Debt Consolidation Loan vs Card Payoff
A $15,000 balance at 22% APR: aggressive card payments versus a 9% consolidation loan over 60 months. A pre-filled credit card payoff calculator scenario.
Explore other scenarios
Your card setup
Added on top of your payment
Results
Monthly payment
$10
Payoff time
65 months
Total interest
$10,610
Interest saved
$14,621
vs minimum payments
Payoff date
…
Total paid
$25,610
Share your result
Free online calculatorContinue your plan
Tackle your student debt next
Once the card is under control, map a student loan repayment plan with the Student Loan Calculator.
Continue your plan
Compare the investment path
See what the same monthly payment could grow to with the Auto Loan & Payment Calculator.
Continue your plan
Compare the investment path
See what the same monthly payment could grow to with the Compound Interest Calculator.
Balance decay & interest
Month-by-month schedule
| Month | Payment | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $400 | $125 | $275 | $14,875 |
| 2 | $400 | $127 | $273 | $14,748 |
| 3 | $400 | $130 | $270 | $14,618 |
| 4 | $400 | $132 | $268 | $14,486 |
| 5 | $400 | $134 | $266 | $14,352 |
| 6 | $400 | $137 | $263 | $14,215 |
| 7 | $400 | $139 | $261 | $14,075 |
| 8 | $400 | $142 | $258 | $13,933 |
| 9 | $400 | $145 | $255 | $13,789 |
| 10 | $400 | $147 | $253 | $13,642 |
| 11 | $400 | $150 | $250 | $13,492 |
| 12 | $400 | $153 | $247 | $13,339 |
| 13 | $400 | $155 | $245 | $13,184 |
| 14 | $400 | $158 | $242 | $13,025 |
| 15 | $400 | $161 | $239 | $12,864 |
| 16 | $400 | $164 | $236 | $12,700 |
| 17 | $400 | $167 | $233 | $12,533 |
| 18 | $400 | $170 | $230 | $12,363 |
| 19 | $400 | $173 | $227 | $12,189 |
| 20 | $400 | $177 | $223 | $12,013 |
| 21 | $400 | $180 | $220 | $11,833 |
| 22 | $400 | $183 | $217 | $11,650 |
| 23 | $400 | $186 | $214 | $11,463 |
| 24 | $400 | $190 | $210 | $11,274 |
| 25 | $400 | $193 | $207 | $11,080 |
| 26 | $400 | $197 | $203 | $10,883 |
| 27 | $400 | $200 | $200 | $10,683 |
| 28 | $400 | $204 | $196 | $10,479 |
| 29 | $400 | $208 | $192 | $10,271 |
| 30 | $400 | $212 | $188 | $10,059 |
| 31 | $400 | $216 | $184 | $9,844 |
| 32 | $400 | $220 | $180 | $9,624 |
| 33 | $400 | $224 | $176 | $9,401 |
| 34 | $400 | $228 | $172 | $9,173 |
| 35 | $400 | $232 | $168 | $8,941 |
| 36 | $400 | $236 | $164 | $8,705 |
| 37 | $400 | $240 | $160 | $8,465 |
| 38 | $400 | $245 | $155 | $8,220 |
| 39 | $400 | $249 | $151 | $7,971 |
| 40 | $400 | $254 | $146 | $7,717 |
| 41 | $400 | $259 | $141 | $7,458 |
| 42 | $400 | $263 | $137 | $7,195 |
| 43 | $400 | $268 | $132 | $6,927 |
| 44 | $400 | $273 | $127 | $6,654 |
| 45 | $400 | $278 | $122 | $6,376 |
| 46 | $400 | $283 | $117 | $6,093 |
| 47 | $400 | $288 | $112 | $5,804 |
| 48 | $400 | $294 | $106 | $5,511 |
| 49 | $400 | $299 | $101 | $5,212 |
| 50 | $400 | $304 | $96 | $4,907 |
| 51 | $400 | $310 | $90 | $4,597 |
| 52 | $400 | $316 | $84 | $4,282 |
| 53 | $400 | $322 | $78 | $3,960 |
| 54 | $400 | $327 | $73 | $3,633 |
| 55 | $400 | $333 | $67 | $3,299 |
| 56 | $400 | $340 | $60 | $2,960 |
| 57 | $400 | $346 | $54 | $2,614 |
| 58 | $400 | $352 | $48 | $2,262 |
| 59 | $400 | $359 | $41 | $1,903 |
| 60 | $400 | $365 | $35 | $1,538 |
| 61 | $400 | $372 | $28 | $1,166 |
| 62 | $400 | $379 | $21 | $788 |
| 63 | $400 | $386 | $14 | $402 |
| 64 | $400 | $393 | $7 | $10 |
| 65 | $10 | $10 | $0 | $0 |
Features
- Payoff months & payoff date
- Fixed payment or minimum strategy
- Savings vs minimum payments
- Month-by-month balance schedule
- Shareable result card + CSV export
Scenario Benchmark
Key figures for Debt Consolidation Loan vs Card Payoff.
Monthly payment
$10
Payoff time
65 months
Total interest
$10,610
Interest saved
$14,621
Total paid
$25,610
Frequently asked questions
How the maths works
Credit cards compound monthly, so interest grows fastest early on. Paying more than the minimum — even a small fixed amount — shortens the payoff dramatically because more of each payment hits the balance.
- 1Monthly interest = balance × APR / 12.
- 2Minimum payment = max(floor, balance × minimum%) + interest; fixed payment is the amount you choose.
- 3Each month, interest is charged first and the rest of the payment reduces the balance.
- 4The schedule uses exact numbers, so the balance reaches zero in the final month.
Figures are illustrative and exclude fees, penalties and rate changes. Not financial advice.
Everything you need to know
Why minimum payments take so long
A typical minimum of 1% of the balance mostly covers the interest charge, leaving only a few dollars to reduce what you owe.
At a 22% APR, a $10,000 balance paid only at the minimum can take decades and more than double in interest — the calculator shows your exact number.
The fastest lever: extra payments
Every extra dollar goes straight to the balance, cutting future interest and shortening the timeline by months.
Set a fixed payment you can sustain — consistency beats occasional large payments.
Related calculators
Schengen Visa 90/180 Day Calculator
Travel
FIRE & Compound Interest Calculator
Finance
TDEE & Macro Nutrition Calculator
Health
Body Fat & BMI Calculator
Health
Compound Interest Calculator
Finance
Mortgage & Amortization Calculator
Finance
Auto Loan & Payment Calculator
Finance
Student Loan & Repayment Plan Calculator
Finance
Lease vs Buy Auto Calculator
Finance
Mortgage Refinance Calculator
Finance
Card payoff scenarios
Jump to a pre-filled example, or start from scratch.
Pay Off $5,000 Card at 20% APR
A typical first-card balance — see exactly how long $150 a month takes and what it costs.
The $10K Minimum Payment Trap
Minimum payments feel affordable — this is what they actually cost.
$15K Balance Transfer at 0% APR
Zero interest changes everything — see how fast a 0% window clears $15,000.
Add $100 a Month — Faster Card Payoff
The $100-a-month lever: what one modest habit does to your payoff date.
Pay Off a $20K High-Interest Card
High balances at high rates compound fast — $600 a month is the antidote.
Pay Off Your Card in 3 Years — What to Pay?
Working backwards from a 3-year goal — the monthly number that gets you there.
Credit Card Debt-Free in 1 Year
The aggressive one-year sprint — what it takes and what it saves.
Debt Consolidation Loan vs Card Payoff
The consolidation question — compare your card plan against a cheaper fixed loan.