Debt Payoff Calculator: Avalanche vs Snowball

Written byOleh Soloninupdated 25 September 2026

Currency

What to work out

Debts, one per line

Name; balance; rate, % a year; minimum monthly payment.

Total paid each month

At least the minimum payments added up; everything above them goes to one debt at a time.

Result

Avalanche: highest rate first

25 months, 2,045.52 in interest

Snowball: smallest balance first

25 months, 2,092.23 in interest

Minimum payments only

58 months, 4,926.62 in interest

Comparison

the avalanche costs 46.72 less; both finish in the same month; the snowball clears its first debt in 4 months (Store card), the avalanche in 14 months (Credit card)

Months to payoff

Total interest

$2,045.52

Total paid

$19,445.52

Payoff order

Above the minimums: 800 − 550 = 250 a month Avalanche (highest rate first): Credit card → Store card → Car loan Snowball (smallest balance first): Store card → Credit card → Car loan When a debt is cleared, its payment moves to the next one in line.

When each debt is cleared

Debt            Balance    Rate   Minimum  Avalanche     Snowball
Credit card       4,500   24.9%       135      14 mo        16 mo
Car loan         12,000    7.5%       380      25 mo        25 mo
Store card          900   19.9%        35      15 mo         4 mo

Paying more: time and interest

   A month               Avalanche                Snowball
       550        40 mo / 4,453.60        40 mo / 4,453.60
>      800        25 mo / 2,045.52        25 mo / 2,092.23
     1,000        19 mo / 1,516.36        19 mo / 1,547.17
     1,200        16 mo / 1,222.90        16 mo / 1,245.61
     1,600          12 mo / 899.07          12 mo / 914.31

This result is informational only and is not professional advice.

Several debts, one monthly budget: which to pay off first

Plan how to pay off several debts: compare the avalanche method (highest rate first) with the snowball method (smallest balance first) on your own debts, with the payoff time, total interest, when each debt is cleared and what paying more would do; for a single debt, the time and interest at a fixed payment.

With several debts, a monthly budget is usually split like this: every debt gets its minimum payment, and everything above that goes to one debt. The avalanche method sends the extra to the debt with the highest rate; the snowball method sends it to the smallest balance. When a debt is cleared, its payment moves to the next one.

The calculator runs both orders on your debts: the payoff time, total interest, when each debt is cleared and what happens if you pay only the minimums. A separate mode handles a single debt at a fixed payment.

How to use

Choose several debts or one debt.
Enter one debt per line: name; balance; rate, % a year; minimum payment, such as “Credit card; 4,500; 24.9; 135”.
Enter how much you can pay each month in total, at least the minimum payments added up.
Compare the avalanche and the snowball, then read the payoff order and the tables by debt and by monthly amount.

The avalanche and the snowball

Take three debts: a credit card with 4,500 at 24.9% and a 135 minimum, a car loan with 12,000 at 7.5% and a 380 payment, and a store card with 900 at 19.9% and a 35 minimum. The minimums add up to 550. Paying 800 a month, the avalanche puts the extra 250 on the credit card, while the snowball puts it on the store card:

800 a month in total. Worked out with this calculator.
Debt	Balance	Rate	Cleared: avalanche	Cleared: snowball
Credit card	4,500	24.9%	month 14	month 16
Car loan	12,000	7.5%	month 25	month 25
Store card	900	19.9%	month 15	month 4

Which saves more

In the example both finish in 25 months. The avalanche costs 2,045.52 in interest and the snowball 2,092.23, which is 46.72 more, because for a few months the extra money went to the cheaper store card. In exchange, the snowball clears its first debt in month 4, while the avalanche's first win comes in month 14.

The avalanche sends extra money where each unit of balance costs the most. How far apart the two methods land depends on how different the rates are and how much you pay above the minimums. When the smallest debt also has the highest rate, both methods start there; if the remaining debts also rank the same way by balance as by rate, they finish the same — and they can coincide in other cases too, for instance when the budget clears every debt in the first month.

Minimum payments and rolling over

Paying only the minimums, and spending whatever a cleared debt frees up, the three debts take 58 months and 4,926.62 in interest. Keeping the same 550 a month and rolling each freed payment into the next debt cuts that to 40 months and 4,453.60.

Paying more each month

Every extra amount above the minimums shortens the payoff and lowers the interest. For the debts in the example:

Credit card 4,500 at 24.9%, car loan 12,000 at 7.5%, store card 900 at 19.9%. Worked out with this calculator.
A month	Avalanche: time and interest	Snowball: time and interest
550	40 months, 4,453.60	40 months, 4,453.60
800	25 months, 2,045.52	25 months, 2,092.23
1,000	19 months, 1,516.36	19 months, 1,547.17
1,200	16 months, 1,222.90	16 months, 1,245.61
1,600	12 months, 899.07	12 months, 914.31

A single debt

In single-debt mode the calculator works out how long a fixed payment takes to clear a balance. The first month's interest is balance × rate ÷ 12; if the payment is no more than that, the balance never falls. For a credit card whose minimum is a percentage of the balance, use the credit card payoff calculator.

What this calculator shows

Payoff time and total interest for the avalanche and the snowball
When each debt is cleared under each method
What paying only the minimums would cost
Time and interest at higher monthly payments
For one debt, the time, interest and payment plan

What to keep in mind

Rates and minimum payments stay the same; interest is charged monthly on the balance at the rate ÷ 12.
No new borrowing; fees, penalties and credit card grace periods are not included.
The monthly total stays the same, so a cleared debt's payment moves to the next one in line.

FAQs

What is the debt snowball method?

A way to pay off several debts: make the minimum payment on each and put every spare amount on the smallest balance. Once it is cleared, add its payment to the next smallest.

What is the debt avalanche method?

The same approach, except the spare money goes to the debt with the highest rate first, then to the next highest.

Is the avalanche or the snowball better?

In the example the avalanche costs 46.72 less over the same 25 months, while the snowball clears its first debt in month 4 instead of month 14. The gap depends on your rates and how much you pay above the minimums, so run your own debts.

Which debt should I pay off first?

To pay the least interest, the one with the highest rate. If your smallest debt also has the highest rate, both methods start with it.

How much does paying only the minimums cost?

In the example, 4,926.62 in interest over 58 months. Keeping 550 a month and rolling each freed payment into the next debt takes 40 months and 4,453.60.

How can I pay off several debts faster?

Raise the monthly total and keep freed payments in the plan: at 1,200 a month instead of 800, the example debts are cleared in 16 months instead of 25, with 1,222.90 of interest by the avalanche instead of 2,045.52.

Worked example

Three debts and 800 a month

Input: Credit card 4,500 at 24.9%, car loan 12,000 at 7.5%, store card 900 at 19.9%; 800 a month

Output: Avalanche: 25 months and 2,045.52 in interest; snowball: 25 months and 2,092.23

Note: Paying only the 550 of minimums without rolling freed payments over: 58 months and 4,926.62.

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Result

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