Credit Card Minimum Payment Calculator
See how long paying only the minimum actually takes, and what it really costs.
Every calculation runs locally in your browser. Real card issuers may compute minimums slightly differently (some include a portion of interest/fees directly) — check your card agreement for the exact formula.
Time to pay off
43.7 years
524 months
Total interest paid
$20,210
For informational and educational purposes only — not financial, investment, or tax advice, and not a substitute for consulting a qualified professional about your specific situation. TrueMeasureKit is not liable for decisions made based on these results. See our Terms of Service.
Why the minimum payment trap gets worse over time
Most credit card minimums are set as a percentage of the current balance (typically 1–3%), with a small flat floor for low balances. As the balance shrinks, so does the required minimum — which means the payment barely outpaces the interest for a long stretch, dragging payoff out for years and often costing more in interest than the original balance. Paying any fixed amount above the minimum, even a small one, breaks this pattern by keeping the payment constant while the interest portion shrinks.
Frequently asked questions
Why does paying only the minimum take so long?
Card issuers typically set the minimum at a small percentage of the balance (often 1–3%) plus interest, so as the balance shrinks, the minimum payment shrinks too — interest keeps eating most of each payment for years.
How much more does the minimum-payment trap actually cost?
On a typical high-interest card balance, paying only the minimum can mean paying more in total interest than the original balance itself, and take a decade or more to clear — this calculator shows the real numbers for your balance and rate.