The Best Apps to Pay Off Credit Card Debt (an Honest Comparison)

Full disclosure first: I built one of the apps on this list, so take my opinion on that one with a grain of salt. I dug into the others for this post, and a lot of them are great at different things.

The math of paying off cards is the easy part. The hard part is sticking to a plan for months while due dates, promo deadlines and new charges keep moving around. The right app is the one that keeps you on track, so here's what each one is actually good at.

At a Glance

First, Pick Your Payoff Order

Most of these apps let you choose the order you pay your cards off. The three you'll see most:

• Snowball: Smallest balance first. You knock out a card quickly, which feels great and keeps you going.
• Avalanche: The card that costs you the most first. Over time this usually saves the most money.
• Promo first: If you have a 0% promo ending soon, that card goes first so the balance is gone before the regular rate kicks in.

Whichever you pick, pay at least the minimum on every card so nothing goes late, and put every extra dollar on one card at a time.

Cardinate (Credit Card Payoff Planner)

This is mine. Cardinate only does credit cards, so the payoff plan sits right next to everything else you're juggling: each card's balance, due date, utilization, APR, 0% promo end date and annual fee, on one screen. It shows your debt-free date and what to pay on each card, and it reminds you before due dates and promo deadlines.

For example, say you owe $1,800 on a card whose 0% promo ends in April, plus balances on two other cards. A promo-first plan would tell you how much to put on the promo card each month so it's paid off before April, while you pay the minimums on the others.

• Price: Free for unlimited cards you add by hand, with an avalanche payoff plan and your debt-free date. Pro is $12.99 a month or $129 a year, with a 14-day free trial and no card needed. It adds snowball and promo-first plans, plus bank sync through Plaid so balances update on their own.
• Good for: Paying off several credit cards, especially if you have 0% promos with deadlines.
• Not for: Student loans, car loans or a mortgage. It's credit cards only.

If that sounds like your situation, you can try Cardinate free.

Undebt.it (Web Payoff Planner)

A web-based debt payoff planner that's been around since 2012. It handles credit cards and loans, has several payoff methods including snowball and avalanche, and lets you compare them side by side. Undebt.it+ adds extras like a payment calendar, text reminders and bank syncing.

• Price: Free, with an optional Undebt.it+ upgrade for $10 a year.
• Good for: People with a mix of debts who want detailed plans and lots of control.
• Not for: An App Store app. Undebt.it+ includes a phone app, but it's a web app you add to your home screen from your browser.

Debt Payoff Planner & Tracker (Phone App)

A simple phone app for iPhone and Android. You enter your debts, choose snowball, avalanche or your own order, log payments, and watch your debt-free date and progress charts.

• Price: Free to start. Pro is $6.99 a month or $27.99 a year.
• Good for: People who want a simple, focused payoff app on their phone.
• Not for: Automatic updates. It doesn't connect to your bank, so you enter balances and payments yourself.

YNAB (Budgeting)

YNAB isn't a payoff planner first. It's a budgeting app where every dollar gets a job, and that's often how people find the extra money to throw at their cards. It also has a loan planner that shows how extra payments change your payoff date.

• Price: $14.99 a month or $109 a year, with a 34-day free trial.
• Good for: People whose real problem is finding money for payments in the first place.
• Not for: A card-by-card payoff plan with promo deadlines. It's built around budgeting.

PowerPay (Free, From Utah State University)

A free set of debt and savings calculators from Utah State University Extension. It builds a payoff plan using snowball, avalanche or highest payment first, and gives you a month-by-month payment calendar.

• Price: Free.
• Good for: A no-cost, no-frills plan from a nonprofit source.
• Not for: Reminders or automatic updates.

Credit Karma's Debt Repayment Calculator

A free calculator that compares paying only the minimums, snowball and avalanche side by side, so you can see how long each takes.

• Price: Free, no account needed.
• Good for: A quick one-time look at your options.
• Not for: Tracking progress. There's nothing to come back to month after month.

A Spreadsheet

A good debt payoff spreadsheet (Vertex42 has free templates) works if you like doing it yourself and you'll actually update it.

• Price: Free.
• Good for: People who like full control and a few cards.
• Not for: Reminders. A spreadsheet won't tell you a payment is due or a promo is ending. I wrote more about when a spreadsheet stops working.

So Which One Should You Use?

• You have several credit cards, maybe with 0% promos: that's exactly what Cardinate is built for.
• You have a mix of cards and loans and want detailed plans: Undebt.it.
• You want a simple payoff app on your phone: Debt Payoff Planner & Tracker.
• You need to find the money first: YNAB.
• You just want a free plan to start: PowerPay or Credit Karma's calculator.

Whatever you pick, the plan only works if you stick with it. Choose the one you'll actually open every month.

The Quick Version

• Snowball pays the smallest balance first, avalanche pays the card costing you the most first, and promo first clears a 0% balance before its deadline.
• Cardinate is free for unlimited cards by hand and built for credit cards and promo deadlines.
• Undebt.it is a strong free web planner for every kind of debt.
• Debt Payoff Planner & Tracker is a simple phone app, with no bank sync.
• YNAB helps you find the money, PowerPay and Credit Karma give you a free plan.

If paying off your cards is the goal, Cardinate is free to start. Add your cards by hand, or connect your banks with the free Pro trial.

Prices were checked in November 2026 and can change, so confirm on each app's site.

Sources

• Freedom Debt Relief: Best apps to pay off credit card debt
• BestMoney: Best debt payoff apps
• InCharge Debt Solutions: Best debt payoff apps
• Undebt.it: What's the deal with Undebt.it? and Undebt.it+ features and pricing
• App Store: Debt Payoff Planner & Tracker
• YNAB: Debt management
• Utah State University Extension: PowerPay