How long will my credit card take to pay off?

The minimum-payment math that banks don't volunteer: months to payoff, total interest, and what an extra monthly payment really saves you.

Current balance ($)

APR (%)

Minimum payment (% of balance)

Extra payment per month ($)

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Payoff with minimum only

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Payoff with extra

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Interest — minimum only

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Interest saved by extra

How is payoff time computed?

Simulated month by month: each month interest = balance × APR/12 is added, then the payment (max of your % of balance or a floor) applies. $5,000 at 22.9% with 2% minimum and $100 extra cuts years off and saves a couple thousand in interest.

Why do minimum payments take so long?

Because the minimum barely beats the monthly interest early on. On a high-APR card, the first months are mostly interest, so the balance crawls. The tool makes that painfully visible — which is the point.

What if I use my card again?

This is a pay-down projection on the current balance with no new charges. New purchases restart the clock at the current balance; freeze the card to keep the math honest.

Avalanche or snowball?

This tool models one card. With several cards, pay extra on the highest APR first (avalanche) to minimize total interest — that's the mathematically optimal order.