Debt payoff calculator
Know your
debt-free date
DebtMelt is a free debt payoff calculator that compares snowball and avalanche strategies side by side. Enter up to 8 debts with their balances, APRs, and minimum payments. See your exact debt-free date, total interest cost, and a month-by-month payment schedule for each strategy. Add extra payments to watch the timeline shrink. Runs entirely in your browser with no sign-up required.
Example comparison
Avalanche
Mar 2029
$4,128 total interest
Snowball
Jun 2029
$4,891 total interest
Avalanche saves $763 and 3 months
How it works
Three steps to a payoff plan
Enter your debts
Name, balance, APR, and minimum payment for each. Credit cards, student loans, car payments, medical bills.
Compare strategies
See snowball and avalanche side by side with debt-free dates, total interest, and month counts. Pick the one that fits you.
Track your progress
Update balances as you pay them down. Your debt-free date moves closer every time. Save scenarios to compare different extra-payment plans.
What you get
A complete payoff toolkit
Side-by-side comparison
Snowball vs avalanche with exact payoff dates and interest totals. See the trade-off between quick wins and maximum savings.
Extra payment modeling
Add $50, $200, or any amount. Watch the timeline recalculate instantly and see how much faster you can be debt-free.
Month-by-month schedule
Full payment table with balances, interest, and payoff milestones. Know exactly what to pay and when.
Balance timeline chart
Visual chart overlaying both strategies so you can see how your total balance drops month over month.
Go deeper with Pro
FAQ
Common questions
What is the snowball method?
You pay minimums on all debts, then throw any extra money at the smallest balance first. Once that debt hits zero, you roll its payment into the next smallest. The psychological wins from quick payoffs keep you motivated.
What is the avalanche method?
Same idea, but you target the highest interest rate first instead of the smallest balance. This saves the most money in interest over time, though it can take longer to see your first debt disappear.
Which strategy saves more money?
Avalanche almost always saves more in total interest. The gap depends on how your balances and rates are distributed. DebtMelt shows you the exact dollar difference so you can decide if the savings are worth the wait.
Is my debt data stored anywhere?
No. Everything stays in your browser's local storage. DebtMelt has no backend database and sends no financial data over the internet. Close the tab and your data remains on your device.
Can I model extra payments?
Yes. Enter a monthly extra payment amount and DebtMelt recalculates instantly. You'll see how even $50 or $100 extra per month can move your debt-free date forward.
What types of debt can I add?
Any debt with a fixed minimum payment and interest rate: credit cards, student loans, car loans, personal loans, medical bills. The free tier supports up to 8 debts at once. Pro removes that limit.
How much does DebtMelt cost?
The core calculator is free with no sign-up required. Pro costs $3/month and adds unlimited debts, PDF and CSV export, a payment calendar, and removes ads. Prices exclude applicable taxes.
Ready to build your plan?
Add your debts and see your debt-free date in under a minute.
Start Planning