Credit card minimum payment calculator
The answer
On a $3,500.00 balance at 24.99% APR, a minimum of this month's interest plus 1% of the balance (floor $25) starts at $107.89. Paying only the minimum takes 16 yr 9 mo and costs $6,154.16 in interest, finishing around Jul 2043.
Of the first $107.89, $72.89 is interest and $35.00 comes off what you owe.
- Total interest
- $6,154.16
- Total paid
- $9,654.16
An estimate from the inputs shown, not a promise of a particular date. How we calculate this.
Your minimum payment comes from a formula in your cardholder agreement. Both common shapes are modelled here — this month's interest plus a slice of the balance, or a flat percentage of the balance — each with a dollar floor underneath. Choose the shape, set the floor your agreement names, and the answer above gives this month's minimum and what paying only the minimum would cost.
Because the minimum is worked out from the balance, it falls as the balance falls, and each payment is smaller than the last. That is what stretches a card out for years. Paying a fixed amount instead — the same figure every month, even as the minimum drops — is the single change that shortens the term most.
Assumptions
- The minimum is this month's interest plus 1% of the balance, with a $25 floor. Issuers differ — your cardholder agreement has yours.
- Interest accrues once a month, before that month's payment.
- The APR stays at 24.99% for the whole term.
- You pay exactly the minimum, in full and on time, and add no new spending.
Month by month
What is left at the end of each month, after that month's payment — from the same engine run as the answer above.
| Month | Date | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Oct 2026 | $3,500.00 |
| 1 | Nov 2026 | $3,465.00 |
| 2 | Dec 2026 | $3,430.35 |
| 3 | Jan 2027 | $3,396.05 |
| 4 | Feb 2027 | $3,362.09 |
| 5 | Mar 2027 | $3,328.47 |
| 6 | Apr 2027 | $3,295.18 |
| 7 | May 2027 | $3,262.23 |
| 8 | Jun 2027 | $3,229.61 |
| 9 | Jul 2027 | $3,197.31 |
| 10 | Aug 2027 | $3,165.34 |
| 11 | Sep 2027 | $3,133.68 |
| 12 | Oct 2027 | $3,102.35 |
Show the full schedule — all 16 years 9 months
| Month | Date | Balance |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Oct 2026 | $3,500.00 |
| 1 | Nov 2026 | $3,465.00 |
| 2 | Dec 2026 | $3,430.35 |
| 3 | Jan 2027 | $3,396.05 |
| 4 | Feb 2027 | $3,362.09 |
| 5 | Mar 2027 | $3,328.47 |
| 6 | Apr 2027 | $3,295.18 |
| 7 | May 2027 | $3,262.23 |
| 8 | Jun 2027 | $3,229.61 |
| 9 | Jul 2027 | $3,197.31 |
| 10 | Aug 2027 | $3,165.34 |
| 11 | Sep 2027 | $3,133.68 |
| 12 | Oct 2027 | $3,102.35 |
| 13 | Nov 2027 | $3,071.32 |
| 14 | Dec 2027 | $3,040.61 |
| 15 | Jan 2028 | $3,010.20 |
| 16 | Feb 2028 | $2,980.10 |
| 17 | Mar 2028 | $2,950.30 |
| 18 | Apr 2028 | $2,920.80 |
| 19 | May 2028 | $2,891.59 |
| 20 | Jun 2028 | $2,862.67 |
| 21 | Jul 2028 | $2,834.05 |
| 22 | Aug 2028 | $2,805.71 |
| 23 | Sep 2028 | $2,777.65 |
| 24 | Oct 2028 | $2,749.87 |
| 25 | Nov 2028 | $2,722.37 |
| 26 | Dec 2028 | $2,695.15 |
| 27 | Jan 2029 | $2,668.20 |
| 28 | Feb 2029 | $2,641.52 |
| 29 | Mar 2029 | $2,615.10 |
| 30 | Apr 2029 | $2,588.95 |
| 31 | May 2029 | $2,563.06 |
| 32 | Jun 2029 | $2,537.43 |
| 33 | Jul 2029 | $2,512.06 |
| 34 | Aug 2029 | $2,486.94 |
| 35 | Sep 2029 | $2,462.07 |
| 36 | Oct 2029 | $2,437.45 |
| 37 | Nov 2029 | $2,413.07 |
| 38 | Dec 2029 | $2,388.94 |
| 39 | Jan 2030 | $2,365.05 |
| 40 | Feb 2030 | $2,341.40 |
| 41 | Mar 2030 | $2,317.99 |
| 42 | Apr 2030 | $2,294.81 |
| 43 | May 2030 | $2,271.86 |
| 44 | Jun 2030 | $2,249.14 |
| 45 | Jul 2030 | $2,226.65 |
| 46 | Aug 2030 | $2,204.38 |
| 47 | Sep 2030 | $2,182.34 |
| 48 | Oct 2030 | $2,160.52 |
| 49 | Nov 2030 | $2,138.91 |
| 50 | Dec 2030 | $2,117.52 |
| 51 | Jan 2031 | $2,096.35 |
| 52 | Feb 2031 | $2,075.38 |
| 53 | Mar 2031 | $2,054.63 |
| 54 | Apr 2031 | $2,034.08 |
| 55 | May 2031 | $2,013.74 |
| 56 | Jun 2031 | $1,993.60 |
| 57 | Jul 2031 | $1,973.67 |
| 58 | Aug 2031 | $1,953.93 |
| 59 | Sep 2031 | $1,934.39 |
| 60 | Oct 2031 | $1,915.05 |
| 61 | Nov 2031 | $1,895.90 |
| 62 | Dec 2031 | $1,876.94 |
| 63 | Jan 2032 | $1,858.17 |
| 64 | Feb 2032 | $1,839.59 |
| 65 | Mar 2032 | $1,821.19 |
| 66 | Apr 2032 | $1,802.98 |
| 67 | May 2032 | $1,784.95 |
| 68 | Jun 2032 | $1,767.10 |
| 69 | Jul 2032 | $1,749.43 |
| 70 | Aug 2032 | $1,731.94 |
| 71 | Sep 2032 | $1,714.62 |
| 72 | Oct 2032 | $1,697.47 |
| 73 | Nov 2032 | $1,680.50 |
| 74 | Dec 2032 | $1,663.69 |
| 75 | Jan 2033 | $1,647.05 |
| 76 | Feb 2033 | $1,630.58 |
| 77 | Mar 2033 | $1,614.28 |
| 78 | Apr 2033 | $1,598.13 |
| 79 | May 2033 | $1,582.15 |
| 80 | Jun 2033 | $1,566.33 |
| 81 | Jul 2033 | $1,550.67 |
| 82 | Aug 2033 | $1,535.16 |
| 83 | Sep 2033 | $1,519.81 |
| 84 | Oct 2033 | $1,504.61 |
| 85 | Nov 2033 | $1,489.57 |
| 86 | Dec 2033 | $1,474.67 |
| 87 | Jan 2034 | $1,459.92 |
| 88 | Feb 2034 | $1,445.32 |
| 89 | Mar 2034 | $1,430.87 |
| 90 | Apr 2034 | $1,416.56 |
| 91 | May 2034 | $1,402.40 |
| 92 | Jun 2034 | $1,388.37 |
| 93 | Jul 2034 | $1,374.49 |
| 94 | Aug 2034 | $1,360.74 |
| 95 | Sep 2034 | $1,347.14 |
| 96 | Oct 2034 | $1,333.66 |
| 97 | Nov 2034 | $1,320.33 |
| 98 | Dec 2034 | $1,307.12 |
| 99 | Jan 2035 | $1,294.05 |
| 100 | Feb 2035 | $1,281.11 |
| 101 | Mar 2035 | $1,268.30 |
| 102 | Apr 2035 | $1,255.62 |
| 103 | May 2035 | $1,243.06 |
| 104 | Jun 2035 | $1,230.63 |
| 105 | Jul 2035 | $1,218.33 |
| 106 | Aug 2035 | $1,206.14 |
| 107 | Sep 2035 | $1,194.08 |
| 108 | Oct 2035 | $1,182.14 |
| 109 | Nov 2035 | $1,170.32 |
| 110 | Dec 2035 | $1,158.62 |
| 111 | Jan 2036 | $1,147.03 |
| 112 | Feb 2036 | $1,135.56 |
| 113 | Mar 2036 | $1,124.20 |
| 114 | Apr 2036 | $1,112.96 |
| 115 | May 2036 | $1,101.83 |
| 116 | Jun 2036 | $1,090.81 |
| 117 | Jul 2036 | $1,079.91 |
| 118 | Aug 2036 | $1,069.11 |
| 119 | Sep 2036 | $1,058.42 |
| 120 | Oct 2036 | $1,047.83 |
| 121 | Nov 2036 | $1,037.35 |
| 122 | Dec 2036 | $1,026.98 |
| 123 | Jan 2037 | $1,016.71 |
| 124 | Feb 2037 | $1,006.54 |
| 125 | Mar 2037 | $996.48 |
| 126 | Apr 2037 | $986.51 |
| 127 | May 2037 | $976.65 |
| 128 | Jun 2037 | $966.88 |
| 129 | Jul 2037 | $957.21 |
| 130 | Aug 2037 | $947.64 |
| 131 | Sep 2037 | $938.16 |
| 132 | Oct 2037 | $928.78 |
| 133 | Nov 2037 | $919.49 |
| 134 | Dec 2037 | $910.30 |
| 135 | Jan 2038 | $901.20 |
| 136 | Feb 2038 | $892.18 |
| 137 | Mar 2038 | $883.26 |
| 138 | Apr 2038 | $874.43 |
| 139 | May 2038 | $865.69 |
| 140 | Jun 2038 | $857.03 |
| 141 | Jul 2038 | $848.46 |
| 142 | Aug 2038 | $839.97 |
| 143 | Sep 2038 | $831.57 |
| 144 | Oct 2038 | $823.26 |
| 145 | Nov 2038 | $815.03 |
| 146 | Dec 2038 | $806.88 |
| 147 | Jan 2039 | $798.68 |
| 148 | Feb 2039 | $790.31 |
| 149 | Mar 2039 | $781.77 |
| 150 | Apr 2039 | $773.05 |
| 151 | May 2039 | $764.15 |
| 152 | Jun 2039 | $755.06 |
| 153 | Jul 2039 | $745.79 |
| 154 | Aug 2039 | $736.32 |
| 155 | Sep 2039 | $726.65 |
| 156 | Oct 2039 | $716.78 |
| 157 | Nov 2039 | $706.71 |
| 158 | Dec 2039 | $696.43 |
| 159 | Jan 2040 | $685.93 |
| 160 | Feb 2040 | $675.22 |
| 161 | Mar 2040 | $664.28 |
| 162 | Apr 2040 | $653.11 |
| 163 | May 2040 | $641.71 |
| 164 | Jun 2040 | $630.07 |
| 165 | Jul 2040 | $618.20 |
| 166 | Aug 2040 | $606.07 |
| 167 | Sep 2040 | $593.69 |
| 168 | Oct 2040 | $581.05 |
| 169 | Nov 2040 | $568.16 |
| 170 | Dec 2040 | $554.99 |
| 171 | Jan 2041 | $541.54 |
| 172 | Feb 2041 | $527.82 |
| 173 | Mar 2041 | $513.81 |
| 174 | Apr 2041 | $499.51 |
| 175 | May 2041 | $484.92 |
| 176 | Jun 2041 | $470.02 |
| 177 | Jul 2041 | $454.80 |
| 178 | Aug 2041 | $439.27 |
| 179 | Sep 2041 | $423.42 |
| 180 | Oct 2041 | $407.24 |
| 181 | Nov 2041 | $390.72 |
| 182 | Dec 2041 | $373.86 |
| 183 | Jan 2042 | $356.64 |
| 184 | Feb 2042 | $339.07 |
| 185 | Mar 2042 | $321.13 |
| 186 | Apr 2042 | $302.82 |
| 187 | May 2042 | $284.13 |
| 188 | Jun 2042 | $265.04 |
| 189 | Jul 2042 | $245.56 |
| 190 | Aug 2042 | $225.68 |
| 191 | Sep 2042 | $205.38 |
| 192 | Oct 2042 | $184.65 |
| 193 | Nov 2042 | $163.50 |
| 194 | Dec 2042 | $141.90 |
| 195 | Jan 2043 | $119.86 |
| 196 | Feb 2043 | $97.35 |
| 197 | Mar 2043 | $74.38 |
| 198 | Apr 2043 | $50.93 |
| 199 | May 2043 | $26.99 |
| 200 | Jun 2043 | $2.55 |
| 201 | Jul 2043 | $0.00 |
The shapes modelled here
A common rule charges this month's interest plus a small slice of the principal — a percentage named in your agreement — with a dollar floor underneath it. Another charges a flat percentage of the balance, with the same kind of floor. The floor is the least you can be asked to pay while you owe more than it; set it to the figure your agreement names.
They behave very differently at high rates. A flat-percentage rule that is smaller than the monthly interest charge cannot reduce the balance at all, and a rule that lands exactly on the interest holds the balance still rather than moving it either way; an interest-plus-principal rule always reduces it, just slowly. The calculator shows which case you are in rather than assuming.
Why the minimum falls as you pay
A minimum payment is usually a function of the balance, so a smaller balance produces a smaller minimum. Where the balance is falling, paying exactly the minimum therefore means paying less and less each month, and that is the mechanism that stretches an ordinary card balance across many years. Where it is not falling, the same rule stops being a slow way out and becomes no way out.
Paying a FIXED amount — the same dollar figure every month, even as the minimum drops — is what breaks that pattern. The credit card payoff calculator holds a payment level for the whole term, so the pages side by side show what the fixed payment changes.
Your statement already tells you some of this
Federal rules require card statements to show how long the balance would take to clear at the minimum payment, and what a larger payment would do instead. If the figures here differ from your statement's, your statement is about your actual account and this page is a general model — trust the statement.
Questions about this calculator
Which minimum payment rule does my card use?
Your cardholder agreement states it, including the dollar floor. Many issuers use a version of the shapes modelled here; switch between them above and set the floor to see how much the choice matters for your balance and rate.
Why does my minimum change from month to month?
Because it is calculated from the balance and, under an interest-based rule, from that month's interest charge too. As either changes, so does the minimum.
Does the minimum shown include fees or past-due amounts?
No. Some issuers add fees, past-due amounts or an amount over the credit limit on top of the formula; this calculator models the formula alone.
How long would paying only the minimum take?
The answer above shows it for the selected rule, with the total interest, and the schedule under it lists the balance month by month until it clears — or the page says plainly that it never clears under that rule.
Can paying the minimum leave the balance growing?
Yes, under a flat-percentage rule whose percentage is smaller than the month's interest: the payment does not cover the interest, so the balance rises. The calculator states that instead of printing a date.
How do I compare paying a fixed amount instead?
Enter that amount in the credit card payoff calculator. It holds the payment level for the whole term rather than letting it fall with the balance, so the pages side by side show what the fixed payment changes.
From our research
Sources
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — The box on your statement: paying off the balance in three years
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Regulation Z, 12 CFR §1026.53 — Allocation of payments
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — Regulation Z, 12 CFR §1026.7 — Periodic statement
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau — How does my credit card company calculate the amount of interest I owe?
Our source and corrections policy explains how these are chosen.
Related
Reviewed 2026-10-06. Every figure on this page is produced by the same payoff engine the Dang! Payoff app runs, from the inputs shown, and is an estimate that holds only if the stated assumptions hold. The dates printed here were computed from a plan starting October 2026; the calculator re-anchors to the current month in your browser, so a date you read with JavaScript disabled is the one for that starting month rather than for today.
Dang! Payoff is a manual-entry debt payoff planner and tracker from Dang Apps LLC. It is not a lender, credit counselling agency, debt-relief, debt-management or debt-settlement service, and nothing here is financial, legal or tax advice or a recommendation about your situation. Your issuer’s or lender’s own terms govern your account.
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