Payment Calculator
Calculate your monthly loan payment, total payment, and total interest for any loan amount, rate, and term.
Monthly Payment
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Total Payment
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Total Interest
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What is Payment Calculator?
A payment calculator computes the fixed monthly payment for any installment loan given the loan amount, annual interest rate, and loan term. It works for personal loans, student loans, car loans, home improvement loans, or any fixed-rate installment debt.
How to use
- 1 Enter the total loan amount.
- 2 Enter the annual interest rate.
- 3 Enter the loan term in years.
- 4 Monthly payment, total payment, and total interest are calculated instantly.
Formula
Example calculation
A $15,000 loan at 8% annual interest for 5 years: r = 0.667%, n = 60. Monthly payment ≈ $304. Total paid ≈ $18,240. Total interest ≈ $3,240.
Frequently asked questions
What factors affect my monthly payment the most?
Loan amount and interest rate have the largest impact. Doubling the loan amount doubles the payment. Even a 2% rate increase can add hundreds of dollars over a 5-year term.
What is the difference between APR and interest rate?
The interest rate is the base cost of borrowing. APR includes fees and other costs, making it a more complete measure of the loan's true annual cost.
What happens if I make extra payments?
Extra principal payments reduce your balance faster, shorten the loan term, and save interest. This calculator assumes minimum monthly payments only.
Is a shorter or longer term better?
A shorter term means higher monthly payments but far less interest paid. A longer term reduces monthly strain but costs more overall. Choose based on your cash flow and financial goals.
Does this calculator handle variable rate loans?
No. This calculator is for fixed-rate loans only. Variable rates change with market indices and require different modeling.