Your Inputs, Different Order
Same debts. I just rearranged the lineup. I am not picking a favorite.
This is the Debt Snowball vs Avalanche Calculator.
List each balance, rate, and minimum payment. Compare which order is estimated to reach zero sooner and which one is estimated to cost less interest. Same inputs. Different order.
How this calculator works
- Each month, interest is added to every debt first: balance × APR ÷ 12, rounded to the cent.
- Every debt then gets its minimum payment. Whatever is left of your monthly budget goes to the target debt.
- Snowball targets the smallest starting balance first. Avalanche targets the highest APR first. When a debt is paid off, its minimum rolls into the next target.
- Your total monthly budget (all minimums plus your extra) stays the same every month.
Results are estimates for planning, based only on the numbers you enter. Your lender's statement is the final word. See the full methodology and how we test the math.
Debt snowball vs debt avalanche: what’s the difference?
Both methods use the same monthly budget. You pay the minimum on every debt, and every spare dollar goes to one “target” debt. When the target is paid off, its minimum payment rolls into the next target, so the amount aimed at each new target grows over time. The only difference is the order.
- Debt snowball: target the smallest balance first. You clear whole debts sooner, which some people find easier to stick with.
- Debt avalanche: target the highest interest rate (APR) first. Money stops going to the most expensive interest sooner, so total interest is usually lower.
A worked example
This is one of the test cases on our methodology page, and it’s the example the calculator starts with. Four debts, with a total budget of $750 a month:
| Debt | Balance | APR | Minimum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card A | $1,200 | 24.99% | $35 |
| Card B | $4,800 | 19.99% | $96 |
| Car loan | $8,500 | 6.9% | $265 |
| Card C | $3,100 | 28.99% | $78 |
- Snowball pays off Card A in month 5, Card C in month 13, Card B in month 24 and the car loan in month 28. Total interest: $3,058.29.
- Avalanche pays off Card C in month 10, Card A in month 13, Card B in month 24 and the car loan in month 28. Total interest: $3,009.08.
Both finish in 28 months. Avalanche costs $49.21 less, and snowball gives you a paid-off card five months earlier. With other debts the gap can be much bigger or close to zero, which is why it’s worth running your own numbers above.
Which one should you choose?
If the interest difference is small, pick the order you’re most likely to stick with. A plan you follow beats a slightly cheaper plan you abandon. If the gap is large, avalanche saves real money, and it may be worth the wait for your first payoff. Either way, the biggest lever is usually the size of the extra payment, not the order.
How to use this calculator
- Add each debt with its current balance, APR and minimum payment. You’ll find all three on your latest statement.
- Enter the extra amount you can pay each month on top of all your minimums.
- Compare the debt-free dates, the total interest and the payoff order for each debt. The chart also shows how long paying only the minimums would take.
- Use Copy link to save your results. Your numbers stay in the link and your browser; we don’t receive them.
What this calculator assumes
Interest is added each month at APR ÷ 12, rounded to the cent. Payments are made on time at the end of each month, with no new charges, and rates stay the same. Your lender may calculate interest daily, so its figures can differ slightly. The results are estimates; your statements are the final word. See the full methodology and our disclaimer.
Track your payoff month by month
The calculator shows a plan. To follow it with your real payments, the Debt Payoff Planner Pro spreadsheet runs the same snowball and avalanche math on your own debts and logs each payment you make.