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Credit card payoff calculator
Enter your balance, APR and monthly payment to see your debt-free date and total interest. Or set a deadline to find the payment you need.
Credit card payoff calculator
Runs in your browser. Nothing is stored.Find it on your statement, labeled Purchase APR.
- Total interest
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- Total paid
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- Monthly payment
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Longest 0% balance transfer offers right now
Terms last checked September 30, 2026
These offers were last checked more than 45 days ago and may have changed. Confirm terms on the issuer's site.
| Card | Intro offer | Transfer fee | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Citi Diamond Preferred CardCiti | 0% for 21 monthsTransfer within 4 months | 3% ($5 min) in the first 4 months, then 5% | Try this offerOfficial site |
| BankAmericard credit cardBank of America | 0% for 21 billing cyclesTransfer within 60 days | 5% of each transfer | Try this offerOfficial site |
| Wells Fargo Reflect CardWells Fargo | 0% for 21 monthsTransfer within 120 days | 5% ($5 min) | Try this offerOfficial site |
| U.S. Bank Shield Visa CardU.S. Bank | 0% for 21 billing cyclesTransfer within 60 days | 5% or $5, whichever is greater | Try this offerOfficial site |
| Citi Simplicity CardCiti | 0% for 18 monthsTransfer within 4 months | 3% ($5 min) in the first 4 months, then 5% | Try this offerOfficial site |
Sorted by length of the 0% period, then by fee. We don't get paid for this list. Regular APRs after the intro period depend on your credit, typically from the mid-teens to the high 20s; check each issuer's rates and fees before applying. Approval isn't guaranteed.
How this calculator works
Card issuers charge interest every day, but the effect over a month is very close to applying one-twelfth of your APR to the balance. The calculator repeats three steps each month until the balance reaches zero:
interest = balance × (APR ÷ 12)new balance = balance + interest − paymentIf you set a deadline instead, it solves for the fixed payment that clears the balance in exactly that many months:
payment = balance × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−months), where r = APR ÷ 12It assumes you stop adding new purchases and the APR doesn't change. Real statements can differ by a few dollars because of daily compounding and the number of days in each billing cycle.
A worked example
A $5,000 balance at 24% APR with a $200 monthly payment takes 36 months to pay off and costs about $2,000 in interest. Raise the payment to $250 and it's gone in 26 months, with about $1,450 in interest: roughly $550 saved for $50 more a month.
| Monthly payment | Months to pay off | Total interest |
|---|---|---|
| $150 | 56 | $3,320 |
| $200 | 36 | $2,000 |
| $250 | 26 | $1,450 |
| $300 | 21 | $1,140 |
$5,000 balance, 24% APR, no new purchases. Rounded.
Ways to pay it off faster
- Pay a fixed amount, not the minimum. Minimums shrink as your balance falls, which stretches repayment for years. See the minimum payment calculator.
- Move the balance to a 0% card if your credit is good. The balance transfer calculator shows whether the fee is worth it.
- Stop using the card while you pay it down, or every purchase moves your debt-free date back.
- Ask for a lower APR. A few points off the rate makes a real difference on a large balance.
Sources
- CFPB: What is a credit card interest rate?
- Credit CARD Act of 2009 (minimum payment disclosure requirements)
Frequently asked questions
How long will it take to pay off my credit card?
It depends on your balance, APR and monthly payment. For example, $5,000 at 24% APR with $200 a month takes about 36 months. Use the calculator above with your own numbers.
Is it better to pay off a credit card all at once?
If you can, yes. Paying the full balance stops interest immediately. If you can't, pay as much as you can each month and avoid new charges on the card.
Why doesn't my balance go down much each month?
At a high APR, a big part of each payment goes to interest. On $5,000 at 24%, the first month's interest is about $100, so a $150 payment only reduces the balance by about $50.