Debt Payoff Calculator

Add your debts, pick snowball or avalanche, throw in an extra payment — and see your debt-free date, total interest, and payoff order. Free, no sign-up.

Your debts

Strategy

Snowball vs avalanche, in plain English

  • Avalanche (highest APR first): attack the most expensive debt first. Saves the most money — pure math.
  • Snowball (smallest balance first): knock out the smallest debt fast, feel the win, roll its payment into the next. Slightly more interest, way more motivation.

Either way, the real engine is the rollover: keep your total monthly payment fixed even as debts disappear, and the freed-up money accelerates everything that's left.

Debt payoff FAQs

What’s the difference between debt snowball and debt avalanche?

Snowball pays off the smallest balance first for quick motivational wins (the Dave Ramsey method). Avalanche targets the highest interest rate first, which mathematically saves the most interest. This calculator runs both so you can see the actual dollar difference for your debts.

Which is better — snowball or avalanche?

Avalanche always costs equal or less in interest. But studies show people quit debt plans from discouragement, not math — so if early wins keep you going, snowball’s extra cost is often worth it. The best plan is the one you finish.

How do extra payments speed up debt payoff?

Every extra dollar goes straight at principal of your target debt, which shrinks future interest, which frees more money for principal — compounding in your favour. Even $50–$100 extra per month can shave years off and save thousands in interest. Try it in the calculator and watch the date move.

What is the rollover method?

When a debt is paid off, you keep paying the same total each month — the finished debt’s payment "rolls over" into the next target instead of going back into spending. That’s the engine behind both snowball and avalanche, and it’s how this calculator simulates your payoff.

Why does the calculator say my debts can’t be paid off?

It means your monthly interest exceeds your total monthly payments — the balance grows each month. Increase the payments if you can, or contact your lenders about hardship options and rate reductions.

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