Minimum Payment Calculator
See what happens when you only pay the minimum on your credit card — how long it takes and how much extra you pay in interest.
Current balance on your credit card
Annual percentage rate on your card
Results
Minimum Payment
$141.67
Months to Payoff at Minimum
230 months
Total Interest at Minimum
$8,099.77
Take it further
Debt Payoff Tracker
Now that you know your payoff date, track every payment. Our Debt Payoff Tracker includes snowball AND avalanche plans, monthly progress tracking, and a savings challenge tab.
How This Calculator Works
Credit card minimum payments are designed to keep you paying as long as possible. The typical minimum is the greater of $25 or 1% of your balance plus that month's interest. This means on a $5,000 balance at 22% APR, your minimum starts around $142 — but only about $50 goes toward actual principal. The rest is pure interest profit for the card company.
What makes minimum payments particularly costly is that as your balance drops, the minimum payment drops too. You pay less and less each month, which means the last few thousand dollars can take longer to pay off than the first few thousand. It is a mathematically engineered treadmill.
This calculator shows you the full picture: your current minimum payment, how many months it takes to pay off at that rate, and the total interest cost. For most people, the total interest paid at the minimum exceeds the original balance. Seeing that number is often the motivation needed to commit to a higher fixed payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the minimum payment calculated?
Most credit card companies set the minimum at the greater of a flat amount (usually $25) or 1% of your balance plus that month's interest charge. This ensures you pay at least something toward principal each month.
Why does paying the minimum take so long?
Because the minimum payment is designed to keep you in debt. Only a tiny fraction goes toward principal. As your balance slowly drops, the minimum shrinks too, meaning you pay even less principal over time. A $5,000 balance at 22% APR can take over 20 years to pay off at the minimum.
How much should I pay above the minimum?
As much as you can afford. Doubling the minimum payment can cut your payoff time by more than half. Use the "How Long to Pay Off" calculator to see the impact of specific payment amounts.
Does this work for store credit cards?
Yes. Store cards often have even higher APRs (25-30%), making the minimum payment trap even worse. Enter your store card balance and APR to see the real cost.
Related Calculators
How Long to Pay Off Calculator
Enter your balance, interest rate, and monthly payment to see exactly how many months until the debt is gone.
Debt Snowball Calculator
Calculate how fast you can pay off debt using the snowball method — paying smallest balances first for quick wins and momentum.
Debt Avalanche Calculator
Calculate your debt payoff using the avalanche method — targeting the highest interest rate first to minimize total interest paid.