Debt Consolidation Calculator
Every consolidation pitch sounds like savings. The math says otherwise surprisingly often — fees, longer terms, and post-promo rates eat the headline rate. This calculator finds your break-even APR: the single number an offer has to beat before it deserves your signature.
Your break-even APR
22.46%
Any offer above this costs more than staying put.
Offer total cost
$2,779.03
Interest plus the $360.00 upfront fee at $410.53/mo.
Savings vs current path
$5,193.98
How to use it
- 01.Enter your total debt balance, your balance-weighted APR (or your biggest card's APR as an approximation), and the combined amount you pay monthly across those debts.
- 02.Enter the offer you're evaluating: its APR, any balance-transfer or origination fee, and the term.
- 03.Read the break-even APR first. An offer above it costs more than your current path no matter how it's framed. Below it, check the savings figure to see what the offer is actually worth.
The method, briefly
The break-even APR is the consolidation rate at which the total cost of the new loan, including its upfront fee, exactly equals the total interest of your current path at the same monthly payment. We solve it by simulating both paths month by month with standard monthly compounding and finding the crossing point. Fees matter more than most people expect: a 5% transfer fee on a 12-month term adds roughly five points of APR-equivalent cost, which disqualifies many teaser offers. The calculation is fully deterministic — the same arithmetic the RealiPlan app runs against your real portfolio.
Frequently asked questions
What is a break-even APR?
It's the consolidation APR at which the new loan's total cost (interest plus fees) equals what your current debts would cost if you kept paying them as-is. Offers below your break-even save money; offers above it cost money. It's a single number that cuts through marketing.
Why does the fee change my break-even APR?
An upfront fee is interest you pay on day one. The calculator folds it into the financed balance and the total cost, so a 3% fee on a short-term offer can erase an otherwise attractive rate. As a rule of thumb, the shorter the term, the more each point of fee hurts.
Should I consolidate debt that has a 0% promo rate?
Usually not while the promo is active — your effective rate is already lower than any consolidation loan. The risk is the cliff: whatever balance survives the promo window jumps to the full APR. The RealiPlan app projects that surviving balance for each promo debt so you can decide with the actual number.
Does consolidating hurt my credit score?
A new application adds a hard inquiry and a new account, which typically dips a score a few points short-term. Paying down revolving balances with an installment loan often improves utilization, which helps. The bigger risk is behavioral: consolidating cards to zero and then running them up again.
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<iframe src="https://www.realiplan.com/embed/debt-consolidation-calculator?utm_source=embed&utm_medium=YOUR-SITE.COM" width="100%" height="640" frameborder="0" title="RealiPlan Debt Consolidation Calculator"></iframe>Run the full analyzer on your real debts
The RealiPlan app computes your exact break-even from every balance, APR, and promo window in your portfolio — and only ever surfaces offers that beat it.
Track your real debts in RealiPlan — freeLast updated 2026-06-10. This calculator runs entirely in your browser. No data is sent to RealiPlan unless you create an account.