Avalanche
Highest APR first
- Estimated payoff
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- Estimated interest
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- Estimated total paid
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- Balance at calculation limit
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- Payoff order
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Debt Payoff Planner
Compare avalanche and snowball payoff time and estimated interest.
Build your payoff comparison
Enter up to 10 debts. Use neutral labels—not account numbers.
Strategy comparison
- Starting balance
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- Monthly budget
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Snowball
Smallest balance first
- Estimated payoff
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- Estimated interest
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- Estimated total paid
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- Balance at calculation limit
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- Payoff order
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View annual balance snapshots
| Month | Starting balance | Interest | Payment | Ending balance |
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| Month | Starting balance | Interest | Payment | Ending balance |
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Educational estimate only. Account terms and creditor calculations can differ.
Your entries and results stay in this browser. This tool does not send, save, or add them to the page address.
How to use the debt payoff planner
Enter each debt’s current balance, annual percentage rate (APR), and required monthly payment. Add the extra amount you plan to pay every month. The planner applies the same starting monthly budget to both strategies so their payoff time and interest estimates can be compared on equal terms.
Use short neutral labels such as “Card A” rather than account numbers. Your entries are processed locally in this browser and are not saved by the tool.
Avalanche and snowball compared
Debt avalanche prioritizes the highest APR after paying every entered minimum. Debt snowball prioritizes the smallest current balance. Avalanche generally minimizes modeled interest under constant-rate assumptions; snowball may produce an earlier individual account payoff. Neither ordering is universally best for every real account or person.
Ties are broken in the order each method implies. When APRs tie, avalanche targets the smaller current balance; because equal rates keep equal balances equal, that rule applies whenever two rates match. Snowball’s balance tie-break is narrower: interest is charged before the month’s target is chosen, so two balances entered as equal usually differ by then unless their APRs also match or their interest happens to round to the same cent. Where a genuine tie remains, snowball targets the higher APR. In the payoff-order list, ties on the same month are broken using the balances you entered. Any remaining tie follows the order the debts were entered.
How the monthly estimate works
The simulation treats each minimum as a fixed dollar amount and keeps the combined starting minimums plus extra payment as a constant budget. Interest is charged before payment using APR divided by 12 and rounded to the nearest cent. Minimums are paid first, then the remaining budget goes to the strategy target. Money left when a debt closes rolls to the next target immediately.
The detailed tables show annual snapshots plus the final modeled month. Internally, the planner calculates every month for up to 1,200 months. A plan that still has a balance at that limit is reported as incomplete, not as a payoff.
Assumptions and limitations
The estimate assumes constant APRs, fixed minimum payments, regular on-time payments, and no new purchases. It does not model daily average balances, statement timing, trailing interest, fees, missed payments, promotional or deferred-interest periods, variable rates, tax effects, prepayment rules, or creditor-specific allocation policies.
Results are scenarios, not lender payoff quotes or guaranteed savings. Compare them with current statements and confirm required minimums and payment instructions with each creditor before acting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the debt avalanche method?
The avalanche method directs money left after all entered minimum payments to the debt with the highest APR. Under this planner's fixed-rate assumptions, that ordering generally produces less interest than targeting a lower-rate balance first.
What is the debt snowball method?
The snowball method directs money left after minimum payments to the smallest current balance. It can close an individual debt sooner, although the modeled total interest may be higher than with avalanche.
How are monthly interest and payments applied?
The planner divides each APR by 12, rounds that month's interest to the nearest cent, adds interest, pays every active debt's fixed entered minimum, and then sends the remaining monthly budget to the strategy target.
What happens after one debt is paid off?
The total starting monthly budget stays constant. A paid debt's former minimum and any unused payment immediately roll to the next active target, including during the same month.
What if a payment does not cover the interest?
The planner still simulates the strategy because extra money aimed at that debt may eventually repay it. If balances remain after the 100-year calculation limit, it reports the remaining balance instead of a payoff time.
Are fees, changing rates, or promotional terms included?
No. The estimate assumes constant APRs, minimums, and extra payments. It excludes fees, new charges, daily interest methods, variable or penalty rates, deferred interest, promotions, and creditor-specific allocation rules.
Why might a creditor show a different payoff amount?
Creditors may accrue interest daily, use different statement dates and rounding, add fees, or apply payments under account-specific rules. Verify balances, required minimums, and official payoff quotes before changing payments.
Will either strategy improve my credit score?
This planner does not predict credit scores. Utilization, payment history, account age and mix, lender reporting dates, and other factors can affect a score.
Is my debt information stored or sent?
This tool processes the values in your browser. It does not save them, place them in the page URL, or include them in analytics events. Avoid entering account numbers or other sensitive identifiers.
Is this financial advice?
No. This is an educational scenario estimate, not personalized financial, legal, tax, or credit advice. Review account terms and consider qualified help for decisions about your circumstances.