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36, 48, 60 and 72 months are common for car loans; 360 for a 30-year mortgage.

Your results will appear here as you type.

How this is calculated

Payment = P × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)^−n), where P is the loan amount, r is APR ÷ 12 and n is the number of months. Total interest = Payment × n − P. Excludes fees, taxes and insurance.

Assumptions

  • Fixed-rate, fully amortizing loan with monthly payments. Excludes fees, taxes, insurance and escrow.

Estimates for planning and education only. Not financial, tax or legal advice, and not an official government calculation. Calculations run in your browser; nothing you enter is stored or sent.

How to use this calculator

Enter the amount you plan to borrow, the APR and the term in months. The result is the principal-and-interest payment for a fixed-rate installment loan, such as a car loan, personal loan or the core of a mortgage payment. It excludes fees, taxes and insurance.

Shorter term or lower payment?

$25,000 at 7.5% APRMonthly paymentTotal interest
36 months$777.66$2,995.60
48 months$604.47$4,014.68
60 months$500.95$5,056.92
72 months$432.25$6,122.20
Calculated with the formula below. Rounded to the cent.

A longer term lowers the payment but raises the total interest, and on a car loan it raises the chance you owe more than the car is worth. Pick the shortest term whose payment fits comfortably in your monthly budget.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between APR and interest rate?

The interest rate is the cost of borrowing the principal. The APR includes the interest rate plus certain fees, expressed as a yearly rate, which makes it better for comparing offers.

Does paying extra shorten my loan?

Usually, yes. Most installment loans apply extra payments to principal, but confirm with your lender that there's no prepayment penalty and that extra money goes to principal rather than future payments.