Debt Payoff Calculator (Snowball vs Avalanche)
100% in your browser — nothing is uploadedWhat you can put toward all debts combined, each month
Avalanche
Highest APR first — least interest
Order: Credit card → Personal loan → Car loan
Snowball
Smallest balance first — fast wins
Order: Personal loan → Credit card → Car loan
Avalanche saves you the most
$428 less interest with avalanche
Both reach debt-free at the same time
Avalanche always costs the least interest mathematically; snowball's early wins help many people stay the course. The gap above tells you what motivation is worth in dollars.
There are two proven ways to pay off multiple debts faster, and they disagree about where to send your extra money. The avalanche method targets your highest interest rate first, minimizing total interest. The snowball method targets your smallest balance first, delivering quick wins that keep you motivated. This calculator runs both across all your debts at once and shows the real tradeoff — debt-free date and total interest for each.
Enter each debt's balance, rate, and minimum payment, plus the total you can put toward debt every month. The freed-up minimums from each paid-off debt roll into the next, accelerating as you go. The gap between the two methods tells you, in dollars, exactly what the motivational boost of snowball costs you — often less than people expect.
How to use the debt payoff calculator (snowball vs avalanche)
- Add each debt with its balance, APR, and minimum monthly payment.
- Enter the total monthly amount you can put toward all debts combined.
- Compare the avalanche and snowball results — debt-free date and total interest.
- Pick the plan you'll actually stick with; the dollar gap shows what that choice costs or saves.
Frequently asked questions
Which is better, the debt snowball or avalanche?
The avalanche (highest interest rate first) always costs the least total interest and is mathematically optimal. The snowball (smallest balance first) clears individual debts faster, which research suggests helps many people stay motivated and actually finish. This tool shows both so you can weigh math against psychology.
What is the 'rollover' or snowball effect?
When a debt is paid off, its minimum payment doesn't disappear — you roll it into the payment on your next target debt. That growing payment is why both methods accelerate over time, and why a steady total budget clears debt far faster than paying minimums alone.
What if my budget is below my total minimum payments?
Then no plan can make progress — the calculator flags this. You'd need to increase the budget to at least the sum of minimums, or contact lenders about hardship options, before either strategy works.
Is my debt information saved anywhere?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser. Your balances and rates are never uploaded, stored, or shared.