Debt Payoff Calculator
Pay off credit cards, loans, and lines of credit faster. Compare the avalanche and snowball methods side-by-side and see exact months saved and interest avoided.
Last reviewed: · Reviewed by the Money Scale editorial team · How we source our data
Power mode. Every input exposed, every assumption sourced, charts and shareables.
Single debt
$5,000
22.00% APR
$150
Payoff in
52 mo
Total interest
$2,798
Total paid
$7,742
Multi-debt: Avalanche vs Snowball
$100 / month
Avalanche (highest APR first)
Payoff
46 mo (3.8 yr)
Total interest
$3,594
Order: Visa → Auto loan
Snowball (smallest balance first)
Payoff
46 mo (3.8 yr)
Total interest
$3,594
Order: Visa → Auto loan
Debt-free in 3 yrs 10 mo
$16,500 total balance · 2 debts · +$100/mo extra (avalanche)
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The Debt Payoff Calculator runs the avalanche and snowball methods side-by-side on your real debts, then shows exactly how many months and how much interest each one saves you. Most articles only describe these two strategies in the abstract — this tool lets you see which one mathematically wins for YOUR mix of balances and APRs, and how much faster a fixed extra payment finishes you off either way.
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- Your numbers stay privateEvery calculation runs in your browser. We never receive or store your salary, balances, or inputs.
- Always freeNo paywall, no upsell to a calculator that actually works.
- No login, no emailUse every tool instantly — we never gate results behind a signup.
- Sourced defaultsStarting rates and assumptions cite real data, not made-up numbers.
How this calculator works
- List each debt with its current balance, APR, and minimum payment. Add as many as you have — credit cards, personal loans, student loans, medical debt.
- Set the extra monthly amount you can put toward debt above the sum of minimums. Even $100/mo significantly compresses the timeline.
- Compare the two strategies. Avalanche orders by highest APR first — mathematically cheapest. Snowball orders by smallest balance first — psychologically motivating because you eliminate accounts faster.
- Read the months-saved and interest-saved numbers for each strategy. Pick the one that fits your personality; even the 'slower' option is dramatically better than minimum-only.
monthly: interest = balance × (APR/12); balance ← balance + interest − paymentDebt payoff is iterative, not a single closed-form formula. Each month: interest accrues on the current balance, then the payment is applied (covering interest first, principal second). Repeat until balance hits zero. Avalanche and snowball just choose which debt gets your 'extra' dollars in each step.
- balance
- Outstanding principal at the start of the month
- APR
- Annual percentage rate (the lender's quoted rate)
- payment
- Total monthly payment (minimum + any extra you direct here)
Frequently asked questions
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