Three debts and 200 extra
3 debts. Extra payment $200.00 a month.
Avalanche 2 years 3 months, interest $1,607.00. Snowball 2 years 4 months, interest $1,723.68.
Debt snowball vs avalanche calculator
Avalanche clears the highest rate first. Snowball clears the smallest balance first.
The extra payment goes to one debt, then to the next. A finished debt’s minimum joins that extra. Minimums stay the amounts you type.
%
%
%
More · currency symbol
Symbol only. Amounts are not converted.
Interest saved by avalanche
$116.68
Clearing the higher rate first saves $116.68.
Avalanche$1,607.00
Snowball$1,723.68
- Avalanche time
- 2 years 3 months
- Snowball time
- 2 years 4 months
- Avalanche interest
- $1,607.00
- Snowball interest
- $1,723.68
Next: Balance transferMove one card onto a promo rate.
How this is calculated
Two orders, one extra payment
avalanche sorts by rate; snowball sorts by balance
| extra | Cash paid on top of the minimums, aimed at the current target debt. |
|---|---|
| minimum | What you pay on each debt every month until it is gone. A finished debt’s minimum joins the extra. |
The avalanche usually pays less interest. The snowball finishes a small balance sooner. The page shows both, so you can see the interest you trade for that quicker win.
If the minimums do not cover the interest, the plan stops and says so. A balance that grows is not a payoff.
Worked examples
Loading an example fills the tool and scrolls you back to the result. Money examples stay in US dollars on the page. The symbol you picked changes; the numbers do not convert.
Two cards and no extra payment
2 debts. Extra payment $0.00 a month.
Avalanche 4 years 10 months, interest $2,922.67. Snowball 4 years 10 months, interest $2,922.67.
Embed this calculator
Paste this on a page you control. The frame shows the tool only. The formula stays on this page, and the frame links back here.
<iframe src="/embed/debt-snowball-vs-avalanche-calculator" title="Snowball vs avalanche" width="100%" height="720" style="border:0;max-width:42rem" loading="lazy"></iframe>Questions
Which method should I use?
Avalanche if the goal is less interest. Snowball if clearing a balance soon is what will keep you paying. The difference is the interest line.
Do minimums rise as the balance rises?
No. Each minimum stays at the amount you type. A card that sets the minimum as a percent of the balance will not match.
What happens when a debt is paid off?
Its minimum joins the extra and goes to the next debt in that method’s order.