Runs in your browser · Last updated 7 September 2026
Free Debt Snowball vs Avalanche Calculator (US)
Free debt snowball vs avalanche calculator. Same extra payment, two payoff orders — months and interest in this tab. Nothing is uploaded.
Snowball pays the smallest balance first. Avalanche pays the highest APR first. Extra dollars roll to the next target when a card is gone. Same minimums either way.
Snowball months
28
Snowball interest
$2,949
Snowball order
Store card → Car note → Bank card
Avalanche months
24
Avalanche interest
$1,553
Interest saved (avalanche)
$1,396
Avalanche order: Bank card → Car note → Store card. Months saved by avalanche: 4.
How to use this tool
- List each debt: name, balance, APR, and minimum payment.
- Set the extra amount you can send every month.
- Compare snowball vs avalanche months, interest, and payoff order.
Worked example
Store card $2,000 at 4% ($25 minimum) and bank card $6,000 at 24% ($120 minimum), plus $400 extra. Snowball kills the store card first. Avalanche attacks the 24% card first and usually saves interest. The “right” method is the one you will keep doing.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the snowball method?
- Pay minimums on every debt. Put the extra dollars on the smallest balance. When that one is gone, roll the payment to the next smallest.
- What is the avalanche method?
- Same extra dollars, but the target is the highest APR. That usually cuts interest. Snowball usually cuts the number of accounts faster.
- Does this include mortgages?
- You can type any installment debt. The extra-payment mortgage page is a better fit for a single US home loan.
- What if minimums do not cover interest?
- Balances can grow. The run stops at 600 months and marks the result as truncated.
- Uploaded?
- No. Card balances stay in this tab.