Credit Card Payoff Calculator: Months and Interest
See how many months it takes to pay off a credit card and how much interest you pay at a fixed monthly payment, or find the payment that clears the card by a target month.
Interest is estimated monthly at APR/12 on the balance before each payment, with no fees, promotional rates or daily balances. The results are estimates.
Fix the highlighted fields to see the plan.
About the Credit Card Payoff Calculator
The Credit Card Payoff Calculator tells you how long it takes to clear a credit card balance and how much interest you pay on the way. Enter the balance, the card's APR and what you pay each month, and it shows the number of payments, the total interest, the total you pay and the month of your last payment. If you would rather set a date, choose One debt, target month and it shows the monthly payment that clears the card by then.
When a payment is too small to cover the interest, the balance never goes down. The calculator says so and tells you the least you need to pay each month to make progress. Interest is estimated monthly at APR ÷ 12 on the balance before each payment. Most card issuers charge interest on the average daily balance and can add fees or promotional rates, which this page leaves out, so the results are estimates.
How to use it
Fixed monthly payment
- Keep One debt, fixed payment selected.
- Type the card balance, the APR in percent and your monthly payment.
- Check the first payment month. It starts at the current month.
The number of payments, the interest and the last payment month appear straight away.
Clear the card by a date
Choose One debt, target month and pick the month of your last payment. The first and the last month both count as payment months, so November 2026 to October 2028 is 24 payments.
The formulas
Each month the card charges interest of on the balance , and then your payment is taken off. The payment that clears the balance in months, with , is
A payment of or less only covers the interest, so the balance never falls.
Worked examples
- 5,000 at 18% paid at 200 a month. It takes 32 payments with 1,313.96 of interest. From November 2026, the last payment is in June 2029.
- The same card cleared in 24 months. Pay 249.62 a month; the interest is 990.89.
- A payment that is too low. 5,000 at 24% earns 100.00 of interest in the first month, so a payment of 100.00 never clears it.
Tips
Paying even a little more than the minimum shortens the payoff a lot, because every extra amount reduces the balance that interest is charged on. If you have more than one card, the Debt Avalanche Calculator shows the order that saves the most interest and the Debt Snowball Calculator the order that clears a card soonest. For a personal loan to pay off the card, the Loan Calculator works out its payment.
Privacy
Nothing is uploaded; every calculation runs in your browser and never leaves your device. The balances you type stay on this page and are gone when you close or reload it.
Frequently asked questions
How long will it take to pay off my credit card?
Enter the balance, the APR and what you pay each month. A balance of 5,000 at 18 percent APR paid at 200 a month is cleared in 32 payments, with 1,313.96 of interest. The last payment month is shown too.
How much do I need to pay to clear my card in two years?
Choose One debt, target month and set the target 24 months after the first payment month. For 5,000 at 18 percent APR, 24 payments of 249.62 clear the card with 990.89 of interest.
Why does paying only the interest never clear the card?
Interest is charged on the balance every month. If your payment only covers that interest, nothing is left to reduce the balance. At 24 percent APR, 5,000 earns 100.00 a month, so you must pay more than 100.00 to make progress.
How is credit card interest worked out here?
The calculator charges APR ÷ 12 on the balance each month before your payment. Most issuers use the average daily balance instead, so real interest can differ slightly. Fees and promotional 0 percent periods are not included.
I have more than one card. Which should I pay first?
Choose Several debts to compare the avalanche method, which pays the highest APR first and saves the most interest, with the snowball method, which pays the smallest balance first and clears a card sooner.