Calculate how long to pay off debt using Snowball or Avalanche methods. Compare strategies, track multiple debts, and see your debt-free date.
Money beyond the minimums, applied to the target debt each month.
Estimates assume fixed interest rates and no new borrowing, with all extra money going to one target debt at a time. This is educational information, not financial advice.
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Got multiple debts and a little extra to put toward them each month? This debt payoff calculator shows exactly how fast you can be debt-free and how much interest you will pay — using either the avalanche method (highest interest rate first) or the snowball method (smallest balance first). Enter your balances, rates, and minimums, add whatever extra you can afford, and compare both strategies side by side.
A debt payoff plan works by paying the minimum on every debt and then directing every spare dollar at ONE target debt until it is gone — then rolling that freed-up payment onto the next debt, so your payoff accelerates like a snowball. The avalanche method targets the highest-APR debt first to minimize total interest; the snowball method targets the smallest balance first to score quick wins that keep you motivated. Both clear your debt far faster than paying minimums alone. This calculator amortizes each debt month by month so the payoff date and total interest match what you would actually experience.
Monthly Interest
Compare paying smallest balances first against highest-interest debts to pick the faster, cheaper strategy
Map out how long it will take to clear multiple credit cards and see the total interest saved
See how adding an extra amount each month shortens your payoff timeline and cuts interest costs
Figure out the monthly payment needed to be completely debt-free by a specific date
See exactly when you'll be debt-free
Compare strategies to find what works for you
Calculate total interest you'll pay
Track multiple debts in one place
Understand the impact of extra payments
The avalanche (highest APR first) always costs the least interest mathematically. The snowball (smallest balance first) gives faster wins that help many people stick with the plan. If the interest difference is small, the snowball’s motivation edge often wins in practice — this calculator shows the exact gap for your debts.
You pay the minimum on every debt, then add your extra to the target debt. When that debt is cleared, its whole payment (minimum plus extra) rolls onto the next debt, so each payoff frees up more money and the plan accelerates.
The calculator ranks your debts by the chosen strategy — smallest balance first for snowball, highest APR first for avalanche — and shows the exact order to attack them.
Most guidance says keep a small starter emergency fund (about $1,000) first, then attack high-interest debt aggressively, because credit-card APRs usually far exceed what savings earn. Adjust to your own situation.
No. It assumes you stop adding new debt and only pay down what you owe. New charges extend your payoff date, so pause new borrowing while you execute the plan.
Usually yes. Lowering credit-card balances reduces your credit utilization (a major scoring factor), and a consistent on-time payment history helps too.
Then that balance would grow, not shrink — the calculator flags this. You need to pay more than the monthly interest on every debt for a payoff plan to work.