FREE · DEBT PAYOFF

Debt snowball vs avalanche:
which saves you more?

Enter your debts and how much extra you can pay each month. You get the debt-free date, total interest and a month-by-month plan for both methods. Runs in your browser; nothing is saved.

Snowball

smallest balance first

Avalanche

highest APR first

━ Snowball   ━ Avalanche

Month-by-month plan

Want this in a spreadsheet you can keep updating? The Debt Payoff Planner for Google Sheets and Excel runs the same two plans for up to 10 debts and 30 years, with a dashboard and chart. $7, made by the same person who built this calculator.

How it works

Snowball vs avalanche

Both methods pay the minimum on every debt and put the extra money on one target. Snowball targets the smallest balance first, so you clear a debt quickly. Avalanche targets the highest APR first, which usually means less interest overall.

The roll-over

When a debt is paid off, its minimum payment joins the extra amount and goes to the next target. Your total monthly payment stays the same while each debt falls faster.

See a full example

Snowball vs avalanche worked out on five real-looking debts, month by month. Paying down cards? See how to pay off credit card debt.

Accuracy

Interest is estimated each month as APR ÷ 12 on the balance. Card issuers usually calculate it daily, so your statements will differ a little. Use the results to compare plans. This is not financial advice.