Pay Off Debt vs Invest
You have extra cash each month. Should it go to your debt or into the market? We simulate both, month by month.
Paying off debt wins by $260,225
Your debt rate (16%) beats your expected investment return (12%) — paying it off first is a guaranteed return no investment can promise.
Debt-first — net worth
$1,076,922
Debt cleared in 24 months
Invest-first — net worth
$816,697
Net worth over time
How this verdict is calculated
Both paths spend the exact same cash every month. Debt-first puts the minimum plus the extra toward the debt until it's gone, then invests everything for the rest of the horizon. Invest-first pays only the minimum and invests the extra from month one. We compare net worth — investments minus any remaining debt — at the end.
Common questions
Paying off debt is a guaranteed return equal to the interest rate. Investing can lose money. If your debt rate is high, that guarantee is hard to beat; if it's low, investing often wins but carries real risk.