Debt Payoff Calculator: Avalanche vs Snowball

Your debts

Add each balance with its APR and minimum payment — up to 8.

Debt 1

What you owe right now

Yearly rate, 0–50

Required monthly minimum

Debt 2

What you owe right now

Yearly rate, 0–50

Required monthly minimum

Extra payment

Extra amount paid every month on top of all minimums — plus every freed minimum rolls forward automatically.

$

Applied to the priority debt each month

Strategy

Mathematically cheapest — kills the priciest debt first

Months to debt-free

21

Total interest
$1,244.41
Total paid
$9,244.41

Payoff order

  1. 1Debt 1 — 17 $5,000.00 @ 19.99%
  2. 2Debt 2 — 21 $3,000.00 @ 12.99%

Avalanche vs snowball

Avalanche

21 · $1,244.41

Snowball

21 · $1,427.39

Saves {x} in interest: $182.98 · {n} months sooner: 0

Debt Payoff Calculator — Avalanche vs Snowball, Months to Free

Two cards, three loans, one monthly budget: which gets paid first? This free calculator lists every balance with its APR and minimum, covers all minimums plus your extra from one fixed monthly budget, and pours every freed minimum into the priority debt automatically — avalanche (highest rate first, cheapest) or snowball (smallest balance first, fastest wins).

See months to debt-free, total interest, the payoff sequence with clearing months, and a side-by-side comparison showing what avalanche saves over snowball. Every calculation runs locally in your browser with no sign-up, and any scenario can be shared with a link.

The fixed-budget mechanics

budget=∑minimums+extra\text{budget} = \sum \text{minimums} + \text{extra}
interestmonthly=balance×APR12\text{interest}_{\text{monthly}} = \text{balance} \times \frac{\text{APR}}{12}
remainder→priority debt\text{remainder} \rightarrow \text{priority debt}

One budget covers everything: all minimums first, then the remainder attacks the priority debt. Cleared debts stop consuming minimums, so the remainder grows — that automatic rollover IS the avalanche/snowball effect, with no extra code or settings.

The remainder pours into the priority debt until it clears.

How it works

  1. List each debt with balance, APR and minimum — up to 8, add and remove freely.
  2. Pick avalanche for cheapest or snowball for momentum; the toggle re-runs instantly.
  3. Set an extra monthly payment and watch the payoff accelerate via rollover.

Avalanche cheapest, snowball fastest wins

On 5000 at 19.99% plus 3000 at 12.99% with 200 extra, avalanche clears in 21 months at 1244.41 interest while snowball costs 1427.39 — avalanche saves 182.98. Snowball wins hearts with early payoffs; avalanche wins wallets.

What v1 leaves out

This simulates the debts as given: no consolidation or refinance modeling, no score simulation, no bankruptcy advice. Those are follow-upside — Phase 20 owns refinance.

Frequently asked questions

Avalanche or snowball — which wins?

Avalanche always costs less or equal in interest: it kills the priciest debt first. Snowball clears small balances sooner for momentum. The comparison card shows both with exact savings.

How does rollover work?

Your monthly budget never changes. When a debt clears, its minimum stops being consumed, so the remainder poured into the next priority debt grows — automatically, every month.

Why does extra matter so much?

Extra goes straight to principal on the priority debt after minimums, and every cleared debt amplifies it. A single 10000 balance at 18% drops from 62 to 38 months with 100 extra a month.

What if minimums don't cover interest?

The balance grows forever — 5000 at 24% with a 50 minimum accrues about 100 a month in interest. The tool reports unreachable instead of a fantasy number: raise payments.

How accurate is this simulation?

Exact to the cent against the fixed-budget model: minimums in order, remainder to priority, monthly compounding. Real lenders may apply payments or round slightly differently.