Home › Debt Avalanche vs Snowball Calculator
Debt Avalanche vs Snowball Calculator
Compare both payoff strategies with your real debts and see which saves you more money.
📝 Your Debts & Budget
Enter up to 5 debts. We'll compare both strategies side by side.
Debt Name
Balance ($)
APR (%)
Min Pay ($)
$
Amount above your minimums you can throw at debt each month.
How Both Methods Work
AVALANCHE: Sort debts highest APR → lowest APR
Pay minimums on all, throw ALL extra at highest-APR debt first.
Mathematically optimal — minimizes total interest paid.
SNOWBALL: Sort debts lowest balance → highest balance
Pay minimums on all, throw ALL extra at smallest balance first.
Psychologically powerful — quick wins build momentum.
Pay minimums on all, throw ALL extra at highest-APR debt first.
Mathematically optimal — minimizes total interest paid.
SNOWBALL: Sort debts lowest balance → highest balance
Pay minimums on all, throw ALL extra at smallest balance first.
Psychologically powerful — quick wins build momentum.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the debt avalanche method? ▼
The avalanche method orders your debts from highest interest rate to lowest. You pay minimums on all debts and throw all extra money at the highest-APR debt first. This minimizes total interest paid and is mathematically optimal.
What is the debt snowball method? ▼
The snowball method orders debts from smallest balance to largest. You pay minimums on all and attack the smallest balance first. It costs slightly more in interest but the quick wins build powerful psychological momentum.
⚠️ Projections assume fixed rates and consistent payments. Actual results will vary.