Snowball, avalanche, or somewhere in between.
List your debts, set how much extra you can throw at them each month, and see what each strategy actually costs in time and interest. The math is brutal; the motivation matters.
Built and reviewed by Stephen Omukoko Okoth
Mathematical Economist · ex-Morgan Stanley FI · Equilar
Inputs
Your debts
Inputs
Extra you can pay
Verdict
Both strategies cost the same here.
Avalanche: 4y 8m • Snowball: 4y 8m
Avalanche minimizes interest paid; snowball maximizes psychological wins. If you've started and stopped before, the few extra dollars of interest on snowball are worth it.
Result
Side-by-side
Avalanche payoff
4y 8m
Snowball payoff
4y 8m
Avalanche total interest
$ 8.9K
Snowball total interest
$ 8.9K
Trajectory
Total balance over time
Common questions
Snowball or avalanche — which actually wins?
Avalanche (highest APR first) wins on math: you pay less total interest. Snowball (smallest balance first) wins on psychology: you knock off whole debts faster, which keeps people motivated. The calculator shows you the cost of choosing motivation.
How does the extra payment cascade?
Each month, every debt receives its minimum payment. The extra you choose stacks onto the front-of-queue debt (smallest for snowball, highest-rate for avalanche). When that debt is gone, its minimum joins the extra pool and rolls into the next one — that's the snowball.
What if I miss a month?
The interest still compounds. The calculator assumes you don't miss; build a buffer in your budget so you genuinely don't.
Should I prioritize debt or invest first?
If a debt's APR is higher than your expected after-tax investment return, kill it first. Credit cards almost always meet that bar; mortgages often don't. Anything in between is a judgment call.