Debt Avalanche Calculator

What this calculator does

The debt avalanche calculator builds a payoff plan that targets your highest interest rate first. It takes your balances, APRs, and minimum payments, then ranks the debts by rate rather than size. You get a month-by-month schedule, your total interest cost, and the date you become debt free.

While you pay the minimum on everything else, every spare pound goes to the most expensive debt until it clears, then moves to the next highest rate. This order keeps the costliest balances from growing and gives you the lowest total interest of any payoff method.

When to use this method

Pick the avalanche method when saving money is the priority. By attacking high-APR debt first, such as credit cards or payday loans, you cut the interest that builds fastest. Over a long payoff that can save a meaningful amount compared with other orders.

The trade-off is patience: high-rate debts are often large, so the first win can take a while. If you need early momentum to stay motivated, the debt snowball calculator clears small balances first instead. Comparing both with the snowball vs avalanche tool shows the exact cost in time and interest for your situation.

How to get started

List each debt with its balance, APR, and minimum payment, then enter them above. Make sure the APRs are accurate, since they decide the payoff order. Add any extra you can pay each month and the calculator sorts the rest.

To see how an extra payment shortens your plan, use the extra payment impact tool. Checking your debt-to-income ratio first can also tell you how much room you have in your budget. The method only works if you keep paying every month, so set a figure you can sustain and stick with it.