-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 GboZerDs8sWT9vi7PEDgwEVE9cweGCtZfrFFPIEzYH9Lz7Qnq7HAKFPFHd7LJlvP
 l3ew2whk3tSAryFTJYqurQ==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-03-008491.txt : 20030521
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-03-008491.hdr.sgml : 20030521
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030521163241
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-03-008491
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030519
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030521

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			CUNNINGHAM G COTTER
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001205739

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-25681
		FILM NUMBER:		03714772

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BANKRATE INC
		STREET 2:		11811 US HIGHWAY AVE STE 101
		CITY:			NORTH PALM BEACH
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33408

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		BANKRATE INC
		STREET 2:		11811 US HIGHWAY AVE STE 101
		CITY:			NORTH PALM BEACH
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33408

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			BANKRATE INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001080866
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	SERVICES-BUSINESS SERVICES, NEC [7389]
		IRS NUMBER:				650423422
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			FL
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11811 US HIGHWAY ONE
		STREET 2:		STE 101
		CITY:			N PALM BEACH
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33408
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5616277330

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		11811 US HIGHWAY ONE
		STREET 2:		STE 101
		CITY:			N PALM BEACH
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33408

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	ILIFE COM INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	20000329

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	INTELLIGENT LIFE CORP
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19990301
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd9462.xml
<DESCRIPTION>MAY 2003 FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>
<periodOfReport>2003-05-19</periodOfReport>
<notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001080866</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BANKRATE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RATE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer>
<reportingOwner>
<reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001205739</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CUNNINGHAM G COTTER</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector>
<isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
<isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
<isOther>0</isOther>
<officerTitle>Senior Vice President-COO</officerTitle>
<otherText></otherText></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>32000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>.85</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>35100</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<nonDerivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Common stock</value></securityTitle>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionTimeliness>
<value></value></transactionTimeliness>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>32000</value>
<footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>8.81</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>3100</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity>
<derivativeSecurity>
<securityTitle>
<value>Employee stock option</value></securityTitle>
<conversionOrExercisePrice>
<value>.85</value></conversionOrExercisePrice>
<transactionDate>
<value>2003-05-19</value></transactionDate>
<transactionCoding>
<transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
<transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
<equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding>
<transactionAmounts>
<transactionShares>
<value>32000</value></transactionShares>
<transactionValue>
<value>0</value></transactionValue>
<transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
<value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts>
<exerciseDate>
<value>2000-03-02</value></exerciseDate>
<expirationDate>
<value>2012-02-04</value></expirationDate>
<underlyingSecurity>
<underlyingSecurityTitle>
<value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle>
<underlyingSecurityShares>
<value>32000</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity>
<postTransactionAmounts>
<sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
<value>128000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts>
<ownershipNature>
<directOrIndirectOwnership>
<value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership>
<natureOfOwnership>
<value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity>
<footnotes>
<footnote id="F1">Mr. Cunningham has agreed to disgorge to the issuer the short swing profits from this sale resulting from the purchase of 300 shares  on March 4, 2003 at $4.25 per share and  from the purchase of 300 shares on March 11, 2003 at $3.75 per share.</footnote></footnotes>
<ownerSignature>
<signatureName>G. Cotter Cunningham</signatureName>
<signatureDate>2003-05-21</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>


</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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