Debt consolidation compare
Compare keeping your current cards (avalanche payoff) against a personal loan and — if you own a home — HELOC or cash-out refinance. Enter every rate, fee, and term yourself. Secured options put your home on the line; the table states that plainly.
How each path is modeled
Keep paying cards uses avalanche order with your extra payment — same engine as the payoff planner. Personal loan, HELOC, and cash-out paths use the principal, rate, term, and fees you enter with standard amortization math. Nothing here pulls live rate quotes.
Home equity options appear only when you mark that you own a home. Renters see unsecured paths only — no equity CTAs, per our editorial rule. Secured options add foreclosure risk even when the rate you type is lower than your cards.
Loan payment ≈ principal × (rate/12) ÷ (1 − (1 + rate/12)^−term) Total cost compared = total interest + upfront fees you entered
How to read the comparison table
Lowest total cost highlights whichever option minimized interest plus upfront fees in your scenario. Monthly payment shows cash flow — a lower payment with a longer term can still cost more total interest.
The secured column states plainly when your home backs the debt. A winning equity row is not a recommendation — it means your typed inputs favored that math. Qualification and product choice happen outside this tool.
If keep paying cards never pays off, fix minimums before comparing consolidation products. Consolidation cannot fix a payment below monthly interest on the underlying cards you keep charging.
- Model a higher rate on HELOC inputs to stress-test variable products.
- Include closing costs you actually expect to pay — not zero unless that is realistic.
- Compare payoff dates, not APR alone, when a refi extends term.
When consolidation compare is the right tool
Use it when you already have a working payoff plan but wonder whether one new loan or line could lower total interest or payment. Use payoff planner first if you do not yet have a realistic extra payment.
When equity paths win on math and you own a home, the next question is qualification — not an automatic application. When you rent, compare personal loan vs keeping cards only.
Worked example with your current inputs
Among complete payoff paths, on total interest plus upfront fees, your inputs favor: Personal loan consolidation.
Card balances modeled: $19,500 with $150 extra on the keep-paying path. Homeowner: no — unsecured paths only.
Adjust rates and fees you were quoted; this tool never states market rates for you.
Comparison
| Option | Card balances modeled | Monthly pmt | Total interest | Months | Target debt-free date | Secured? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Keep paying cards (avalanche order) | All card balances modeled | $620 | $6,631 | 3y 7m | May 2030 | No |
| Personal loan consolidation | All card balances covered | $433 | $6,467 | 5 years | October 2031 | No |
Non-homeowners see unsecured paths only — no equity offers, per our editorial rule.
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Have your numbers handy — here is a link to this exact scenario.
Link to this exact scenario:
Share without entered debt names
This separate link uses Debt 1, Debt 2 and the other original slot labels instead of entered debt names. Balances, APRs, minimum payments and other validated settings stay in the URL. The current page keeps its entered names.
Link with slot labels instead of entered debt names:https://mydebtfreetools.com/tools/consolidation-compare?d1_name=Debt+1&d1_balance=4200&d1_apr=24.99&d1_min=105&d2_name=Debt+2&d2_balance=8800&d2_apr=19.99&d2_min=220&d3_name=Debt+3&d3_balance=6500&d3_apr=11.5&d3_min=145&extra=150&homeowner=no&personalAmount=0&personalRate=11.9&personalTerm=60&personalFee=0