Periodic interest rate

Periodic interest rate. The periodic interest rate, sometimes called the nominal rate, is the interest rate a lender charges on the amount you borrow.

Lenders are also required to tell you what a loan will actually cost per year, expressed as an annual percentage rate (APR).

The APR combines any fees the lender may charge with a year of interest charges to give you the true annual interest rate. That allows you to compare loans on equal terms.

For example, suppose you take a $10,000 loan at 10% interest. You pay an origination fee of $350, so you actually borrow $9,650. Since you are getting a smaller loan, but repaying the full $10,000 with interest, the APR is closer to 10.35%.

The periodic rate is also the interest rate a bank or other financial institution pays on amounts you deposit. If you're earning compound interest, the periodic rate will be lower than the annual percentage yield (APY).