Debt Avalanche vs Snowball Calculator
Compare the debt avalanche strategy (highest APR first) and the debt snowball strategy (smallest balance first) to see which pays off your debts faster and with less interest.
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Anyone juggling multiple debts — credit cards, car loans, student loans, medical bills, personal loans — can use this calculator to choose between two proven payoff strategies. The avalanche method is mathematically optimal because it tackles the highest-interest debt first, while the snowball method is psychologically motivating because it delivers quick wins by eliminating small balances first.
The Math Behind Each Strategy
Both strategies simulate the same month-by-month cash flow: each debt accrues interest at APR/12 per month, then the minimum payment is applied to every active debt, and any remaining budget (the extra payment plus the minimums from already-paid-off debts) is funneled into the target debt. Avalanche picks the highest-APR debt as the target each month; Snowball picks the smallest-balance debt. The simulator runs until every debt is paid off or the 60-year safety cap is reached, then reports total interest, total paid, payoff order, and a yearly amortization table.
Fun Fact: Research from the Harvard Business Review and others consistently shows that people who use the snowball method are more likely to pay off all their debt — even though the avalanche method is mathematically cheaper. The reason: small, visible wins keep motivation high, and the discipline you build snowballing one balance fuels finishing the rest.
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