How long will it take to pay off my credit card?

Enter your balance, APR, and minimum above. With minimums only, a high-APR card can take a decade or more. Adding even $100/month often cuts years off and saves thousands in interest.

Why is credit card interest so expensive?

Card APRs frequently run 20–30% and compound monthly. On a $8,000 balance at 25% APR, interest alone is around $165 in the first month — which is why minimum-only payoff is so slow.

What is the minimum payment trap?

Minimums are set just above the interest charge, so most of your payment covers interest and the balance barely moves. Paying a fixed extra amount each month escapes the trap.

Credit Card Payoff Calculator

See exactly how long your credit cards take to pay off, what the interest really costs, and how much sooner you finish by adding to the minimum.

Your debts

Add each balance, its APR, and the monthly minimum (or let us estimate it). Everything is calculated in your browser — your numbers never leave your device.

Debt name

Type

Balance

APR

Min/mo

Plan by

Extra payment per month

The single biggest lever on your payoff date.

Payoff strategy

Avalanche: highest APR first — least interest paid.

One-time extra payments

Throwing a tax refund or bonus at your debt? Add it here to see how much faster it gets you to $0.

Your payoff plan

Debt-free in

2 years, 3 months

Debt-free date

2028-09

Total interest paid

$2,455

Interest saved vs. minimums

$6,912

That's about 5 years sooner and $6,912 less interest than paying only the minimums.

Snowball vs. avalanche, side by side

Same debts, same budget. Pick the one you'll actually stick with — tap a card to see its full schedule below.

Payoff order

1Credit card— paid off in 2 years, 3 months (2028-09)

What if you paid a little more?

+$50/mo

Save $359 and finish 4 months sooner.

+$100/mo

Save $623 and finish 7 months sooner.

+$250/mo

Save $1,115 and finish 1 year sooner.

Month-by-month schedule

Month-by-month payoff schedule: amount paid, interest, and remaining balance.
Month	Paid	Interest	Remaining balance
1	$400.00	$166.60	$7,767
2	$400.00	$161.74	$7,528
3	$400.00	$156.78	$7,285
4	$400.00	$151.71	$7,037
5	$400.00	$146.54	$6,783
6	$400.00	$141.26	$6,525
7	$400.00	$135.88	$6,261
8	$400.00	$130.38	$5,991
9	$400.00	$124.76	$5,716
10	$400.00	$119.03	$5,435
11	$400.00	$113.18	$5,148
12	$400.00	$107.20	$4,855

Totals: you'll pay $10,455 over the life of the plan, including $2,455 in interest. Estimates only — actual minimums and interest vary by lender. See our methodology.

The minimum payment trap

Credit card minimums are deliberately low — often around 1–2% of the balance plus interest. That keeps you paying for years. The CFPB requires your statement to show how long minimum-only payoff takes; it's usually a sobering number.

How to pay off your card faster

Pay a fixed amount each month, not the shrinking minimum.
Target the highest-APR card first.
Consider a 0% balance transfer or a consolidation loan if you qualify.

Multiple cards?

Add them all above and the calculator builds a combined plan using the snowball or avalanche order. See the full debt payoff calculator.

Frequently asked questions

How long will it take to pay off my credit card?: Enter your balance, APR, and minimum above. With minimums only, a high-APR card can take a decade or more. Adding even $100/month often cuts years off and saves thousands in interest.
Why is credit card interest so expensive?: Card APRs frequently run 20–30% and compound monthly. On a $8,000 balance at 25% APR, interest alone is around $165 in the first month — which is why minimum-only payoff is so slow.
What is the minimum payment trap?: Minimums are set just above the interest charge, so most of your payment covers interest and the balance barely moves. Paying a fixed extra amount each month escapes the trap.