If you're on a Galaxy Fold, consider unfolding your phone or viewing it in full screen to best optimize your experience.
Carrying a credit card balance doesn't just delay payoff -- it quietly increases how much you owe over time.
This credit card interest calculator is built to make those costs visible. It estimates how interest builds over time, how long payoff could take, and how different payment choices change the outcome. If you've ever wondered whether your current payment strategy is actually working, this tool helps put real numbers behind it.
This calculator models how credit card interest affects your balance over time based on how you pay it down.
You can use it in two ways:
Either way, the results highlight how interest influences both cost and timing.
You'll need a few basic details from your most recent statement:
Once entered, the calculator estimates interest costs and payoff timing based on those inputs.
After running the calculation, you'll see an estimate of how much you could pay in total, how much of that is interest, and how long it may take to reach a zero balance.
If the interest portion looks high, that's not a mistake -- it's often the reality of carrying a balance at today's credit card rates. The value of the calculator is showing where small changes, like slightly higher payments or faster payoff goals, can make a noticeable difference.
Credit card minimum payments are designed to keep accounts in good standing, not to eliminate debt quickly.
When you pay only the minimum, a large share of each payment goes toward interest instead of reducing your balance. As a result, balances shrink slowly and interest continues to compound. This calculator helps illustrate how increasing your payment, even modestly, can reduce both payoff time and total interest paid.
Most credit cards calculate interest using a daily balance method, meaning interest builds every day you carry a balance.
In simple terms:
Because interest compounds frequently, balances can grow faster than many people expect -- especially at higher APRs.
This tool works best when you experiment with it.
Try adjusting your monthly payment up or down, or shorten your desired payoff timeline and see how the interest total changes. These comparisons can help you identify which adjustments will have the biggest impact and whether your current plan is realistic.
If the calculator shows interest is consuming a large share of your payments, there are a few common paths people explore.
Each option has trade-offs -- the calculator helps you decide whether the savings are meaningful enough to pursue.
Reducing interest isn't only about switching accounts. Paying more than the minimum whenever possible, avoiding new charges while paying down debt, and choosing payment amounts that fit your budget can all help accelerate progress.
Consistency matters more than perfection. Steady, repeatable payments often outperform aggressive plans that are hard to maintain.
Please note that this calculator is not personalized financial advice and should not be considered or used as such. Nor are we promising that by use of this calculator, will you be able to save more money, preserve wealth, or otherwise.
Because interest compounds frequently, especially on high-APR cards. Early payments often reduce interest first, which can make progress feel slow.
Both matter. High rates accelerate costs, while larger balances magnify them. The calculator shows how the two interact over time.
Yes. By making interest costs visible, it gives you context for deciding whether higher payments, a balance transfer, or another option may be worth considering.
Please note that this calculator is not personalized financial advice and should not be considered or used as such. Nor are we promising that by use of this calculator, will you be able to save more money, preserve wealth, or otherwise.