Credit Card Calculator
Calculate how long it takes to pay off your credit card balance and total interest paid at different monthly payment amounts.
Payoff time
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total paid
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total interest
Monthly payment must exceed minimum interest charge to pay off the balance.
What is Credit Card Calculator?
A credit card payoff calculator shows exactly how long it will take to pay off your credit card balance and how much total interest you will pay at a given monthly payment amount. Credit card interest compounds daily or monthly at very high rates (typically 18–36% APR), making unpaid balances grow rapidly. This calculator makes the true cost of minimum payments visible.
How to use
- 1 Enter your current outstanding credit card balance.
- 2 Input the annual interest rate (APR) on your card — check your statement or card agreement.
- 3 Enter the fixed monthly payment you plan to make.
- 4 Optionally enter new monthly charges if you will continue using the card while paying it down.
- 5 The payoff timeline in months and years, total amount paid, and total interest cost are shown instantly.
Formula
Example calculation
A $5,000 credit card balance at 20% APR with a $200 monthly payment (and no new charges) takes about 32 months to pay off. You pay approximately $6,340 in total — meaning $1,340 is pure interest, a 27% premium over the original debt.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if I only pay the minimum amount due?
Paying only the minimum (often 1–3% of balance or a flat minimum) means most of your payment covers interest, barely reducing principal. A $5,000 balance at 20% APR with minimum payments can take over 15 years to pay off, costing thousands in interest.
Why is credit card interest so expensive?
Credit cards are unsecured revolving debt with no collateral, so lenders price in higher default risk. APRs of 18–36% are common globally. Interest often compounds daily on the average daily balance, making the effective rate even higher.
What is a balance transfer and when does it help?
A balance transfer moves your debt to a new card offering 0% or low introductory APR for 6–21 months. If you can pay off the balance before the promotional period ends, you save significantly on interest. Watch for balance transfer fees (typically 3–5%).
How does the grace period work?
Most credit cards offer a grace period (typically 20–30 days after the billing cycle) during which no interest is charged if you pay the full statement balance. Interest only accrues if you carry a balance forward to the next cycle.
Should I pay off credit card debt or invest the money?
Credit card interest rates (18–36% APR) almost always exceed investment returns. Paying off credit card debt first is the equivalent of a guaranteed tax-free return at that interest rate, making it the mathematically superior choice in nearly all scenarios.