{
  "slug": "debt-avalanche-vs-snowball-calculator",
  "title": "Debt Avalanche vs Snowball Calculator",
  "heading": "Debt Avalanche vs Snowball Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/debt-avalanche-vs-snowball-calculator",
  "summary": "See the real interest and time gap between the two payoff orders.",
  "description": "The avalanche method pays the highest-rate debt first and always costs the least interest; the snowball method pays the smallest balance first and clears accounts sooner, which is why, research aside, many people actually finish with it. The honest question is not which is mathematically better — avalanche always is — but how big the gap actually is for your specific balances. Often it is a few hundred dollars, which is a fair price for momentum; sometimes it is thousands, which changes the answer. This calculator runs both orders month by month across up to four debts using the same total payment budget, so you see total interest, payoff date, and the exact cost of choosing motivation over math.",
  "formula": "Both methods apply minimums to every debt and the surplus to one target debt; avalanche targets the highest APR, snowball the smallest balance.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-06",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=debt-avalanche-vs-snowball-calculator",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "b1",
      "label": "Debt 1 balance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 6200,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 500000
    },
    {
      "id": "r1",
      "label": "Debt 1 APR",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 24.99,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 40
    },
    {
      "id": "m1",
      "label": "Debt 1 minimum",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 155,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 10000
    },
    {
      "id": "b2",
      "label": "Debt 2 balance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 1800,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 500000
    },
    {
      "id": "r2",
      "label": "Debt 2 APR",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 17.9,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 40
    },
    {
      "id": "m2",
      "label": "Debt 2 minimum",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 45,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 10000
    },
    {
      "id": "b3",
      "label": "Debt 3 balance",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 9500,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 500000
    },
    {
      "id": "r3",
      "label": "Debt 3 APR",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8.5,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 40
    },
    {
      "id": "m3",
      "label": "Debt 3 minimum",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 210,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 10000
    },
    {
      "id": "extra",
      "label": "Extra payment above minimums",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 300,
      "unit": "$/mo",
      "min": 0,
      "max": 20000
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "savings",
      "label": "Extra interest cost of snowball",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "avalancheMonths",
      "label": "Avalanche payoff",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "avalancheInterest",
      "label": "Avalanche total interest",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "snowballMonths",
      "label": "Snowball payoff",
      "format": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "snowballInterest",
      "label": "Snowball total interest",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Debt 1 balance: 6200 $",
      "Debt 1 APR: 24.99 %",
      "Debt 1 minimum: 155 $/mo",
      "Debt 2 balance: 1800 $",
      "Debt 2 APR: 17.9 %",
      "Debt 2 minimum: 45 $/mo",
      "Debt 3 balance: 9500 $",
      "Debt 3 APR: 8.5 %",
      "Debt 3 minimum: 210 $/mo",
      "Extra payment above minimums: 300 $/mo"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Extra interest cost of snowball: $283",
      "Avalanche payoff: 34",
      "Avalanche total interest: $3,101",
      "Snowball payoff: 34",
      "Snowball total interest: $3,384"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter debt 1 balance ($).",
      "Enter debt 1 apr (%).",
      "Enter debt 1 minimum ($/mo).",
      "Enter debt 2 balance ($).",
      "Enter debt 2 apr (%).",
      "Enter debt 2 minimum ($/mo).",
      "Enter debt 3 balance ($).",
      "Enter debt 3 apr (%).",
      "Enter debt 3 minimum ($/mo).",
      "Enter extra payment above minimums ($/mo).",
      "Read your extra interest cost of snowball on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "b1": 3700,
        "r1": 14.993999999999998,
        "m1": 95,
        "b2": 1100,
        "r2": 10.739999999999998,
        "m2": 25,
        "b3": 5700,
        "r3": 5.1,
        "m3": 125,
        "extra": 175
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "b1": 6200,
        "r1": 24.99,
        "m1": 155,
        "b2": 1800,
        "r2": 17.9,
        "m2": 45,
        "b3": 9500,
        "r3": 8.5,
        "m3": 210,
        "extra": 300
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "b1": 9900,
        "r1": 39.984,
        "m1": 250,
        "b2": 2900,
        "r2": 28.64,
        "m2": 70,
        "b3": 15200,
        "r3": 13.600000000000001,
        "m3": 335,
        "extra": 475
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Which method should I pick?",
      "a": "If the extra interest cost shown here is small relative to your balances, pick whichever you will actually stick to. If it is large, avalanche is worth the discipline."
    },
    {
      "q": "Do minimum payments change as balances fall?",
      "a": "On real cards they usually do. This model holds minimums fixed, which is slightly conservative in your favour — real payoff with fixed payments is a bit faster than card-issuer minimums allow."
    },
    {
      "q": "What if a payment never covers the interest?",
      "a": "Then the balance grows forever. If your budget is below total interest, the tool will show a very long payoff — that is the signal to seek a hardship plan or nonprofit credit counselling."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does paying debt down raise my credit score?",
      "a": "Usually yes, mainly through lower revolving utilization. Score effects vary by profile and are not guaranteed."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/credit-card-payoff-time-calculator",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/debt-consolidation-loan-calculator"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Debt Avalanche vs Snowball Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/debt-avalanche-vs-snowball-calculator)"
}