Loan Calculator

Estimate the monthly payment, total interest and full cost of any fixed-rate loan — personal, auto or mortgage.

Monthly payment
$400.76
Total paid: $24,045.54 · Total interest: $4,045.54

How loan payments work

A fixed-rate loan is repaid in equal monthly installments. Early payments are mostly interest; later payments are mostly principal — this schedule is called amortization. The calculator applies the standard formula used by banks worldwide:

M = P × r × (1 + r)ⁿ ÷ ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1)
P — loan amount · r — monthly rate (annual ÷ 12) · n — months

Example

Borrowing $20,000 at 7.5% for 5 years gives a monthly payment of about $400.76. Over 60 payments you repay roughly $24,046 — meaning the loan costs about $4,046 in interest. The same loan over 3 years raises the payment to about $622 but cuts total interest to roughly $2,398.

Disclaimer

This tool provides estimates for information purposes only and is not financial advice. Actual offers include fees, insurance and rate conditions that vary by lender — always check the full loan agreement before signing.

Frequently asked questions

How is the monthly loan payment calculated?

The calculator uses the standard amortization formula: M = P × r × (1 + r)ⁿ ÷ ((1 + r)ⁿ − 1), where P is the loan amount, r the monthly interest rate and n the number of monthly payments.

What is total interest?

Total interest is everything you pay on top of the amount you borrowed: monthly payment × number of payments − loan amount. Shorter terms mean higher monthly payments but far less total interest.

Does this work for mortgages and car loans?

Yes — any fixed-rate, fully amortized loan follows the same math. It does not model variable rates, interest-only periods, fees or insurance, so treat the result as an estimate.

How can I reduce the total cost of a loan?

Three levers matter most: a lower interest rate (shop around and improve your credit score), a shorter term, and extra principal payments — even small ones early in the loan cut interest significantly.