Snowball vs avalanche: paying off debt
A short guide to the two most popular payoff strategies — how each one works, which saves more, and how a rolling payment gets you debt-free faster.
Open the Debt Payoff Calculator →What this tool does
The Debt Payoff Calculator takes your list of debts — each with a balance, interest rate, and minimum payment — plus any extra you can pay each month. It simulates the payoff month by month and tells you when you'll be debt-free, the total interest, and the order debts disappear. It compares both strategies so you can see the trade-off. It all runs in your browser.
The two strategies
Both methods pay the minimum on every debt and throw all spare money at a single target:
- Avalanche targets the highest interest rate first. This costs the least money overall, because your most expensive debt dies fastest.
- Snowball targets the smallest balance first. It can cost slightly more interest, but clearing whole debts quickly is motivating and keeps people going.
Why the "rolling payment" matters
The calculator keeps your total monthly payment constant. When one debt is cleared, the money that used to cover its minimum rolls onto the next target — so each payoff makes the next one faster. That snowballing of freed-up payments is what gets you to zero far sooner than paying minimums alone.
How to use it
- Open the Debt Payoff Calculator.
- Edit the example debts or add your own — name, balance, APR, and minimum payment.
- Enter any extra you can put toward debt each month.
- Switch between Avalanche and Snowball to compare.
- Read the debt-free date, total interest, payoff order, and how much your choice saves.
A note on minimum payments
If the minimums don't even cover the interest, a balance can grow forever — the calculator will tell you when payments are too low to make progress. Raising the extra payment, even a little, often shortens the timeline dramatically.
Your numbers stay private
All calculations happen locally in your browser — nothing you enter is uploaded.
FAQ
What is the difference between snowball and avalanche?
Avalanche targets the highest interest rate first (cheapest); snowball targets the smallest balance first (fastest wins).
Which method saves the most money?
The avalanche method almost always costs the least interest.
Is my data uploaded?
No — it all runs in your browser.
This tool gives estimates for general use and is not financial advice.
Ready to try it? Open the Debt Payoff Calculator →