Which method “wins”
Avalanche usually saves more interest. Snowball usually clears the first account sooner. The better method for a household is often the one they will follow. This page only shows the arithmetic of the two orders.
Your numbers
Snowball vs avalanche
Same debts, two payoff orders. Extra money stays in the monthly budget after a debt is gone.$On top of the minimums. This amount keeps going after a debt is paid off.
Interest comparison
$543.43Avalanche saves $543.43 of interest versus snowball.Snowball3 years$3,231 interest
Avalanche2 years 11 months$2,687 interest
Time difference1 monthAvalanche finishes sooner
How we got this
- Snowball$3,230.52 interest · smallest balance first3 years
- Avalanche$2,687.09 interest · highest rate first2 years 11 months
- Interest comparisonAvalanche saves $543.43 of interest versus snowball.$543.43
What we assumed
- Snowball pays the smallest remaining balance first. Avalanche pays the highest interest rate first. Ties use the original list order.
- Each month, interest is added first. Then every open debt gets its minimum, and any leftover budget, including minimums freed after a debt is paid off, goes to the current target.
- The monthly budget stays at the original minimums plus the extra $100.00 you typed, even after a debt is gone.
- Rates are nominal annual rates charged monthly. This is not an APR quote and does not include fees or penalty interest.
- The simulation stops at 600 months so a payment that cannot cover interest cannot run forever.
Technical details
Method debt-payoff-v1.0.0Data Manual inputs / fixed rules
Guide
Snowball versus avalanche on the same debts
Snowball pays the smallest balance first. Avalanche pays the highest APR first. Both apply extra money to one debt at a time while minimums continue on the others. The page compares interest and the debt-free date.
Questions about this calculator
Should I use snowball or avalanche?
Avalanche minimizes interest if you stick to it. Snowball minimizes the number of open accounts faster. The page will not pick for you; it is not counseling.
Do I include my mortgage?
You can, but a 30-year mortgage will dominate the timeline. Many people run consumer debts here and keep the mortgage on its own page.
Terms used here
- Snowball
- Smallest balance first, regardless of rate.
- Avalanche
- Highest interest rate first, regardless of balance.
- Minimum payment
- What you keep paying on debts that are not the current target.
Practical tips
- Use real minimums from statements, not round numbers, if you want the date to be close.
- If a 0% card is about to expire, avalanche on the post-promo APR may matter more than the current 0.
Limits and caveats
- Not credit counseling or bankruptcy advice.
Results are for information. They are not legal, tax, medical, or financial advice. How the math is maintained · Report a wrong figure.
Engine notes
Rounding, versioning, and omissions that sit beside the guide rather than repeating it.
- Snowball vs avalanche. Snowball pays the smallest remaining balance first. Avalanche pays the highest interest rate first. Ties keep your original list order.
- The monthly budget. Each month, interest is added first. Every open debt gets its minimum. Leftover money, including minimums freed after a debt is gone, goes to the current target.
- When it cannot finish. If the monthly budget never covers the interest, or the plan is still open after 600 months, the calculator stops and says so instead of running forever.