List your debts once and see both payoff strategies with your own numbers: how long each takes, when you would be debt-free, what each costs in interest, and the order your debts would disappear. There is no sign-up and nothing to submit — the results update as you type.
The example debts below are placeholders — replace them with your own balances, APRs and minimum payments, and the comparison updates as you type.
Extra money on top of all minimums, aimed at one debt at a time.
Smallest balance first — quick wins, then roll each freed payment into the next debt.
Debt-free date: January 2030
Payoff order
- 1.Store cardNovember 2027 (month 12)
- 2.Credit cardAugust 2029 (month 33)
- 3.Personal loanJanuary 2030 (month 38)
Highest APR first — usually the cheapest route in total interest.
Debt-free date: January 2030
Payoff order
- 1.Store cardNovember 2027 (month 12)
- 2.Credit cardAugust 2029 (month 33)
- 3.Personal loanJanuary 2030 (month 38)
For these debts, both methods cost about the same in interest and finish in the same month. Pick the payoff order that keeps you motivated.
How the estimate works:each month, interest is added at APR ÷ 12, every minimum is paid, and the rest of your fixed monthly budget goes to the target debt. When a debt is cleared, its payment rolls into the next one. Estimates assume fixed APRs, no new charges, no fees, and the same payment every month — your real statements will differ slightly.
How this calculator works
Most payoff advice is written around someone else's debts. This tool starts from yours. For every month of the plan it adds interest to each balance (balance × APR ÷ 12), pays the minimum on every debt, and then puts everything left from your monthly budget onto a single target debt. The moment a debt reaches zero, the money that was going to it rolls into the next target — so your total payment stays the same, but more and more of it attacks principal as debts disappear.
It runs that simulation twice, once for each method, so the only difference between the two columns is the order your debts are attacked. That makes the comparison honest: same debts, same budget, same months — only the sequence changes.
Snowball vs avalanche, in brief
The snowball orders debts from smallest balance to largest. You clear a debt quickly, and that early win — one fewer bill, one account closed — is what keeps many people going. The avalancheorders debts from highest APR to lowest, so the debt charging you the most interest shrinks first and the total cost is as low as it can be. When your rates are close together, the two methods often finish within a month or two of each other; when one card charges far more than the rest, the avalanche's saving grows.
For the full comparison — including what research on real households shows about sticking with each method — read our guide to debt snowball vs avalanche. And if the harder problem is finding the extra payment in the first place, the guides in our budgeting hub walk through building a monthly budget that leaves something over for debt.
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Working out what actually lands in your account each payday? Try the paycheck calculator for a simplified federal estimate of your take-home pay.
This calculator provides estimates for general education only and is not financial, legal, or tax advice. Results are a simplified simulation based on the figures you enter; real balances, rates, fees, and payment dates will differ. For advice about your own situation, talk to a qualified professional or a nonprofit credit counsellor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does this debt payoff calculator work?+
Enter each debt's balance, APR and minimum monthly payment, plus any extra amount you can put toward debt each month. The calculator then simulates your payoff month by month: interest is added to each balance, every minimum is paid, and the rest of your monthly budget is aimed at one target debt. When a debt is cleared, its whole payment rolls into the next one — the same roll-down both the snowball and avalanche methods use.
Which is better, the snowball or the avalanche?+
On pure maths, the avalanche (highest APR first) never costs more interest than the snowball, and often costs less, because your most expensive debt shrinks fastest. The snowball (smallest balance first) clears a debt sooner, and those early wins help some people stay consistent. The calculator shows both with your own numbers — the best method is the one you will still be following in six months.
Why does the calculator say a debt may never be cleared?+
If the payments going to a debt are smaller than the interest it adds each month, the balance grows instead of shrinking and the debt never clears. The calculator flags this instead of showing a misleading date. Raising your extra monthly payment, even by a small amount, is usually what turns the plan around — try it in the tool and watch the warning disappear.
Does the estimate assume my payment stays the same every month?+
Yes. Your total monthly debt budget — all minimum payments plus your extra amount — stays fixed for the whole plan. That is what makes the roll-down work: when a debt is paid off, its minimum does not disappear from your budget, it joins the attack on the next debt. Estimates also assume fixed APRs and no new charges on the debts.
Is my information stored or shared?+
No. The calculator runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is sent to a server, saved, or shared — refresh the page and it is gone.