Compare avalanche vs snowball methods and find the fastest, cheapest path to debt freedom.
Enter your debts and extra monthly payment. We'll show you both strategies.
Pay minimums on all debts, then throw every extra dollar at the debt with the highest interest rate. Once that's paid off, attack the next highest rate. This approach minimizes total interest paid — often by thousands of dollars — but you may not see a debt fully paid off for a while.
Pay minimums on all debts, then focus on the smallest balance first. You'll get your first "win" — a fully paid debt — faster, which research shows helps people stay motivated. You pay more interest overall, but the momentum it builds is real and valuable.
The interest difference between strategies is usually 5–15% on total interest paid. If snowball helps you stay the course where avalanche would cause you to give up, snowball wins. Pick the strategy that matches your personality, not just the math.