home loans in India — how the market works in 2026

Home loans are the largest secured retail loan category in India, with outstanding home loan book crossing ₹33 lakh crore as of 2025 per RBI sectoral deployment data. Borrowing rates today are dominated by the External Benchmark Lending Rate (EBLR) regime, under which every floating home loan must be linked to a transparent external benchmark — most lenders use the RBI repo rate plus a spread of 2.00%–2.75%.

That means when the RBI repo rate moves, your EMI moves within 3 months. Public-sector banks (SBI, Bank of Baroda, PNB, Canara) typically publish the lowest spreads. Private banks (HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak) price slightly higher but lead on digital underwriting and balance-transfer offers. HFCs (LIC Housing, Bajaj Housing, Tata Capital) regulated by the National Housing Bank fill gaps in self-employed and tier-2 city lending.

EMI components & what you actually pay

Principal
Loan amount you borrow
Interest
Reducing balance, charged monthly on outstanding
Processing fee
0.25%–1% of loan amount + 18% GST
Legal & technical fee
₹3,000–₹10,000 (often waived in offers)
Stamp duty (loan agreement)
0.1%–0.5% varies by state
Property insurance
Optional but recommended; 0.05%–0.10% of cover

Use a reducing-balance EMI formula: EMI = P × r × (1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n − 1), where r is the monthly rate (annual rate / 12 / 100) and n is the number of monthly instalments.

Floating vs fixed vs hybrid

Floating rate (recommended for most borrowers): Resets every 3 months with the repo rate. No prepayment penalty per RBI rules. Pricing typically 100–150 bps lower than fixed.

Fixed rate: Locked rate for the entire tenure or a sub-period. Higher pricing (9.75%–11%) and 2%–4% foreclosure charges. Worth it only if rates are at a clear cyclical bottom.

Hybrid (fixed-then-floating): Fixed for 2–5 years, then floats. Useful if you want EMI predictability while a young family settles, but most borrowers don't recover the upfront premium.

Tax benefits checklist (FY 2025-26)

  • Section 24(b): Up to ₹2 lakh deduction on interest for self-occupied; full interest deductible on let-out (loss capped at ₹2 lakh per year, balance carried forward 8 years).
  • Section 80C: Up to ₹1.5 lakh on principal + stamp duty + registration (shared with PPF, ELSS, EPF).
  • Section 80EE / 80EEA: Additional ₹50K–₹1.5L for first-time buyers (eligibility windows apply).
  • Available only under the old tax regime. New regime allows interest deduction on let-out property only.

Confirm current limits on the Income Tax Department portal.

Frequently asked questions

SBI currently offers the lowest home loan starting at 8.40%, followed by HDFC and LIC Housing at 8.50%. Final rate depends on CIBIL, loan amount, employer category and tenure.

Calculate your home loan EMI

Try different tenures and rates side-by-side to find the sweet spot between EMI and total interest paid.