-----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,
 EGhNhPMNu0e3POee/J7UPFuPHcal6XAZm2DYd5tckTdab+uCWNOrwiRg6f+xttxa
 xnpjtqZ2RYFTJBlxDtKPCw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-04-001676.txt : 20040107
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-04-001676.hdr.sgml : 20040107
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20040107172750
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-04-001676
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20040105
FILED AS OF DATE:		20040107

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			DEFRANCO ROBERT J
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001204811

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	000-25681
		FILM NUMBER:		04513843

	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>rrd28248.xml
<DESCRIPTION>JANUARY 2004 FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2004-01-05</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001080866</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BANKRATE INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>RATE</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001204811</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>DEFRANCO ROBERT J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11811 US HIGHWAY ONE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 101</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NORTH PALM BEACH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33418</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Senior Vice President-CFO</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><derivativeTable><derivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Employee stock option</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>12.63</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2004-01-05</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>42500</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>2005-01-05</value><footnoteId id="F1"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2011-01-05</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><unde
rlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>42500</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>42500</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeTransaction></derivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">10,625 shares vest on January 5, 2005. 31,875 shares vest monthly beginning February 1, 2005 through January 5, 2008.</footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Robert J. DeFranco</signatureName><signatureDate>2004-01-07</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>



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