Banks market their products selectively — they highlight what looks best (e.g. "interest rate from 5.99%") while hiding fees and additional costs. By knowing 5 key metrics, you can evaluate every offer yourself.
APR includes interest, commission, fees and compulsory insurance. This is the most reliable single number for comparing loan costs. The lower the APR, the cheaper the loan — for the same amount and term.
This is the headline rate used to calculate monthly interest. It does not include fees, so it is always lower than the APR. Never compare loans on this number alone.
A one-off charge for granting the loan, usually 1–5% of the amount. Some banks waive it but increase the rate — check the APR in both cases.
The sum of all instalments minus the loan amount — i.e. how much you actually pay on top of what you borrowed. A loan of PLN 20,000 for 3 years at APR 12% costs around PLN 3,900 in interest and fees.
The fixed part of a mortgage rate — the bank sets it at the outset and it does not change over the life of the loan. A lower margin means a lower instalment for 20–30 years.
On BankSorter we display all these figures in one table. Sort by APR and check the total cost column — this is the fastest way to identify the genuinely cheapest offer.