Credit Card Payoff Calculator

Anyone carrying balances on one or more credit cards who wants a clear payoff timeline and a sense of how much interest they're really paying. Credit card APRs are high, so the difference between paying minimums and adding a little extra is dramatic.

Each month the calculator adds interest to every card, pays the minimum on each, then applies any extra payment to the card with the highest APR — the avalanche method, which minimizes total interest. When a card is paid off, its payment rolls into the next card, so your total monthly outlay stays the same until everything is clear.

The result shows the month each card is paid off, the overall debt-free date, and the total interest you'll pay.

Credit card minimums are set low — often just interest plus 1% of the balance — so paying only the minimum can stretch a payoff over decades and cost more in interest than the original balance. Even a modest extra payment shortens that dramatically, because it goes straight to principal on your most expensive debt.

This assumes fixed APRs, no new charges, and consistent payments. Promotional 0% periods, balance transfers, and fees aren't modeled. Use it to set a payoff plan, then stop adding new charges to the cards you're paying down.