Debt Snowball Calculator

List your debts, add what extra you can spare each month, and watch the snowball roll them away smallest-first — right here in your browser.

📖 How it works & FAQ

Your debts — name, balance ($), APR (%), minimum payment ($/mo)

Extra you can pay per month ($)

What is the debt snowball method?

The snowball method lines your debts up from smallest balance to largest, ignores the interest rates, and throws every spare dollar at the smallest one while you pay minimums on the rest. When that first debt dies, its payment doesn't go back into your budget — it rolls onto the next-smallest debt. Each payoff makes the "snowball" bigger, so the later, larger debts fall faster and faster. This calculator simulates that month by month: interest accrues on each balance at its APR, minimums get paid, and everything left over attacks the smallest surviving debt.

Snowball vs. avalanche

The avalanche method targets the highest APR first and usually saves a bit more interest on paper. The snowball wins on psychology: knocking out a small balance in month two or three gives you a visible win, and people who see wins keep going. If the interest difference between the two methods is small — and for most debt mixes it is — the plan you'll actually stick to is the better plan. Run your numbers here and check the "total interest" card; if it looks acceptable, momentum beats math.

How to use it

Enter each debt's name, current balance, APR and minimum monthly payment. Use + Add another debt for more rows, or the × button to remove one.
Type the extra amount you can put toward debt every month, beyond the minimums.
Read the cards: months until debt-free, total interest, and total paid update live as you type.
Scroll to the payoff order to see the month and date each debt clears — that first payoff date is your motivation.

These are estimates only, not financial, tax, insurance or legal advice — real payoff dates depend on your actual statements, fees and rate changes.

FAQ

Is my debt information uploaded anywhere?: No. Everything runs in your browser with plain JavaScript. Nothing is sent to a server, stored, or tracked — close the tab and it's gone.
Why does it say my payments never pay off the debt?: If your combined budget barely covers the monthly interest, balances stall or grow. Increase the extra payment until the plan produces a payoff date.
What if two debts have the same balance?: The calculator keeps them in the order they tie and clears whichever the snowball reaches first — in practice they pay off within a month of each other.
Does the extra payment have to stay the same every month?: The simulation assumes a fixed monthly budget (all minimums + your extra). Windfalls like a bonus will only shorten the timeline shown here.