Payoff planner
Credit card payoff calculator: avalanche or snowball
Two ways to order your payments. See your debt-free date and total interest for each, using your own debts.
How this works
- Each month adds one month of interest to every open balance (APR ÷ 12).
- Every debt gets its minimum payment; the rest of your budget goes to the priority debt.
- Avalanche puts the highest APR first; snowball puts the smallest balance first.
- When a debt is paid off, its minimum stays in your budget and moves to the next debt.
- It assumes no new charges, fees or rate changes.
Sources
Awaiting expert reviewPreview build. Estimates only; not financial, tax or legal advice.
Common questions
What's the difference between the debt avalanche and the debt snowball?
The avalanche sends your extra money to the debt with the highest APR first, and it usually costs less interest. The snowball sends it to the smallest balance first, so your first debt is paid off sooner. Both keep paying every minimum.
How does this credit card payoff calculator work?
Each month it adds one month of interest to every open balance (APR ÷ 12), pays every minimum, and puts the rest of your budget on the priority debt. When a debt is paid off, its minimum moves to the next one.
What does the payoff date assume?
No new charges, fees or rate changes. Treat the date as an estimate and run it again when your statements change.
What if neither method pays off my debt?
If your balances don't go down at the budget you have, the order won't fix it. A nonprofit credit counselor can review your budget and may set up a debt management plan, which can take 48 months or more.
Is the information I enter saved or sent anywhere?
No sign-up is needed. Your numbers are saved only in this browser, and the other tools on the site reuse them.