What Is the Difference Between Government-Insured Loans and Conventional Loans?

Government-insured loans are backed by government agencies, which generally require a lower down payment and provide lower interest rates and larger loan amounts than conventional loans. Government-insured loans can also allow borrowers to qualify with lower credit ratings or annual income than they would usually need for similar conventional loans.

Conventional loans are those loans not guaranteed by the government, but are usually easier to obtain, with fewer applicants relative to the number of loans available. Government-insured loans tend to have many more candidates and so can be more competitive than conventional loans.