Debt Snowball vs Avalanche Calculator
Enter up to 5 debts with their balances, APR and minimum payments. We will simulate both payoff strategies side by side and show you the cheaper and the faster plan, plus a month-by-month allocation table for the winner.
Your Debts (minimum 2, maximum 5)
| Debt name | Balance (Rs) | APR % | Min payment / month (Rs) |
|---|
Snowball — smallest balance first
Payoff order: -
- Months to debt-free: -
- Total interest paid: -
- Total paid: -
Avalanche — highest APR first
Payoff order: -
- Months to debt-free: -
- Total interest paid: -
- Total paid: -
Month-by-Month Allocation — Winning Strategy
| Month | Target debt | Paid to target | Total paid | Balance remaining |
|---|
Related tools
- Debt Snowball Calculator — build a snowball-only payoff plan with your schedule.
- Debt Payoff Calculator — plan clearing multiple debts and find your debt-free date.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How does the snowball method work in this calculator?
Debts are ordered from the smallest balance to the largest. You pay the minimum on every debt and send all extra money to the smallest balance first; when it is cleared, its minimum payment rolls into the next debt, so your attack payment grows each time.
How is the avalanche method different?
The avalanche method orders your debts by interest rate, highest first, so your extra payment attacks the most expensive debt. This usually results in less total interest paid than the snowball method.
How does the calculator pick the winning strategy?
It simulates both methods month by month and compares total interest paid and months to debt-free. The strategy with the lower total interest is shown as the cheaper winner, and the faster one is named as well, so you can weigh cost against speed.
What is in the month-by-month allocation table?
For the winning strategy the table lists every month of the plan: which debt receives the extra payment, how much that target debt gets, your total payment that month and the combined balance still owed across all debts.
Is the snowball vs avalanche calculator free to use?
Yes, it is free, needs no signup and all calculations run in your browser, so your debt details never leave your device.