Credit Card Payoff Calculator

See whether and how fast your credit card clears and what the interest costs - paying only the minimum due, a fixed monthly amount, or a little extra.

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Enter your outstanding balance to see whether and how fast the card clears and what the interest costs - at the minimum due, a fixed payment, or paying extra.

To work out how much you can put toward payoff each month, try the Salary Calculator. For a fixed-EMI loan, such as after a balance transfer, use the EMI Calculator.

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TL;DR

Paying only the minimum amount due on a credit card can stretch repayment over years, because the minimum is a small percent of a shrinking balance while interest keeps accruing on the full outstanding. For each of three paths - minimum only, a fixed monthly payment, and paying a little extra - it shows the months to clear, total interest, debt-free date, and interest saved, for any path that clears within the 50-year cap. Enter your balance, your card's monthly rate (typically ~3.5% a month, about 42% a year), and your minimum-due terms; everything is editable, because banks set these differently. Runs in your browser.

Quick facts

Monthly rateTypically ~3.5% a month (about 42% a year); set by your card
Minimum amount dueUsually about 5% of the outstanding, subject to a rupee floor; varies by bank
How interest worksOnce you carry a balance, interest applies to the full outstanding and new purchases lose the interest-free period, until it is cleared
Negative amortisationRBI requires the minimum due to be set so the balance does not grow; a payment at or below the interest does not reduce the principal, so the debt never clears
This tool computesFor minimum-only, fixed, and fixed-plus-extra: the months to clear, total interest, and debt-free date when a path clears within the 50-year cap

Why paying only the minimum costs so much

The minimum amount due is a small percent of your outstanding balance (often around 5%), so as the balance falls the minimum falls with it, while interest keeps being charged on whatever you still owe. Early on, most of your minimum payment goes to interest and barely touches the principal, which is why a card paid at the minimum can take many years and cost more in interest than the original balance. The Reserve Bank of India requires card issuers to warn that paying only the minimum due extends repayment over years, and to disclose how finance charges are calculated.

How much does paying extra save?

Because interest is charged on the full outstanding, anything above the minimum goes straight at the principal and shortens the payoff sharply. Fixing a monthly payment, or adding a little extra on top, clears the card sooner and cuts the total interest - the calculator shows the difference in rupees whenever both paths clear within the 50-year cap. If you are considering moving the balance to a fixed-EMI loan or a balance transfer, compare the equated instalments with the EMI Calculator, and to plan how much you can put toward payoff each month, use the Salary Calculator. To weigh a card's rewards against its annual fee, see the Credit Card Savings Calculator.

Sources

Finance-charge disclosure, the minimum-only repayment warning, the no-negative- amortisation rule for the minimum amount due, and the treatment of interest on partial payments are from the Reserve Bank of India Master Direction - Credit Card and Debit Card (Issuance and Conduct) Directions, 2022 (as amended) and the RBI FAQ on credit cards. The exact minimum-due formula and finance-charge rate vary by issuer, so this tool takes them as editable inputs and defaults to typical values. A planning aid, not financial advice; it computes no tax.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to pay off a credit card paying only the minimum?+
Often years. The minimum amount due is a small percent of the outstanding balance (commonly around 5%), so as the balance falls the minimum falls too, while interest keeps accruing on what you still owe. A large balance paid only at the minimum can take several years and cost more in interest than the original amount. RBI requires card issuers to warn about exactly this. Enter your balance and rate above to see whether it clears and, if so, the months and interest for your case.
How is credit card interest calculated in India?+
Once you do not pay the statement in full, interest (the finance charge) is applied to your full outstanding balance, usually quoted as a monthly rate of around 3.5% (roughly 42% a year). RBI requires issuers to disclose how they compute finance charges. Interest accrues on the unpaid amount from the transaction date, not just on what is left after a part-payment.
If I pay part of my bill, is interest charged only on the unpaid part?+
No. Once you carry any balance, interest is charged on your entire outstanding, and new purchases also start attracting interest immediately because you lose the interest-free period until the balance is cleared in full. This is why a part-payment helps less than people expect, and why clearing the balance entirely is what stops the interest.
What is the minimum amount due (MAD) on a credit card?+
The minimum amount due is the smallest sum you must pay by the due date to keep the account regular and avoid a late fee. It is typically a percent of your outstanding (often about 5%) subject to a rupee floor, and it varies by bank. RBI requires the minimum due to be set so it does not cause negative amortisation - that is, it should be enough that the balance does not keep growing. Paying only the minimum, though, still stretches repayment over years.
Does paying only the minimum due hurt my credit score?+
Paying at least the minimum by the due date keeps the account from being reported late, which protects your score on that front. But carrying a large balance keeps your credit utilisation high, which can weigh on the score, and it costs a lot in interest. Paying more than the minimum both clears the debt faster and lowers utilisation.
How much interest does paying a little extra save?+
A lot, because everything above the minimum goes straight at the principal while interest is charged on the full balance. Fixing a monthly payment above the minimum, or adding a small extra on top, can cut both the payoff time and the total interest sharply. Enter a monthly payment and an extra amount above to see the rupees saved for your balance, shown when both compared paths clear within the 50-year cap.