Four calculators
Four calculators, each built to show total cost and total interest, not just a monthly payment.
Loan payment breakdown
See the full monthly payment and total interest for a home, auto, personal or business loan, side by side.
Assumptions this uses
- Uses a standard amortizing loan formula with a fixed rate for the full term
- Assumes equal monthly payments across the entire term
- Property tax and insurance are estimated annually and divided evenly across 12 months
- Does not include origination fees or closing costs unless you enter them separately
- Assumes no extra or early payments during the term
Limitations: Does not reflect variable-rate resets, PMI thresholds, or lender-specific fee structures.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The monthly payment is the least useful number on any loan offer
Two loans can have the same monthly payment and differ by thousands of dollars in total interest, because term length changes everything. Before you compare offers, ask each lender for the total amount you'll pay over the full term, not just the payment. If a lender won't give you that number plainly, that's information too.
How much financing you can afford
A sketch of how much loan your income and existing debts can realistically support before you shop for offers.
Assumptions this uses
- Uses a standard debt-to-income ceiling to cap the estimated affordable payment
- Assumes gross (pre-tax) monthly income as entered
- Assumes the interest rate and term you provide apply to the full loan
- Does not account for property tax, insurance or other loan-specific costs unless entered elsewhere
- A sketch, not a lender's affordability decision
Limitations: Does not reflect a specific lender's underwriting criteria or credit-score-based rate adjustments.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The US Financing Cost Checklist
A worksheet for comparing loan offers by total cost, not just the monthly payment.
Get the free guide →Refinance break-even point
Find out how many months it takes for a refinance to pay for itself before you commit to the fees.
Assumptions this uses
- Compares monthly payments under the old and new rate on the same remaining balance and term
- Assumes refinancing costs are paid upfront, not rolled into the new loan balance
- Assumes a fixed rate on the new loan for the comparison
- Does not account for any change in remaining term length beyond what you enter
- Break-even is calculated purely on monthly payment savings versus upfront cost
Limitations: Does not account for tax treatment of interest or changes in the loan's remaining term.
Runs entirely in your browser.
Partner link — we may be paid a fee at no cost to you. How we make money.
See real rate ranges from US lending partners
Once you know your target amount and rough credit range, comparing actual offers is the next honest step.
Compare lending partners →Debt-to-income check
Check the ratio most US lenders look at first, before you spend time on a formal application.
Assumptions this uses
- Uses gross (pre-tax) monthly income as the denominator
- Adds housing payment and other debt payments together as total monthly obligations
- Does not include utilities, groceries or non-debt monthly expenses
- Compares your ratio against commonly used US lender thresholds, which vary by lender
Limitations: Actual lender thresholds vary by loan type and individual lender underwriting policy.
Runs entirely in your browser.
The monthly payment is the least useful number on any loan offer
Two loans can have the same monthly payment and differ by thousands of dollars in total interest, because term length changes everything. Before you compare offers, ask each lender for the total amount you'll pay over the full term, not just the payment. If a lender won't give you that number plainly, that's information too.