Money / Debt
Debt Payoff Calculator: Avalanche vs Snowball
List your debts with their balances, rates, and minimum payments, set what you can pay each month, and see when you will be debt-free and how much interest the avalanche and snowball methods cost.
Debt Payoff Calculator: Avalanche vs Snowball: The calculator simulates month by month: interest is added at the annual rate divided by twelve, every debt gets its minimum, and the rest goes to one target debt, the highest rate first for the avalanche or the smallest balance first for the snowball. When a debt is cleared, its payment rolls on to the next. Runs 100% locally in your browser with zero server file uploads.
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Debt-free in 26 months
- Credit card paid off in month 15
- Store card paid off in month 17
- Car loan paid off in month 26
Interest is added monthly at the annual rate ÷ 12 and payments are assumed on time with no new borrowing. Cards that charge daily interest or fees will differ slightly.
Why the order matters
Every month, each debt charges interest on its balance. Money sent to the debt with the highest rate saves the most interest per dollar, which is why the avalanche is the cheapest plan. The snowball accepts a little more interest in exchange for clearing whole debts early, freeing their minimum payments and giving visible progress.
The difference is often small when rates are close, and large when one debt is a high-rate card. Either way, the biggest lever is the monthly amount: even a small increase shortens the plan by months.
Lowering the rate
A balance transfer to a card with a low introductory rate, or a consolidation loan at a lower rate, can cut the interest, but watch the transfer fee and the rate after the offer ends. For a single loan, the extra payment loan calculator shows what paying a little more each month saves, and the budget planner helps find the money.
How to use it
- Enter each debt's balance, annual interest rate, and minimum payment.
- Enter the total you can put towards debt each month.
- Compare the avalanche and snowball plans and the order the debts are cleared in.
Privacy & limitations
Everything is calculated in your browser, and your figures are stored only in this browser.
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Frequently asked questions
Avalanche or snowball?
The avalanche, highest interest rate first, always costs the least interest. The snowball, smallest balance first, clears whole debts sooner, which many people find keeps them going; research by Remi Trudel and colleagues found people felt more progress when they concentrated on one smaller debt. The best plan is the one you keep to.
Why must I pay at least the minimums?
Missing a minimum payment brings late fees, can raise the rate, and harms your credit record. The plan pays every minimum first and only then targets one debt with the rest.
Is the interest exact?
It is a close estimate. Most cards charge interest daily on the average balance and may add fees, and loans can have their own schedules, so your statements will differ slightly. The order and the difference between the methods hold.
What if the debts never get paid off?
If the monthly amount barely covers the interest, the balance falls very slowly or not at all. The page warns when repayment would take more than 100 years; in that case, talk to the lender or a non-profit debt adviser about lower rates or a repayment plan.
Free tool · runs in your browser · no account required