See how long it takes to pay off debt with minimum payments only
Updated October 2026Built and checked by MaverickHow it's calculatedReport an error
Min only - years
Never
$26,576 interest
With extra
3.9 yr
+$100/mo extra
Interest saved
$24,505
553 months faster
Initial minimum
$102/mo
decreases as balance falls
Each extra $50 a month cuts both the interest and the time it takes.
Adding even a small extra payment steepens the early curve.
A credit card's minimum repayment is a small share of the balance, so paying only the minimum leaves most of the debt accruing interest for years. Enter your balance, rate and your card's minimum repayment rule to see how long the card takes to clear at the minimum, the interest it costs, and how much an extra amount each month saves.
As of 7 November 2026, the lowest credit card purchase rate is 7.49%, from Unity Bank's Low Rate Visa Credit Card, while the typical best across 51 institutions is 12.49%.
$5,000 balance at 20% a year. The minimum is 2% of the closing balance or $20, whichever is more, so it starts at about $102 and falls as the balance falls.
Paying only the minimum takes 547 months, over 45 years, and costs $19,345 in interest. Adding $100 a month to the minimum clears it in 46 months with $1,894 in interest.