Loans & mortgages
Estimate payments, interest, and what a loan really costs.
A loan is never just its interest rate. What you actually pay depends on the amount borrowed, the term, the fees rolled in, and how much of each payment goes to interest rather than principal. The calculators below cover each part, and the sections underneath explain how they fit together.
Mortgages and home
Mortgage calculator
Work out the total monthly mortgage payment from the home price, down payment, rate, term, property tax, and insurance — with the loan amount and total interest.
Mortgage refinance calculator
Compare your current mortgage payment with a new rate and term, and see the monthly savings and how long it takes to break even on closing costs.
Home equity calculator
Work out your home equity, the equity as a percentage of value, and how much you could still borrow from the home value, mortgage balance, and max loan-to-value.
Closing costs calculator
Add up the closing costs of buying a home from the loan, appraisal, title, and other fees, and see them as a percentage of the price.
Loans and payoff
Loan calculator
Work out the monthly payment, total paid, and total interest on an amortizing loan from the amount, rate, and term.
Amortization calculator
See the monthly payment, total interest, and a year-by-year amortization schedule for a loan from the amount, rate, and term.
Car loan calculator
Work out the monthly payment, amount financed, and total interest on a car loan from the price, down payment, trade-in, rate, and term.
Student loan calculator
Work out the monthly payment, total paid, and total interest on a student loan from the balance, interest rate, and repayment term.
Debt payoff calculator
Find how many months it takes to pay off a debt with a fixed monthly payment, and how much interest you pay, from the balance and rate.
How a loan payment is built
Almost every consumer loan is an amortising loan: you pay the same amount each month, but the split changes. Early on, most of the payment is interest and little of it reduces the balance. As the balance falls, so does the interest, and the principal share grows. That is why a longer term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest — you are simply borrowing the money for longer.
Interest rate is not the same as APR
The interest rate prices the money. The annual percentage rate (APR) folds in the fees you have to pay to get the loan, so it is the number that lets you compare two offers fairly. A loan with a lower rate and high origination fees can easily cost more than one with a higher rate and no fees.
Which calculator answers which question
For buying a home, Mortgage calculator gives the total monthly payment including property tax and insurance, while Loan calculator is the plain version for any loan without housing costs. Amortization calculator shows how the interest and principal split moves year by year.
Once you own the property, Home equity calculator shows how much of it is actually yours, and Closing costs calculator adds up what comes on top of the purchase price. Mortgage refinance calculator tests whether replacing the loan is worth the fees.
Outside property, Car loan calculator, Student loan calculator, and Debt payoff calculator sit in the same category.
What these calculators do not do
They do not look up interest rates, fees, or tax rules for you — you enter the numbers your lender quoted. They do not model mortgage insurance, HOA fees, or tax relief on interest, and they cannot tell you whether you will be approved. Treat the output as a planning figure and the lender's own offer as the binding one.
FAQ
- Why does a longer term cost more overall?
- Because interest is charged on the outstanding balance for every month the loan exists. Stretching the same debt over more months lowers each payment but means the balance stays high for longer, so more interest accrues in total.
- Should I compare loans on the interest rate or the APR?
- The APR, when both offers quote it on the same basis. It includes the mandatory fees, so it reflects what the loan actually costs. The plain interest rate only tells you the price of the money itself.
- Does paying extra each month help much?
- Yes, and more than most people expect, because every extra amount goes straight to the balance. That reduces the interest charged in every remaining month, which shortens the term. Check whether your lender allows overpayments without a penalty first.
- Is refinancing worth it if the rate is lower?
- Not automatically. A refinance has its own fees, and restarting a long term can raise total interest even at a lower rate. Compare the remaining cost of the current loan against the new loan plus its fees over the same period.
- What is home equity?
- The share of the property you own outright: its current value minus what you still owe. It grows as you pay down the loan and as the property appreciates, and it can shrink if values fall.
- Do these calculators work in any currency?
- Yes. The maths does not depend on the currency, so enter all amounts in the same one and read the result in that currency. Local taxes and fees differ by market, and those you supply yourself.