Best Debt Payoff Apps: An Honest Comparison

September 23, 2026

Searching for the best debt payoff app turns up a lot of lists, and it's not always clear how they were ranked. So let's be upfront about one thing: we make DelDebt, one of the tools below. Rather than declaring a winner, we'll describe what each option is good at, where it falls short, and who it fits. The right choice depends more on how you like to work than on any feature checklist.

Every tool here does the core job: you list your debts with balances, interest rates and minimum payments, choose a payoff order, and get a timeline. The differences are in where it runs, how much detail you get, how much manual work it takes, and whether it helps you stick with the plan after day one.

A quick note on pricing: apps change their free and paid tiers regularly, so we don't quote prices for anyone. Check each tool's own site for current terms.

Undebt.it

Undebt.it is a web-based debt payoff planner. It runs in the browser, so you can use it on a computer or a phone without installing anything. There's a free version, plus a paid upgrade that adds more features.

What it does well:

• Lots of payoff methods. Beyond the standard debt snowball and debt avalanche, it offers several other orders and variations, which is useful if you want to experiment.
• Detailed output. It produces thorough payment schedules and charts, so you can see month by month where every dollar goes.
• Depth for planners. If you enjoy digging into the details of your plan, there's a lot to explore.

Where it may not fit: the amount of detail can feel like a lot if you just want a clear answer and a due-date reminder. It's built for the browser, so if you want something that feels like a native phone app, you might prefer a mobile-first option.

Debt Payoff Planner

Debt Payoff Planner is a mobile app for iPhone and Android. It has a free version and a Pro upgrade with extra features.

What it does well:

• Mobile-first. It's designed around the phone, which suits people who manage their money from a phone rather than a laptop.
• Popular strategies built in. It supports well-known payoff orders such as snowball and avalanche, and shows a projected payoff date.
• Simple to start. Entering a few debts and seeing a plan is quick.

Where it may not fit: if you'd rather plan on a bigger screen, or you need features that sit behind the Pro tier, check what the free version covers before you enter all your debts.

Spreadsheets

A spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets is the original debt payoff app, and it's still a solid choice for some people.

What it does well:

• Free and fully flexible. You control every column and formula, and you can model anything, including odd situations no app handles.
• Transparent. You can see exactly how every number is calculated, which is great for understanding how interest and payoff order work.
• No sign-ups. Your data lives wherever you keep the file.

Where it falls short:

• It's all manual. You build the formulas, update balances, and figure out the snowball rollover yourself. That's the part where most homemade sheets break.
• Errors are easy to miss. One wrong cell reference can quietly throw off a payoff date by months.
• No reminders. A spreadsheet won't tell you a payment is due tomorrow.

If you like the spreadsheet approach, our guide to building a debt snowball spreadsheet walks through the layout and formulas step by step.

DelDebt

DelDebt is our free debt payoff planner. It's available on the web and as a mobile app, and you can start without creating an account. Without an account, your data is stored on your device; if you sign in, your plan syncs across devices. We don't sell your data.

What it does:

• Five payoff methods. Debt snowball (smallest balance first), debt avalanche (highest rate first), blizzard (the smallest debt first for a quick win, then avalanche order), cash flow (frees up the biggest monthly payment first), and a custom order you set yourself.
• Comparison and a debt-free date. You see your payoff date, total interest, and how much you save compared with paying only minimums, with the methods side by side.
• Extra payments with a choice. When you plan a one-time extra payment on a loan, you can choose whether it shortens the term or lowers the monthly payment, and preview the savings first.
• Staying on track. You mark payments as you make them and see your history, your progress, and a streak of months without a missed payment. There's a payment calendar you can add to your own calendar app (.ics), plus reminders.
• Less typing. You can upload a screenshot, photo or PDF of a loan's payment schedule from your bank, and the fields are filled in for you. There's also a way to check the plan's interest against your lender's statement.

Where it falls short, honestly:

• No bank connection. DelDebt doesn't link to your bank accounts. You record payments yourself, which takes a few seconds each but won't happen automatically.
• Debts only, no budgeting. It doesn't track your spending or build a monthly budget. If you want one app for everything, you'll need a separate budgeting tool alongside it.
• Estimates, not statements. It models interest monthly (APR divided by 12), while lenders often accrue interest daily, so its numbers can differ from your statement by a few dollars.

What to choose

Here's a quick summary of the basics:

And a rough guide to fit:

• You love detail and want every possible method and table: Undebt.it is worth a look.
• You live on your phone and want a straightforward mobile app: try Debt Payoff Planner.
• You want total control, or you have an unusual situation: a spreadsheet may suit you best.
• You want a free plan without an account, a clear comparison of methods, and reminders to keep you on track: try DelDebt.

Honestly, the best debt payoff app is the one you'll still be opening six months from now. Picking a method matters less than making the payments consistently, so choose the tool that makes that easy for you. Many of these have free tiers, so there's no harm in trying two and keeping the one that sticks.

If you're still deciding on a method, our debt snowball calculator guide explains how the snowball works with an example. Or skip ahead and put your own debts into the DelDebt planner to see your debt-free date in about a minute.