Avalanche or Snowball?
Juggling a few credit cards, loans or car finance? See how avalanche (highest interest rate first) and snowball (smallest balance first) each play out for your actual debts — total interest paid, months to debt-free, and how they compare. Everything stays in your browser.
Your debts
/mo
/mo
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Extra budget
Thrown at one target debt each month, on top of minimums
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The Two Strategies
Highest rate first
Total interest paid
- Months to debt-free
- 33
- Total cash paid
- $34,505
Smallest balance first
Total interest paid
- Months to debt-free
- 34
- Total cash paid
- $35,016
Total Balance Remaining Over Time
Each line is the total remaining across all your debts. Both strategies put the same money toward debt each month — they only differ in which debt it targets first, so the lines diverge based on how quickly interest is cut off.
Key Findings
Cheaper strategy
Avalanche
Based on total interest paid across all debts
Interest saved by avalanche
$255
Versus snowball — positive means avalanche wins
Avalanche debt-free in
33 months
With your current extra monthly budget
Avalanche finishes
1 month sooner
Compared with snowball
Our Recommendation
Avalanche wins on the numbers — targeting your highest-interest debt first saves roughly $255 in interest and gets you debt-free about 1 month sooner compared with snowball. If you can stay motivated without the quick wins of clearing small balances first, avalanche is the cheaper path.
Informational only, not financial advice. This models credit cards, personal loans and car loans, not mortgages. Rates and minimum payments can change — use your latest statements for the most accurate comparison.