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Canstar NZ review

Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

Canstar NZ is a New Zealand comparison site rather than a lender, so it suits borrowers who want star ratings and mortgage tables read side by side before they apply. The listed home loan entry runs an initial rate of 4.19% and a maximum loan to value of 80%.

Key facts

Best for
Reading New Zealand mortgage tables and star ratings before picking a lender.
Initial rate
4.19%↗
Fixed period
1 year↗
Maximum loan to value
80%↗
Purpose
Purchase, Remortgage, First-time-buyer, Buy-to-let↗
Legal entity
Canstar New Zealand Limited↗
Headquarters
New Zealand↗
Founded
1992↗
Support channels
Email, Help-centre↗
Official website
canstar.co.nz

Personal insurance

Insurance types
Auto, Home, Travel, Pet, Health, Life↗
Provider type
Comparison site↗

Savings

Access terms
Free public access to star ratings and comparison tables; not licensed to give personal advice, only general information↗

Facts checked September 26, 2026, 7 sources

Apps and profiles

Elsewhere
LinkedInfacebook.com

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Anyone can read the star ratings and comparison tables at no cost, and the listed initial rate of 4.19% sits under the table median of 4.69%.
  • The mortgage table covers purchase, remortgage and first time buyer lending, so first-time buyers and remortgagers read the same view.
  • Ratings extend to auto, home and travel insurance, so a mortgage shortlist can be read alongside cover.
  • A Financial Markets Authority licence is listed as FSP200146.

Cons

  • Support runs on email and help centre only, with no phone line listed.
  • The listed entry's fixed period of 1 is short next to the table median of 10.
Canstar NZ

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Scored 9.0 / 10 by SumCue.

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Who it suits

  • Borrowers weighing purchase, remortgage and first time buyer lending in New Zealand.
  • People who want a shortlist from star ratings before talking to a lender.
  • Households comparing auto, home and travel cover at the same time as a home loan.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Borrowers chasing the lowest headline number, since Prestalo lists 2.36%, below the 4.19% shown in Canstar NZ's table.
  • Readers wanting advice on their own situation, which Canstar NZ does not give, while Creditilia sets out its own rate of 4%.
  • Shoppers who prefer one lender's own terms, such as Sofkredit's 8% to 14% range, rather than a rated table.

How Canstar NZ compares

Where Canstar NZ is available

Available
New Zealand
Licence in New Zealand
Financial Markets Authority (FSP200146), checked September 26, 2026

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

Is Canstar NZ a lender or a comparison site?+

Canstar NZ is a comparison site, not a lender. It publishes star ratings and comparison tables that anyone can read, and the site is run by Canstar New Zealand Limited, founded in 1992 and based in New Zealand. No loan is offered by the site itself.

What rate does the home loan table show?+

The listed home loan entry carries an initial rate of 4.19% on a fixed period of 1. The broader table has a median initial rate of 4.69%, so the entry sits below the middle of the field. Ratings narrow the list rather than replace a quote from a lender.

How much can I borrow against a property?+

The listed entry caps lending at a maximum loan to value of 80%, with a table median of 90%. Buyers needing a higher share of the property value will need a lender willing to go beyond that level. Canstar NZ rates the options rather than approving them.

What kinds of loans does it compare?+

The mortgage table is built around purchase, remortgage and first time buyer lending, and the ratings sit alongside a field with a median initial rate of 4.69% and a median fixed period of 10. First-time buyers read the same view as remortgagers.

How do I get help if a table is unclear?+

Support runs on email and help centre, so a question goes to the team rather than a phone line. For a decision on your own finances, a licensed adviser or lender can weigh details that general information on a comparison site cannot.

Is the site regulated?+

Canstar New Zealand Limited holds a Financial Markets Authority licence listed as FSP200146. That registration covers the ratings and information service rather than a deposit or lending product, since Canstar NZ is a comparison site and does not hold customer money. Its access terms allow general information only.

Can I compare insurance on the same site?+

Yes, ratings cover auto, home and travel cover, so the same star system works for protection products as for home loans. The home loan table is the one carrying rate data, at 4.19% for the listed entry, while the insurance pages set out type coverage.

How does it compare with Sofkredit, Creditilia or Prestalo?+

Those three set their own rates: Sofkredit's terms show 8% to 14%, Creditilia lists 4% and Prestalo shows 2.36%. Canstar NZ's listed entry is 4.19%. Canstar NZ is the rated field of many providers, the rest are single lenders.

Sources

Compiled from 7 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

Not confirmed yet: APRC.

Canstar NZ

Canstar NZ

Reading New Zealand mortgage tables and star ratings before picking a lender.

9.0/10See alternatives