Debt Snowball vs. Avalanche Calculator
Both methods pay the minimum on every debt and put all spare money toward one. The snowball targets the smallest balance first; the avalanche targets the highest interest rate. Enter your debts to see what each costs.
Enter your figures below. Results update as you type.
Debt-free in2 yr 8 mopaying $600.00 a month, highest rate first
- Total debt
- $15,000.00
- Interest with avalanche
- $3,848.65
- Interest with snowball
- $4,763.02
- Avalanche saves
- $914.38
Snowball vs. avalanche
Snowball (smallest first)
2 yr 9 moDebt-free in
Aug 2029Debt-free date
$4,763.02Total interest
Avalanche (highest rate first)
2 yr 8 moDebt-free in
Jul 2029Debt-free date
$3,848.65Total interest
Avalanche saves $914.38 in interest. Snowball clears your first debt sooner, which many people find easier to stick with.
How the Debt Snowball vs. Avalanche calculation works
Each month: pay every minimum, then send the rest to the target debt
With $9,000 at 24%, $4,000 at 7% and $2,000 at 15%, paying $600 a month in total, the avalanche is debt-free in 2 years 8 months with $3,849 of interest. The snowball takes a month longer and costs $4,763, about $914 more.
Frequently asked questions
Is the debt snowball or avalanche better?
The avalanche always costs the least interest. The snowball clears the first debt sooner, and that early win helps many people keep going. If the interest difference is small, choose the one you will stick with.
How does the debt snowball method work?
List your debts from smallest balance to largest. Pay the minimum on all of them and everything extra on the smallest. When it is gone, add its payment to the next one, and repeat.
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