Debt Avalanche Calculator

Target the highest interest rate first to pay the least interest overall.

Your debts

Your numbers stay in this browser (saved locally so you can come back). Nothing is sent to us unless you choose to email yourself a plan.

How the debt avalanche works

  1. List debts from highest to lowest APR.
  2. Pay the minimum on every debt.
  3. Send all extra money to the highest-APR debt.
  4. When it's gone, roll its payment into the next highest rate.

The avalanche minimizes total interest for a given monthly budget. If your highest-rate debt has a large balance, the first payoff can take a while, so the results show your exact payoff order and timeline. Compare with the snowball calculator.

Frequently asked questions

Should promotional 0% APR balances go last?

Under the avalanche they naturally go last, but check when a promotional rate ends. If a deferred-interest promotion will charge back interest, paying it off before the deadline may be smarter.

Do I use APR or interest rate?

Use the APR shown on your statement. For credit cards, it's the purchase APR on the balance you carry.

Related tools and guides

Debt payoff calculatorDebt Snowball vs AvalancheDebt Snowball CalculatorCredit Card Payoff CalculatorHow long to pay off credit card debtDebt consolidation loans explainedHow to get out of debt

Not financial advice. Results are estimates for educational purposes. Talk to a qualified professional about your situation. Some links are affiliate links; see our disclosure.