Enter what you owe and how much you can put toward debts each month. Compare two common approaches side by side: highest interest first (avalanche) versus smallest balance first (snowball). See months to debt-free, total interest, and what you save versus paying only the minimums. It runs only in your browser: nothing you type is stored or sent.
Include the money for minimums plus any extra you can add. Leave blank until you're ready.
Add each debt with its balance, APR (annual percentage rate) and minimum monthly payment. Rows start empty so the page never invents a result. Use "Load example" only if you want sample numbers to try the math.
Add at least one debt with a balance, APR and minimum, plus a monthly budget, to see avalanche vs snowball.
Monthly interest on each debt = balance × (APR ÷ 12). Minimums are paid first; any leftover budget goes to the target debt. When a debt is paid off, that payment rolls into the next one. Simulation caps at 600 months. Not financial advice.
Pay every minimum, then put extra toward the debt with the highest APR. When it's gone, roll that payment into the next highest rate. Usually costs the least interest. The CFPB calls this the highest interest rate method.
Pay every minimum, then put extra toward the smallest balance. When it's gone, roll that payment into the next smallest. Many people like the early win, even if they may pay a little more interest.
Once a debt is paid off, keep sending that same money to the next target. That "rolled" payment is what speeds everything up compared with only hitting minimums forever.
Not financial advice. This page is an educational calculator. It does not know your credit score, tax situation, fees, or whether a creditor would settle. Use it to see the math of two common strategies with your own numbers. For personal guidance, consider a nonprofit credit counselor or a licensed professional.
Total U.S. household debt at the end of June 2026, including mortgages, cards, autos and student loans.
Credit card balances outstanding. Card APRs are often among the highest rates people carry day to day.
Average commercial-bank credit card APR on all accounts (21.19%). Accounts assessed interest averaged 22.36%.
These are published national figures for context only. The planner above never uses them: it only runs on the balances, rates and budget you type in.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau,"How to reduce your debt" (Jul 16, 2019). Explains the highest interest rate method (avalanche) and the snowball method, including the trade-off between saving interest and seeing quick wins. Also reflected in CFPB's Your Money, Your Goals debt materials.
Federal Reserve Bank of New York,Household Debt and Credit Report, Q2 2026 (press release Aug 11, 2026). Total household debt $18.771 trillion; credit card balances $1.263 trillion.
Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System,Consumer Credit — G.19 (release Oct 7, 2026; data for Aug 2026). Commercial bank credit card plans: all accounts 21.19%; accounts assessed interest 22.36%.
No. All the math runs in your browser. Nothing you type is saved or sent anywhere, and it clears when you close the page. "Copy my summary" only copies text to your own clipboard.
Each month, every unpaid balance is multiplied by APR ÷ 12 (as a decimal). Minimum payments are applied first; leftover budget goes to the target debt for that method. When a balance hits zero, its payment rolls to the next target. The run stops at 600 months if debts would never clear.
The planner warns you and will not show a payoff date. Covering every minimum comes first; anything above that is what makes avalanche or snowball accelerate.
No. It's a simple calculator so you can see your own numbers clearly. You decide which approach fits your life.
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