How much could a personal loan save? Run the numbers.
Compare a fixed-rate personal-loan illustration with a credit-card payoff scenario, including monthly payment, total interest, modeled fees, and a break-even APR. The result is context—not a quote or a promise of savings.
A lower monthly payment is not automatically a lower total cost. This calculator makes the tradeoff visible by putting the loan total, card total, interest, fees, payoff time, and approximate break-even APR in one frame.
01Payment
What fits your budget each month.
02Total interest
The modeled cost of carrying the balance.
03Break-even APR
The modeled rate where totals meet.
Live illustrative calculator
Change the assumptions, watch the savings move.
Start with the balance you are considering, then adjust APR, term, monthly card payment, and an illustrative upfront fee. The model updates instantly and does not collect application information.
Illustratively, the fixed-rate comparison could reduce interest by about $5,274.16 if the terms shown were available and the balance were otherwise identical.
Estimate only. The upfront fee is modeled as paid at closing and not financed. It does not account for taxes, late payments, card minimum-payment rules, lender eligibility, prepayment terms, additional fees, or changes in APR. Review the provider’s full disclosures and your budget. The break-even APR is an approximate model, not a lender quote.
01Make the savings question visible.
Run a scenario, then verify the actual agreement at the provider.
How to use it
Model the decision you actually face.
Use the balance you are actually considering, then adjust APR, term, card payment, and fee assumptions to match realistic alternatives. Treat the output as a comparison frame—not a forecast of approval or a recommendation.
Compare APR and fees together.
Look at total payments as well as monthly payment.
Stress-test a payment you could sustain.
Keep the context
A lower payment can still mean a higher total cost.
Longer terms and minimum-payment structures can change the picture. If a payment does not cover modeled interest, increase it or review a different scenario.
It models a fixed-rate loan beside a credit-card balance paid at a steady monthly amount, including payment, interest, total cost, a modeled upfront fee, and an approximate break-even APR.
Is this calculator a lender quote?
No. It is an illustrative model using the assumptions you select. Provider eligibility, APR, fees, approval, and funding terms can differ.
Does a personal loan always cost less than a credit card?
No. Compare the actual APR, fees, term, payment behavior, and total cost. A loan does not automatically save money.
What is the break-even loan APR?
It is an approximate modeled APR at which the loan total equals the modeled card total under your selected assumptions. It is not a lender quote or approval threshold.