{
  "slug": "truck-loan-payment",
  "title": "Commercial Truck Loan Payment Calculator",
  "heading": "Truck Loan Payment Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/truck-loan-payment",
  "summary": "Monthly payment and total interest for a commercial truck loan.",
  "description": "Commercial truck loans typically run shorter terms and higher rates than car loans — 3 to 6 years is common, with rates depending heavily on credit, down payment, and whether the truck is new or used. This calculator applies the standard amortizing loan formula to your loan amount, rate, and term to produce the monthly payment, total interest paid, and total cost of the loan. Use it before you sign to check the dealer's number matches the math, and to see how much a larger down payment or a shorter term actually saves in interest over the life of the loan.",
  "formula": "Payment = P × r(1+r)^n / ((1+r)^n − 1), where r = monthly rate, n = months.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=truck-loan-payment",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "price",
      "label": "Truck price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 130000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "down",
      "label": "Down payment",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 15000,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "rate",
      "label": "Interest rate (APR)",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 8.5,
      "unit": "%",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "termMonths",
      "label": "Loan term",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 60,
      "unit": "months",
      "min": 6,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "payment",
      "label": "Monthly payment",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "totalInterest",
      "label": "Total interest paid",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "totalPaid",
      "label": "Total of all payments",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "principal",
      "label": "Amount financed",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Truck price: 130000 $",
      "Down payment: 15000 $",
      "Interest rate (APR): 8.5 %",
      "Loan term: 60 months"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Monthly payment: $2,359.40",
      "Total interest paid: $26,564",
      "Total of all payments: $141,564",
      "Amount financed: $115,000"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter truck price ($).",
      "Enter down payment ($).",
      "Enter interest rate (apr) (%).",
      "Enter loan term (months).",
      "Read your monthly payment 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": {
        "price": 78000,
        "down": 9000,
        "rate": 8.5,
        "termMonths": 36
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "price": 130000,
        "down": 15000,
        "rate": 8.5,
        "termMonths": 60
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "price": 208000,
        "down": 24000,
        "rate": 8.5,
        "termMonths": 96
      }
    }
  ],
  "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": "What rates are typical for commercial truck loans?",
      "a": "New-authority owner-operators with limited credit often see 10-18% APR, while established fleets with strong credit and revenue history can get 6-9%. Rate depends heavily on time in business, credit score, and whether it's a new or used truck."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does a bigger down payment always help?",
      "a": "It lowers the monthly payment and total interest, and it also protects against being upside-down if you need to sell or trade the truck early, since commercial trucks depreciate fast in the first two years."
    },
    {
      "q": "Should I choose a longer term for lower payments?",
      "a": "A longer term lowers the monthly payment but increases total interest paid and extends the period you're financing a depreciating asset — match the term to how long you actually plan to keep the truck, not just cash flow comfort."
    },
    {
      "q": "How does this differ from a lease payment?",
      "a": "A loan payment builds equity toward ownership; a lease payment is pure cost for use rights with no equity. Compare this loan payment against the lease payment in the lease-vs-buy tool alongside expected resale value."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/truck-lease-vs-buy",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/owner-operator-cost-per-mile",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/insurance-cost-per-power-unit"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Commercial Truck Loan Payment Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/truck-loan-payment)"
}