Debt Payoff Planner

Compare snowball vs avalanche strategies across multiple debts, and see exactly how fast extra payments get you to zero

📖 About this tool

What it does

Compares 6 debt-payoff strategies across multiple debts — avalanche (highest APR first), snowball (smallest balance first), blizzard (hybrid), interest × balance, highest minimum, and custom user order. Shows the month you're debt-free and the interest you save.

Who this helps

Anyone with multiple debts wanting to know which payoff order to use. The math vs psychology trade-off — avalanche always wins on $; snowball usually wins on motivation.

How to use it

  1. Add each debt with balance, APR, and minimum payment (or use the preloaded sample debts).
  2. Pick a strategy from the dropdown — try several to compare.
  3. Set your extra monthly payment (any amount above the sum of minimums).
  4. Read the comparison box: how this strategy compares to the alternative.
  5. Use the Get-Out-of-Debt Roadmap if you also need to size an emergency fund alongside payoff.

What it doesn't do

Doesn't model windfalls (tax refund, bonus). Doesn't account for new debt added during payoff — the assumption is you've stopped accumulating.

Your Debts

Debt List

Each debt needs a balance, APR, and minimum monthly payment. Add as many as you have.

Strategy

Extra is applied to the target debt first. When a debt hits $0, its minimum payment rolls into the next target — the core of the "debt snowball" effect.

💳

Add at least one debt to see your payoff plan.