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Debt Payoff Calculator — Avalanche vs Snowball Method

Enter all your debts and see exactly when you'll be debt-free. Compare avalanche (highest rate first) vs snowball (smallest balance first) methods.

Your Debts

Balance

$

Rate

%

Min Pay

$

Balance

$

Rate

%

Min Pay

$

Balance

$

Rate

%

Min Pay

$

Strategy

Debt-Free In

4y 0m

Total Debt

$27,500

Total Interest

$5,927

Months Saved

0 months

Interest Saved

$0

Debt Balance Over Time

Using the avalanche method with $200/mo extra

Debt Breakdown

Credit Card$8,500 @ 22.99%
Car Loan$14,000 @ 6.9%
Personal Loan$5,000 @ 12.5%

Consolidate or Refinance Your Debt

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This tool is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, or investment advice. Consult a qualified financial professional for advice specific to your situation.

Analysis & insights

At $0/month on $0 of debt at 0% APR, you'll be debt-free in 4 years. Along the way you'll pay $5,927 in interest — 0% of the original balance. At 0% the math favors paying minimums and investing the difference — but only if you'll actually invest, not spend, the difference. Bumping your monthly payment by just $100 cuts your timeline by 48 months and saves $5,927 in interest.

Low-rate debt

0% is below typical investment returns. Pay minimums, invest extras.

Risk & benchmark gauge

Current band

Low rate

0% APR

0255075100
Low rateModerateHigh ratePredatory

Industry benchmarks

  • Your monthly payment$0
  • Typical minimum (3% of bal)$25
  • Months to payoff at your rate4 years
  • On minimums only0 months
  • Total interest cost$5,927

Key insights

0% is your guaranteed "return" by paying down

Every extra dollar paid is a risk-free, tax-free return at your APR. Below typical market returns — paying minimums and investing the difference usually wins.

Interest is 0% of what you'll pay back

Interest is a manageable 0% of your total payback at this pace.

Avalanche vs Snowball

Avalanche method (highest APR first) saves more money. Snowball method (smallest balance first) gives faster psychological wins. Pick the one you'll actually stick to.

Scenario analysis

You

Current pace

4 years

$0/mo. Total interest: $5,927.

+$100/mo

0 months

-48 mo

Saves $5,927 in interest over the life of the debt.

Double payment

833y 3m

--9951 mo

Saves $5,927 in interest. The dramatic version of "pay more now".

Minimum only

0 months

If you only paid the typical 3% minimum. This is why minimums are designed for the bank, not you.

Recommended actions(3)

Increase monthly payment by $100

High priority

Even small extras have outsized impact at high APRs.

Impact: Saves $5,927 in interest and 48 months on your timeline.

Set up automatic payments above the minimum

Medium priority

Auto-pay your committed monthly amount. Removes the "I'll catch up next month" trap and most card issuers give a 0.25% rate reduction for auto-pay enrollment.

Don't add new debt while paying these off

Medium priority

Most relapses happen when people put balances back on the card. Stay below 30% utilization on credit cards.