Highest rate first
You pay the minimum on every debt and direct any extra to the debt with the highest APR. When that debt is gone, its minimum payment rolls into the next one. Sometimes called the avalanche method. Saves the most lifetime interest.
Payoff order
Extra principal payment
Your debts
Combined debt picture
$0
$0 in lifetime interest at the order you picked · — · the date the bank stops collecting from you
— of your first — across these debts goes to interest.
Month 1: — to interest, — to principal. The extra-payment slider is how you change that ratio.
Debt-free date
—
Lifetime interest
$0
Saved vs minimums
$0
Total paid
$0
Heads up
One or more debts won't pay off at their current minimums. The interest on those balances is bigger than the payment each month, so the balance grows. Increase the payment on those debts, or add extra here, to flip the math.
Payoff order
How this calculator works
Two questions worth answering before you pick an order.
Smallest balance first
You pay the minimum on every debt and direct any extra to the smallest balance. Each payoff is a quick win, and momentum tends to keep people on the plan. Sometimes called the snowball method. Costs a little more in interest but works for many people.
Either gets you there
Both orders end at the same place: debt-free. The difference is the dollar amount of total interest and how the months feel. Pick the one you'll actually keep doing.
Common questions
A few things people ask.
What's the difference between paying highest-rate first and smallest-balance first?
Highest-rate-first (sometimes called the avalanche method) targets the most expensive debt and saves the most lifetime interest. Smallest-balance-first (sometimes called the snowball method) clears the easiest debt first, which builds momentum. The math favors highest-rate-first; psychology often favors smallest-balance-first. Either gets you to debt-free.
Does this calculator save my data?
No. Every calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. Refresh and the inputs reset.
Can I track this over time?
The Actually. app keeps your numbers updated as you make payments and saves them to your own Google Drive (encrypted, if you choose). It uses the same math as this calculator.
What if my minimum payment is less than my interest?
That debt won't pay off at the current minimum — the interest each month exceeds the payment, so the balance grows. The calculator flags this as "won't pay off at current terms" and suggests bumping the payment or applying extra to that debt.
Tracking these in your phone notes?
Actually. tracks every debt you carry — mortgage, cards, auto, subscriptions — with the same payoff math as this page. Numbers live in your own Google Drive — durable storage you control. Free forever.
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Other free tools.
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Full PITI breakdown, amortization, and what extra payments do.
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Lifetime interest at minimums vs. paying more.
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Front-end and back-end DTI, plus the bands lenders use.
OpenTrack every debt together
The full app. Every debt, every dollar, on your device.
App in Beta coming soon