💳 Credit Card Calculator
Paying only the minimum on a credit card can stretch a balance over many years, with interest quietly doubling what you borrowed. Fixing a monthly payment amount changes the picture completely.
Enter your current balance, the card's APR and the payment you can make every month. The calculator simulates month by month and tells you exactly when the balance hits zero and how much interest you paid along the way.
How to use this calculator
Enter your card balance, APR and the fixed amount you will pay each month to find how many months until the card is clear and the total interest paid.
- Type the Card balance you owe right now.
- Enter the APR shown on your statement.
- Set the Monthly payment you can reliably make.
- Press Calculate to see the payoff month count and total interest.
Frequently asked questions
How does it compute the payoff time?
It simulates month by month: each month interest is added at the monthly APR, then your payment is subtracted, until the balance reaches zero.
What is a worked example?
A $5,000 balance at 18% APR with $200 monthly payments takes 32 months to clear, and you pay about $1,314 in interest on top of the $5,000.
What if my payment only covers the interest?
Then the balance never shrinks. The calculator refuses that input and tells you to raise the payment above the monthly interest charge.
Does it assume I stop spending on the card?
Yes. Any new purchases would extend the timeline, so the result assumes no new charges while you pay the balance down.