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Debt avalanche calculator
The avalanche method targets the highest interest rate first, which keeps total interest as low as possible. Enter your debts and how much extra you can pay each month. See your debt-free date and how much interest the snowball and avalanche methods save, free.
How the debt avalanche works
Order your debts by interest rate, highest first. Pay every minimum, then send all extra money to the highest-rate debt. When it's gone, roll its payment to the next highest rate. Mathematically this is the cheapest order to pay debts off.
When it saves the most
The gap between avalanche and snowball is biggest when your highest-rate debt also has a large balance, such as a high-rate credit card next to a small low-rate loan. If the rates are close, the difference may only be a few dollars.
Staying motivated
Avalanche can take longer to close the first account. Seeing the month each debt is gone, which this planner shows, helps. Some people pay off one small debt first for a quick win, then switch to avalanche.
Questions
Is avalanche always cheaper than snowball?
It never costs more interest than snowball for the same debts and payment; often the savings are meaningful, sometimes they're tiny. The calculator compares both for your numbers.
What if two debts have the same rate?
This planner pays the smaller balance first in that case, which frees up its payment sooner.
Does it account for promotional 0% rates?
Enter the rate you're paying now. If a 0% promotion ends soon, run it again with the rate that will apply afterward to see the difference.
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