Finance
Calculate how long it takes to pay off multiple credit cards with strategic payments.
Additional monthly payment beyond minimum payments
Pay highest APR cards first (saves most interest)
Time to Debt-Free
27 months
2 years 3 months
The credit cards payoff calculator is a month-by-month debt simulator that tracks how your multiple credit card balances shrink as you make payments. It factors in interest accrual, minimum payment obligations, and extra monthly budget to calculate the exact number of months until you're completely debt-free. It also shows you the total interest paid and the optimal order to pay off your cards based on your chosen strategy.
The calculator models your debt repayment in real time. Each month, it applies interest to each card's balance (using monthly rate = APR ÷ 12), deducts your minimum payments, and then applies any extra budget to one card at a time based on your chosen strategy (Avalanche pays highest-APR cards first; Snowball pays lowest-balance cards first). This monthly loop repeats until all cards are paid off, and the calculator reports the total months, total interest, and the exact payoff order.
Monthly Interest = Balance × (APR ÷ 100 ÷ 12)
New Balance = Balance + Interest − Payment
Payoff Time = Sum of all months until all balances = 0Each card accrues interest monthly based on its remaining balance and APR. Minimum payments are deducted first, then extra budget is distributed to one card at a time (either highest-APR or lowest-balance, depending on strategy). The calculator repeats this process month by month until all balances are zero, tallying the total time and interest cost.
| Input | Result | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Card 1: $5,000 at 18% APR, $100 min | Card 2: $3,000 at 22% APR, $75 min | Extra: $200/month | Avalanche | 13 months to debt-free, $1,055 total interest | Paying the 22% card first saves ~$75 vs Snowball; total paid is $9,055 |
| Card 1: $2,500 at 15% APR, $50 min | Card 2: $1,200 at 20% APR, $40 min | Extra: $150/month | Snowball | 10 months to debt-free, $435 total interest | Snowball pays Card 2 off first (smallest balance), giving psychological wins; total paid is $4,135 |
| Card 1: $8,000 at 24% APR, $120 min | Card 2: $4,000 at 19% APR, $80 min | Extra: $0 | Avalanche | 71 months (5 years 11 months) to debt-free, $5,890 total interest | No extra budget means slow payoff and massive interest cost; total paid is $17,890 for $12k borrowed |
Avalanche pays highest-APR cards first—saves the most total interest (often $500–2000+). Snowball pays lowest-balance cards first—feels faster because you get "quick wins" and psychological momentum. Choose Avalanche to minimize interest; choose Snowball if you need motivation.
Interest compounds monthly faster than your extra payments reduce the balance. On a $8,000 card at 24% APR, interest costs ~$160/month; your $200 extra only nets ~$40/month toward principal. High-APR cards have a trap—you need to prioritize them aggressively.
Highest APR first (Avalanche) saves the most money overall. Lowest balance first (Snowball) is faster psychologically. If your cards have similar APRs, Snowball wins. If one card has 20%+ APR, use Avalanche.
Enter 0 as your extra budget and the calculator will show minimum-only payoff. The result is often 5–10 years and massive interest. Even +$25/month extra cuts months off—consider freezing spending or reducing another budget category.
No—enter the actual APR that will apply. If you're in a 0% promo, set APR to 0 for those months, then re-run when the promo ends. This tool assumes steady-state APRs.
The calculator supports up to 3 cards at a time. If you have more, calculate in groups: first focus on your 3 highest-APR cards until they're paid, then re-run with your next 3 cards.