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Credit card payoff calculator

The bigger your monthly payment, the less of it goes to interest. See how long your balance takes to clear and what each extra dollar saves.

Reviewed by Alex Thomas · Updated Nov 5, 2026

Paying $200.00 a month, you'll clear $5,000 in 36 months and pay $2,135.16 in interest.

Time to pay off

36 months

Total interest$2,135.16
Total paid$7,135.16

Monthly payment to be debt-free in

12 months$475.20
24 months$266.84
36 months$198.78

Assumes no new purchases and the same APR. Interest is estimated monthly; issuers often charge it daily, so real totals run a little higher.

Ask members who've been there

Questions

How long will it take to pay off my credit card?
It depends on the balance, the APR and your payment. Your statement also shows how long paying only the minimum would take, and the payment that clears it in 36 months.
Is it better to pay more than the minimum?
Yes. Anything above the minimum goes straight to the balance, so you pay off sooner and pay less interest. The minimum is mostly interest.
Should I stop using the card while paying it off?
It helps. New purchases add to the balance and, if you carry a balance, usually start charging interest right away because you lose the grace period.

Other tools

Sources

  1. CFPB — How does my credit card company calculate interest?consumerfinance.gov
  2. CFPB — The minimum payment warning on your statementconsumerfinance.gov
  3. CFPB — What is a credit card interest rate?consumerfinance.gov

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