Debt Avalanche Calculator
Avalanche against snowball, with the price of choosing.
Avalanche against snowball, with the price of choosing. List your balances, rates and minimums for a month-by-month payoff plan.
Comma separated, one per debt.
Time to clear everything
32 months
2,366 of interest · Avalanche
Avalanche pays the highest interest rate first and always costs less in total — that is arithmetic, not opinion. Snowball pays the smallest balance first and clears individual debts sooner. Here the difference is 293 in interest, which is the honest price of choosing the strategy you will actually stick with. The evidence that people persist with snowball more often is a real finding rather than a consolation prize, and a plan followed beats an optimal plan abandoned. Both figures are shown so the trade-off is visible rather than assumed. Whichever you pick, the freed-up minimum payment from each cleared debt rolls into the next one — that rolling is what makes either method accelerate.
How the Debt Avalanche Calculator works
List your balances, rates and minimums for a month-by-month payoff plan. Both strategies are computed so the trade-off is visible: avalanche always costs less in interest, and the difference is shown in money rather than asserted.
Also known as: debt snowball calculator · debt payoff calculator · which debt to pay first · debt free date calculator
Where to go next
The Debt Avalanche question rarely arrives on its own. These are the ones that usually come with it:
- Credit Card Minimum Payment Calculator — Why the minimum takes decades — and when it never clears.
- Student Loan Repayment Calculator — For commercial loans, and why that distinction matters.
- Net Worth Calculator — The one number that captures the whole position.
- Loan & EMI Calculator — Monthly payment, total interest, and a full amortization schedule.
Sources
Not financial advice. This calculator is for planning and illustration, not financial advice. Real products carry fees, taxes, and terms it does not model. Confirm figures with your lender or a qualified adviser before committing.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between avalanche and snowball?
Avalanche pays the highest interest rate first and always costs less overall. Snowball pays the smallest balance first and clears individual debts sooner, which many people find easier to sustain.
Which one should I use?
Avalanche is cheaper — that is arithmetic. But a plan you abandon saves nothing, and the evidence that people persist with snowball more often is a real finding. This page shows the cost difference so you can decide with the number in front of you.
Why do both accelerate over time?
Because each cleared debt frees its minimum payment, which rolls into the next one. The payment against the remaining debt grows every time one is cleared, which is where the snowball metaphor comes from.
Should I consolidate instead?
Only if the new rate is genuinely lower after fees, and only if you stop using the cleared cards. Consolidation that lowers the payment by extending the term often raises total interest.
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