Debt Payoff Calculator
Enter your debts and compare the avalanche method (highest rate first) with the snowball method (smallest balance first). See when you will be debt-free and how much interest each plan costs. It runs in your browser.
Also searched as: debt snowball calculator · debt avalanche calculator · debt repayment calculator · pay off debt calculator
Updated November 9, 2026
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How to use it
- 1
List your debts
Add each balance, interest rate and minimum payment.
- 2
Add extra money
Enter anything you can pay on top of the minimums each month.
- 3
Compare the plans
See the time and interest for each plan, and the order the debts are cleared.
Questions about debt payoff calculator
What is the difference between snowball and avalanche?
Both pay every minimum and put the extra on one debt. Avalanche picks the highest interest rate, which costs the least interest. Snowball picks the smallest balance, which clears debts sooner and can be easier to stick with.
How many debts can I add?
Up to eight.
Is my information saved?
No. It stays on your device and is gone when you close the page.
Avalanche or snowball
Take four debts: a credit card of 4,500 at 24.9%, a store card of 1,800 at 19.9%, a car loan of 9,000 at 7.5% and a student loan of 12,000 at 5%, with 200 a month on top of the minimums. Avalanche, which pays the highest rate first, clears them in 3 years 6 months for 4,007.55 in interest. Snowball, which pays the smallest balance first, takes 3 years 6 months and 4,135.74.
| Plan | Debt-free in | Total interest |
|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | 3 years 6 months | 4,007.55 |
| Snowball | 3 years 6 months | 4,135.74 |
| Minimums only | 9 years 9 months | 9,667.52 |
How the plans work in this tool
Every minimum is paid each month. The rest of the monthly budget, which is the minimums plus your extra amount, goes on the first debt in line. When a debt is cleared, its whole payment moves to the next one, which is why the later debts disappear faster.
Avalanche costs the least interest because it removes the most expensive interest first. Snowball gives quick wins, which some people find easier to stick with. How big the gap is depends on how far apart your rates are.
Rates are treated as fixed, minimum payments stay the same, and no new debt is added. The last row shows each debt paid at its own minimum with nothing rolled over, to show what the extra money buys.