PureTools
Plan Your Debt Payoff Strategy
Compare debt snowball and debt avalanche payoff plans for credit cards, loans and other balances. See your debt-free date, interest savings, first payoff win and private CSV schedule.
Snowball
- Smallest balance first
Best math choice
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Enter debts to compare payoff plans.
First payoff win
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Shows which method clears one debt first.
Minimum-only baseline
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Compares your strategy against current minimums.
Total debt$0
Monthly payoff budget$0
Avalanche interest$0
Snowball interest$0
Select a strategy to see its monthly payoff path.
| Month | Date | Focus | Payment | Interest | Principal | Balance |
|---|
How to use the Debt Payoff Calculator
- Add every card or loan with its current balance, APR and minimum monthly payment. Use the exact minimum shown on your statement when possible.
- Enter an extra monthly payoff budget. The calculator adds this to your minimum payments and keeps the total budget rolling forward as debts disappear.
- Compare debt avalanche and debt snowball. Avalanche targets the highest APR first; snowball targets the smallest balance first.
- Review the minimum-only baseline to see how much interest and time your payoff budget can avoid compared with paying current minimums only.
- Use the timeline to inspect the month-by-month plan, then copy the summary, download a raw CSV, or use Download Excel for a formatted private workbook.
What makes this debt calculator different
Most debt tools ask for one credit card or show only one method. This calculator compares snowball vs avalanche side by side, then adds a third reference: the minimum-only trap. That makes the tradeoff visible: cheapest math path, fastest first win, total interest, debt-free date and monthly focus debt.
The power feature is the payment rollover timeline. When one debt is paid off, the money that used to go to that minimum payment is automatically redirected to the next target. This mirrors how real payoff plans build momentum and lets the schedule stay useful after the first debt disappears. If you need to find a realistic extra payment first, start with the Budget Calculator and bring the monthly surplus back here.
Sources and limits
The method descriptions align with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's explanation of highest-interest and smallest-balance payoff strategies. If you cannot make minimum payments, the CFPB also advises contacting card companies quickly and considering credit counseling in its credit card hardship guidance. The FTC warns consumers to watch for debt relief and credit repair scams, especially companies that ask for upfront fees or guarantee results.
This calculator assumes fixed APRs, fixed minimum payments, monthly interest accrual and no new charges. It does not model promo APR expiration, balance-transfer fees, late fees, settlement offers, credit-score effects or lender-specific payment allocation rules. Treat the output as a planning estimate, then verify important decisions with your statements, creditors or a qualified counselor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the debt snowball method?
The debt snowball method pays minimums on every debt, then sends extra money to the smallest remaining balance first. When that debt is paid off, its payment rolls into the next-smallest balance. The method can be motivating because the first payoff often happens sooner, but it may cost more interest than targeting the highest APR first.
What is the debt avalanche method?
The debt avalanche method pays minimums on every debt, then sends extra money to the highest APR balance first. When that debt is paid off, the freed payment moves to the next-highest APR. This usually saves the most interest because expensive balances shrink earlier, although the first visible payoff can take longer if the highest-rate debt is also large.
Why compare snowball and avalanche side by side?
Both methods can work, but they optimize different things. Avalanche is usually the mathematically cheaper path, while snowball can create faster early wins that help some people stay consistent. Comparing them with your actual balances, APRs and minimum payments shows the real tradeoff: interest saved, first debt paid off, payoff date and total months to debt-free.
How does the minimum-only baseline work?
The minimum-only baseline estimates what happens if you keep paying only each debt's current minimum payment and do not roll freed payments into the next balance. Real credit card minimums often change as balances fall, so this is a planning model rather than a card issuer disclosure. It is still useful because it shows how much faster a fixed payoff budget can work.
Can this calculator handle credit cards and loans together?
Yes. You can mix credit cards, personal loans, student loans, medical balances or other fixed debts as long as each row has a current balance, APR and minimum monthly payment. The calculator treats minimum payments as fixed dollar amounts and interest as monthly APR divided by twelve. It does not model new purchases, late fees, variable rates, promo APR expiration or lender-specific payment allocation rules. For a full amortization schedule on a single loan, try the Loan Calculator.
Are my debt numbers saved or sent anywhere?
No. The payoff math runs entirely in your browser with client-side JavaScript. Your debt names, balances, APRs, minimum payments and extra payment are stored only in sessionStorage so the page can survive a refresh during the same tab session. sessionStorage is cleared when you close the tab, and PureTools has no backend database for these values. Your data is never used to train AI models or improve machine learning systems.
Is this debt payoff calculator financial advice?
No. This tool is educational planning software, not financial, legal or credit counseling advice. It can help you compare repayment strategies, but it cannot evaluate hardship programs, settlement offers, tax consequences, credit-score effects or legal risks. If you cannot make minimum payments, contact your creditors quickly and consider reputable nonprofit credit counseling before paying a debt relief company.