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Debt Avalanche Calculator
Mathematically optimize debt payoff. Target the highest-APR balance first while paying minimums on everything else, and see how much interest the avalanche method saves compared with snowball.
Avalanche method: highest APR first
Target the debt charging the highest interest rate with every extra dollar, then attack the next one. Mathematically the lowest-cost way to pay off debt.
Your debts
Add balance, APR, and minimum payment for each. Order does not matter — the strategy sorts them.
Months to debt free
42
Total interest paid
$5,086
Total amount paid
$23,286
Initial balance
$18,200
Payoff order
Credit Card A → Credit Card B → Personal Loan
vs Snowball method
Avalanche saves $572 in interest and 1 month vs the other strategy.
Monthly repayment schedule
Combined payment, interest, and remaining balance each month.
| Month | Payment | Principal | Interest | Remaining | Focus debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $660.00 | $391.01 | $268.99 | $17,808.99 | Credit Card A |
| 2 | $660.00 | $397.43 | $262.57 | $17,411.56 | Credit Card A |
| 3 | $660.00 | $403.96 | $256.04 | $17,007.60 | Credit Card A |
| 4 | $660.00 | $410.61 | $249.39 | $16,596.99 | Credit Card A |
| 5 | $660.00 | $417.37 | $242.63 | $16,179.62 | Credit Card A |
| 6 | $660.00 | $424.26 | $235.74 | $15,755.36 | Credit Card A |
| 7 | $660.00 | $431.28 | $228.72 | $15,324.08 | Credit Card A |
| 8 | $660.00 | $438.42 | $221.58 | $14,885.66 | Credit Card A |
| 9 | $660.00 | $445.69 | $214.31 | $14,439.98 | Credit Card A |
| 10 | $660.00 | $453.09 | $206.91 | $13,986.89 | Credit Card A |
| 11 | $660.00 | $460.62 | $199.38 | $13,526.27 | Credit Card A |
| 12 | $660.00 | $468.29 | $191.71 | $13,057.98 | Credit Card A |
| 13 | $660.00 | $476.10 | $183.90 | $12,581.88 | Credit Card A |
| 14 | $660.00 | $484.05 | $175.95 | $12,097.83 | Credit Card A |
| 15 | $660.00 | $492.15 | $167.85 | $11,605.68 | Credit Card A |
| 16 | $660.00 | $500.39 | $159.61 | $11,105.29 | Credit Card A |
| 17 | $660.00 | $508.79 | $151.21 | $10,596.50 | Credit Card A |
| 18 | $660.00 | $517.33 | $142.67 | $10,079.17 | Credit Card A |
| 19 | $660.00 | $526.03 | $133.97 | $9,553.14 | Credit Card A |
| 20 | $660.00 | $534.90 | $125.10 | $9,018.24 | Credit Card A |
| 21 | $660.00 | $543.92 | $116.08 | $8,474.32 | Credit Card A |
| 22 | $660.00 | $553.11 | $106.89 | $7,921.22 | Credit Card A |
| 23 | $660.00 | $562.46 | $97.54 | $7,358.75 | Credit Card A |
| 24 | $660.00 | $571.99 | $88.01 | $6,786.76 | Credit Card A |
| 25 | $524.05 | $445.74 | $78.31 | $6,341.02 | Credit Card B |
| 26 | $465.00 | $392.93 | $72.07 | $5,948.08 | Credit Card B |
| 27 | $465.00 | $398.04 | $66.96 | $5,550.05 | Credit Card B |
| 28 | $465.00 | $403.21 | $61.79 | $5,146.84 | Credit Card B |
| 29 | $465.00 | $408.45 | $56.55 | $4,738.39 | Credit Card B |
| 30 | $465.00 | $413.76 | $51.24 | $4,324.63 | Credit Card B |
| 31 | $465.00 | $419.15 | $45.85 | $3,905.48 | Credit Card B |
| 32 | $465.00 | $424.61 | $40.39 | $3,480.87 | Credit Card B |
| 33 | $433.23 | $398.37 | $34.86 | $3,082.50 | Personal Loan |
| 34 | $370.00 | $339.43 | $30.57 | $2,743.07 | Personal Loan |
| 35 | $370.00 | $342.80 | $27.20 | $2,400.27 | Personal Loan |
| 36 | $370.00 | $346.20 | $23.80 | $2,054.07 | Personal Loan |
| 37 | $370.00 | $349.63 | $20.37 | $1,704.44 | Personal Loan |
| 38 | $370.00 | $353.10 | $16.90 | $1,351.35 | Personal Loan |
| 39 | $370.00 | $356.60 | $13.40 | $994.75 | Personal Loan |
| 40 | $370.00 | $360.14 | $9.86 | $634.61 | Personal Loan |
| 41 | $370.00 | $363.71 | $6.29 | $270.90 | Personal Loan |
| 42 | $273.59 | $270.90 | $2.69 | $0.00 | All debts paid |
How to Use
- Enter each debt with its current balance, APR, and minimum monthly payment.
- Add any extra monthly amount you can deploy beyond the combined minimums.
- Review the payoff order — avalanche sorts by highest APR first, not by balance.
- Compare the avalanche total interest with snowball to see exactly how much interest you save.
- Use the monthly schedule to track the focus debt and remaining balance each month until debt free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does avalanche save the most interest?
Interest is a percentage of remaining balance. Knocking down the debt with the highest interest rate first means fewer dollars are ever charged at that high rate, which reduces total interest over the payoff period.
When does snowball beat avalanche?
Snowball beats avalanche when the psychological wins are what keep you going. If you've stalled on previous payoff attempts, snowball's quick wins often produce a better real-world result than avalanche's theoretically optimal math.
Should the avalanche include my mortgage or student loans?
Usually no for mortgage debt — low rate, long term. Student loans are worth including if their APR is higher than your other debts. Run the math both ways with this tool to see the impact.
What if two debts have the same APR?
Most people break the tie by attacking the smaller balance first (a mini-snowball), since payoff frees up that minimum payment to attack the remaining debt.
Related Calculators
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Consolidate debts into a single lower-rate loan before running the avalanche.
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See how much interest your cards are costing each month.
Personal Loan vs Credit Card Calculator
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