By ToolzHive
About this tool
The credit card payoff calculator shows how long it will take to clear your balance and how much interest you will pay along the way. Enter a fixed monthly payment to see your payoff date, or choose how many months you want to be debt-free in and find the payment you need. It assumes you stop adding new purchases to the card.
How to use Credit Card Payoff Calculator
- Enter your card balance and APR.
- Choose to pay a fixed amount each month, or to be debt-free within a number of months.
- Read the payoff time or required payment, the total interest and the yearly breakdown.
Worked example
Paying $250 a month on a $5,000 balance at 24% APR clears it in about 2 years and 2 months, with roughly $1,450 in interest. Raising the payment to $350 cuts the time to about 17 months.
Why does my balance fall so slowly?
At high APRs, a large part of each payment goes to interest. Paying more than the minimum means more of every payment reduces the balance itself.
Which card should I pay off first?
The avalanche method targets the highest APR first and saves the most interest. The snowball method clears the smallest balance first for quick wins. Both work if you stick with them.
Does this include new purchases?
No. The calculation assumes you do not add new charges. New spending will extend your payoff time.
Put this guide into practice
- Credit Card Payoff Calculator — See how long it takes to pay off a credit card and how much interest you will pay.