Enter every card you're carrying a balance on, add whatever extra you can put toward debt each month, and compare the Avalanche and Snowball payoff methods side by side — months to debt-free, total interest, and the exact order each card disappears.
This planner takes the credit cards you're currently carrying a balance on and models two well-known payoff strategies — Debt Avalanche and Debt Snowball — using your actual balances, interest rates, and minimum payments. It shows you, side by side, how many months each method takes to reach a zero balance and how much interest each one costs, so you can see the real difference before you commit to either one.
Your entries are saved automatically in this browser, so you can come back and adjust the numbers later without re-entering everything. Add or remove cards and recalculate as often as you like — the plan updates instantly each time you press Calculate.
Start with one card, or add as many as you're paying down — up to 15. You'll need the current balance, interest rate, and minimum payment from your statement.
Anything you can put toward debt beyond the minimums — this is what actually speeds up payoff.
Same total monthly payment, two different orders. Here's what each one costs you.
Extra payment goes to your highest-APR card first.
Extra payment goes to your smallest balance first.
The order your cards hit a zero balance under each method.
When each specific card reaches a zero balance under each method.
Total balance remaining across all cards, month by month.
Remaining total balance under each method, and any cards that get paid off that month.
| Month | Avalanche balance | Snowball balance | Events |
|---|
This calculator assumes interest compounds monthly on the statement balance, minimum payments continue at the amount you entered until a card is paid off, and freed-up minimum payments roll into the extra amount for the next targeted card. It's an estimate for planning purposes, not financial advice.
If you're new to either term: both are just rules for deciding which credit card gets your extra money first, when you're paying down more than one balance at a time. You still pay at least the minimum on every card, every month, no matter which method you pick. The method only decides where the leftover money goes.
You send every extra dollar to the card with the highest interest rate, while paying the minimum on everything else. Once that card is paid off, its minimum payment gets added to your extra amount and rolls onto the card with the next-highest rate. Because you're always attacking the most expensive debt first, this method minimizes the total interest you pay over the life of your payoff plan.
You send every extra dollar to the card with the smallest balance, regardless of its interest rate, while paying the minimum on everything else. As each small balance disappears, you get a quick win — and that freed-up minimum payment rolls into the next-smallest balance. The Snowball usually costs a little more in interest than the Avalanche, but the fast early payoffs are a proven way to build momentum and stick with the plan.
| Method | Targets first | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Avalanche | Highest APR | Minimizing total interest paid |
| Snowball | Smallest balance | Staying motivated with early wins |
Because both methods put the exact same total amount toward debt each month, Avalanche's payoff date is never later than Snowball's — it's sometimes identical to the month, and sometimes a bit earlier, depending on how your balances and rates line up. What Avalanche reliably delivers, in every case, is less total interest paid, since it always tackles your most expensive balance first. The calculator above will tell you exactly which is true for your own numbers, including when the two methods tie.
Each month, the calculator applies interest to every card's remaining balance based on its APR, divided by 12. It then pays the minimum you entered on every card, and sends your full extra payment to whichever card is first in the priority order for that method — highest APR for Avalanche, smallest balance for Snowball. When a card is paid off, its minimum payment doesn't disappear: it gets added on top of your extra payment and rolls onto the next card in line, so your total monthly payment toward debt stays the same from start to finish. This repeats month by month, for up to 50 years, until every card reaches a zero balance.
This calculator holds each card's minimum payment steady at the value you entered, which is a conservative, easy-to-plan approach. Some issuers reduce your required minimum as the balance drops — if yours does, your real payoff could be a bit faster than shown here as long as you keep paying the original amount.
If a card's minimum payment is close to or below its monthly interest charge, that balance can shrink very slowly — or grow — until extra payments reach it. Adding even a small amount of extra monthly payment usually fixes this quickly, and this calculator will flag it for you.
Yes. Some people start with Snowball for the early motivation, then switch to Avalanche once the habit sticks. You can model either starting point here by adjusting your card list to reflect current balances at any time.