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Both the debt snowball and debt avalanche methods are proven approaches to eliminating debt. They share the same core mechanics — minimum payments on everything, all extra money on one debt at a time — but differ in which debt you target first. Choosing the right strategy for you comes down to what keeps you consistent, because consistency is what actually gets you to zero.

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Side-by-side comparison

The debt snowball orders your debts by balance, smallest to largest. You pay off the smallest balance first and work your way up.Pros
  • Delivers quick wins — you see full balances hit zero faster
  • Builds momentum and motivation early in the process
  • Simple to understand and easy to stick to
Cons
  • You may pay more total interest over the life of your debt
  • High-rate debts can grow while you focus on smaller balances
Best for People who need early motivation to stay committed to a payoff plan, or who have struggled to maintain momentum with debt repayment in the past.

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Which should you choose?

Choose Snowball

If you need early wins to stay motivated and want to see balances disappear quickly.

Choose Avalanche

If you want to pay the least interest and are motivated by long-term savings.

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The most important factor

The best debt payoff strategy is the one you will actually stick with. A mathematically optimal plan that you abandon after three months beats nothing. A “less efficient” plan you follow for three years gets you debt-free. If you find yourself dreading the long slog before your first payoff, switch to the snowball. If watching interest accumulate on a high-rate card bothers you more than anything else, the avalanche will keep you engaged. Neither choice is wrong — the right answer is whichever one keeps you making payments month after month.
In Snowball, you can switch strategies at any time. Your payoff plan updates instantly.
Once you have chosen your strategy, the next step is putting it into practice. See Choosing a Strategy to set up your personalized payoff plan in Snowball.