How Long Will It Take to Pay Off a Credit Card?
Enter your balance, APR, and monthly payment to see the exact number of months — and what the interest costs you.
Short answer: at the U.S. average credit card APR of 21.52%, a $5,000 balance takes 2 yr 1 mo to clear at $250 a month, costing $1,248 in interest. At $100 a month it takes 10 yr 8 mo and costs $7,770. A $10,000 balance at $250 a month takes 6 yr 0 mo. Any payment at or below one month’s interest never clears the card.
Average APR: Federal Reserve G.19, Q1 2026 (accounts assessed interest).
How long to pay off a credit card, by balance and payment
Time to clear the card at the U.S. average APR of 21.52%, assuming no new charges.
| Balance | $100/mo | $150/mo | $200/mo | $250/mo | $300/mo | $400/mo | $500/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | 1 yr 0 mo | 8 mo | 6 mo | 5 mo | 4 mo | 3 mo | 3 mo |
| $2,500 | 2 yr 10 mo | 1 yr 8 mo | 1 yr 3 mo | 1 yr 0 mo | 10 mo | 7 mo | 6 mo |
| $5,000 | 10 yr 8 mo | 4 yr 4 mo | 2 yr 10 mo | 2 yr 1 mo | 1 yr 8 mo | 1 yr 3 mo | 1 yr 0 mo |
| $7,500 | never | 10 yr 8 mo | 5 yr 3 mo | 3 yr 8 mo | 2 yr 10 mo | 2 yr 0 mo | 1 yr 6 mo |
| $10,000 | never | never | 10 yr 8 mo | 6 yr 0 mo | 4 yr 4 mo | 2 yr 10 mo | 2 yr 1 mo |
| $15,000 | never | never | never | never | 10 yr 8 mo | 5 yr 3 mo | 3 yr 8 mo |
“Never” means the payment is at or below the first month’s interest, so the balance grows instead of shrinking.
Total interest you would pay
| Balance | $100/mo | $150/mo | $200/mo | $250/mo | $300/mo | $400/mo | $500/mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1,000 | $112 | $75 | $57 | $47 | $41 | $33 | $28 |
| $2,500 | $847 | $497 | $356 | $280 | $232 | $176 | $144 |
| $5,000 | $7,770 | $2,686 | $1,693 | $1,248 | $993 | $713 | $560 |
| $7,500 | — | $11,655 | $5,061 | $3,362 | $2,540 | $1,724 | $1,315 |
| $10,000 | — | — | $15,540 | $7,771 | $5,372 | $3,387 | $2,496 |
| $15,000 | — | — | — | — | $23,311 | $10,121 | $6,723 |
Each figure is produced by the same month-by-month engine as the credit card payoff calculator: interest is added each month, then the payment is applied. Rounded to the nearest dollar.
What actually changes the answer
- Your payment, far more than your APR. On a $5,000 balance, doubling $100 to $200 a month cuts payoff from 10 yr 8 mo to 2 yr 10 mo and saves $6,077 in interest.
- New charges. Every figure here assumes you stop using the card. Adding purchases resets the math.
- Minimum payments shrink as the balance falls, which is why paying only the minimum stretches payoff for years. Use the minimum payment calculator to see that path.
- A 0% balance transfer pauses interest entirely for the intro period. Weigh it against the transfer fee with the balance transfer calculator.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to pay off a credit card?
At the U.S. average APR of 21.52%, a $5,000 balance paid at $250 a month clears in 25 months (2 yr 1 mo) with $1,248 of interest. At $100 a month it takes 10 yr 8 mo and costs $7,770. A $10,000 balance at $250 a month takes 6 yr 0 mo and costs $7,771 in interest.
How long do you have to pay off a credit card?
There is no deadline. A credit card is revolving credit, so you can carry a balance indefinitely as long as you make the minimum payment. Interest accrues every month you carry a balance, which is why a balance with no payoff plan can persist for years.
Why does paying the minimum take so long?
The minimum payment is usually a small percentage of the balance plus interest, so it falls as the balance falls. Most of an early minimum payment goes to interest rather than principal, which stretches payoff over many years.
What happens if my payment is less than the interest?
The balance grows. At 21.52% APR a $15,000 balance accrues about $269.00 of interest in the first month, so a $250 payment leaves the balance higher than it started. The card is never paid off at that payment.
Is it bad to pay off a credit card early?
No. Credit cards carry no prepayment penalty, so paying early or paying more than the minimum only reduces the interest you owe. Keeping the account open after payoff generally helps your credit utilization and average account age.