Debt Snowball vs. Avalanche Calculator
List every debt once, then compare the two payoff strategies side by side — how many months each takes, and exactly how much interest the mathematically optimal one saves.
Your numbers
Total monthly outlay: $735
Results update instantly as you type. Inputs are remembered in your browser only.
Total debt
$20,450
3 accounts
Interest saved with avalanche
$0
Same timeline
Snowball — smallest balance first
- Debt-free in
- 2 yr 9 mo
- Total interest
- $3,134
- Debt-free date
- Jun 2029
Avalanche — highest rate first
- Debt-free in
- 2 yr 9 mo
- Total interest
- $3,134
- Debt-free date
- Jun 2029
Estimates only. Assumes fixed rates, no new borrowing, no fees and on-time payments. Speak to a qualified adviser or a non-profit credit counsellor about your own situation.
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Balance transfer & consolidation options
Consolidation and balance-transfer offers will appear here for readers whose highest rate is doing the most damage.
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Total debt remaining: snowball vs. avalanche
Payoff order
Snowball
- 1. Store cardmonth 6
- 2. Credit cardmonth 21
- 3. Car loanmonth 33
Avalanche
- 1. Store cardmonth 6
- 2. Credit cardmonth 21
- 3. Car loanmonth 33
About this calculator
Both strategies pay every minimum every month; the only question is where the extra money goes. Under the avalanche method it goes to the highest interest rate, which removes the most expensive dollar of debt first and therefore always produces the lowest total interest. Under the snowball method it goes to the smallest balance, clearing whole accounts quickly.
What makes either approach powerful is the rollover. When a debt is cleared, its minimum payment does not go back into your spending — it joins the extra payment attacking the next target. The monthly amount thrown at debt therefore grows with every account you close, which is why the balance curve above steepens toward the end rather than falling in a straight line.
Compare the interest-saved figure against how you actually behave. If avalanche saves a few hundred dollars, the faster wins from snowball may keep you on the plan long enough to finish, and finishing is what matters. If the gap runs into thousands, the arithmetic deserves to win.
Before paying aggressively, keep a small cash buffer so a surprise expense does not send you back to the cards. Calling a lender to ask for a lower rate costs nothing and works more often than expected. Balance transfers can help, but only if the promotional rate outlasts your payoff plan and the transfer fee is smaller than the interest saved.
FAQ
What is the difference between snowball and avalanche?
Snowball attacks the smallest balance first for quick psychological wins. Avalanche attacks the highest interest rate first, which is mathematically optimal and always costs the same or less in total interest.
Which method should I choose?
Avalanche saves more money, but only if you stick with it. If the interest difference shown below is small, the motivation from clearing an account quickly under snowball is often worth more than the arithmetic.
How does the extra payment work?
Every debt receives its minimum payment each month. Whatever extra you enter — plus the freed-up minimums from debts already cleared — is thrown entirely at the current target debt. That rolling effect is what makes both methods accelerate over time.
What if my minimums do not cover interest?
The simulation will flag that the plan is not feasible. If minimum payments cannot outpace interest accrual, balances grow indefinitely and you should seek a lower rate, a consolidation option or non-profit credit counselling.