See how long minimum payments really take.
Enter your balance and interest rate. We'll show you, in real numbers, how many years the minimum keeps you paying and how much of it is pure interest.
Calculator inputs
What if you paid a fixed amount instead?
Minimum payments shrink as your balance drops, which is what drags it out. A steady payment changes everything.
How this calculator works
Most credit cards set the minimum payment as a small percentage of your balance plus that month's interest, with a small dollar floor. Because that percentage is tiny, most of an early payment is interest, and as your balance falls, the required minimum falls too. That is the trap: the finish line keeps moving.
This tool runs the math month by month using a common formula, the greater of $35 or 1% of your balance plus the month's interest, so you can see the full timeline and the true interest cost. It then lets you compare that to a steady fixed payment, which pays down principal far faster.
This is an educational estimate, not financial advice. Real card terms vary, your issuer may use a different minimum-payment formula, your rate may change, and fees are not included. Use it to understand the shape of the math, not as an exact promise of any outcome.