Calculate loan payments for any amount, rate, and term. Supports monthly, bi-weekly, and weekly frequencies. Includes origination fees, extra payments, and amortization.
Whether it is a personal loan, auto loan, or any fixed-rate installment loan, understanding your payment and total cost is the foundation of smart borrowing. A loan calculator turns the abstract — a percentage rate and a term in years — into the concrete: exactly how much you pay every month and how much interest you will pay over the life of the loan.
The standard amortization formula determines equal periodic payments that cover both interest and principal, with early payments weighted toward interest and later payments toward principal. Origination fees and extra payments can significantly change the true cost and payoff timeline.
This general-purpose loan calculator handles any frequency — monthly, bi-weekly, weekly, or quarterly. Enter your loan details to see the periodic payment, an effective APR that factors in origination fees, a term comparison table showing tradeoffs between shorter terms and lower total cost, the impact of extra payments on interest saved and early payoff, and a full amortization schedule.
Loan offers vary widely in rates, fees, and terms. This calculator lets you compare options on a level playing field — the effective APR accounts for origination fees, the term comparison shows the payment vs cost tradeoff, and extra payment analysis reveals how small additional payments can save thousands. Keep these notes focused on your operational context.
Payment = P × r(1+r)^n / [(1+r)^n − 1], where P = principal, r = periodic rate (annual rate / frequency), n = total payments (years × frequency).
Result: Monthly payment: $513 — Total interest: $5,767 — Total paid: $30,767
A $25,000 loan at 8.5% for 5 years results in monthly payments of $513. Over 60 payments, you pay $5,767 in interest — 23% of the principal. Adding $50/month extra saves $680 in interest and pays off 5 months early.
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The standard amortization formula calculates equal periodic payments covering both principal and interest. The formula is: Payment = P × r(1+r)^n / [(1+r)^n − 1], where P is the loan amount, r is the periodic interest rate, and n is the total number of payments.
The interest rate is the cost of borrowing the principal. The APR (Annual Percentage Rate) includes the interest rate plus other costs like origination fees, discount points, and certain closing costs — giving a more complete picture of the true borrowing cost.
Extra payments reduce the principal balance faster, which means less interest accrues in subsequent periods. This both shortens the loan term and reduces total interest paid. Extra payments early in the loan have the most impact because the balance is highest.
Bi-weekly payments (every 2 weeks, 26 payments/year) equate to 13 monthly payments instead of 12. This extra payment accelerates payoff by about 4-5 years on a 30-year mortgage, saving significant interest. For shorter loans, the benefit is smaller but still meaningful.
An origination fee is a charge by the lender for processing the loan, typically 0.5-5% of the loan amount. It is deducted from proceeds (you receive less) or added to the balance. Always compare the effective APR to see the true cost of loans with different fee structures.
Compare the loan interest rate to expected investment returns (after tax). If the loan charges 8% and you can reliably earn 10% after tax, investing might be better. But the guaranteed "return" of paying down debt often wins for rates above 5-6%, plus the peace of mind of being debt-free sooner.