Primary Inputs

Total Monthly Budget ($)

Your total monthly budget for all debt payments and investments.

Time Horizon

How long you want to run the simulation for.

Repayment Strategy

Priority: Highest interest rate first. Mathematically optimal to minimize total interest paid.

Additional Contribution ($)

Automatically allocates your remaining budget towards the debt strategy.

My Debts

Debt Name

Balance ($)

The current amount you owe on this debt.

APR (%)

The Annual Percentage Rate for this debt.

Minimum Contrib ($)

The minimum monthly payment required for this debt.

Compounding

How often interest is calculated and added to the balance.

Debt Name

Balance ($)

The current amount you owe on this debt.

APR (%)

The Annual Percentage Rate for this debt.

Minimum Contrib ($)

The minimum monthly payment required for this debt.

Compounding

How often interest is calculated and added to the balance.

Debt Name

Balance ($)

The current amount you owe on this debt.

APR (%)

The Annual Percentage Rate for this debt.

Minimum Contrib ($)

The minimum monthly payment required for this debt.

Compounding

How often interest is calculated and added to the balance.

Investments

Visualizing Snowball vs. Avalanche Debt Repayment

Name: Wealth Trajectory
Author: Wealth Trajectory

When it comes to debt repayment, two major philosophies dominate: the Snowball method (focusing on smallest balances first) and the Avalanche method (focusing on highest interest rates first). This visualizer helps you see the exact dollar-and-cent difference between these strategies over time.

Wealth Trajectory

Analyzing with Avalanche.

Total Debt

Contributions

Enter Data to Begin Analysis

Create Your Own Trajectory

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the Snowball method cost more in interest?

Yes. Because you are prioritizing balance size over interest rates, you will generally pay more in total interest compared to the Avalanche method. However, for many, the psychological 'win' is worth the cost.

Can I switch strategies mid-way?

Absolutely. Many people start with the Snowball method to clear small debts and then switch to Avalanche once they have the momentum to tackle high-interest loans.