The only platform that puts personal loans, balance transfers, and debt management plans side-by-side with real math — total cost, monthly payment, credit impact, and a personalized payoff timeline.
Enter your debt details below. We'll compare all three consolidation paths side-by-side with real projected numbers — total cost, monthly payment, timeline, and credit score impact.
Before you compare numbers, understand what each option actually means. No jargon. No sales pitch. Just the facts.
You take out a new unsecured personal loan at a lower interest rate. The lender pays off your credit cards directly, and you make one fixed monthly payment to the new lender for 2-7 years. Best for: people with good credit (680+) who want a fixed payoff date and predictable payments.
You transfer your credit card balances to a new card with a 0% introductory APR for 12-21 months. During the intro period, every dollar you pay goes to principal — not interest. Best for: people who can realistically pay off most or all of the debt during the intro period.
A nonprofit credit counseling agency negotiates with your creditors to reduce interest rates (often to 8-12%) and waive late fees. You make one monthly payment to the agency, which distributes it to creditors over 3-5 years. Best for: people with poor credit who don't qualify for loans or balance transfers.
Before you choose a consolidation path, understand what you're really paying — and what the lenders hope you won't notice.
A $30,000 loan at 12% over 7 years gives you a "low" $530/month payment — but you'll pay $14,400 in total interest. The same loan over 3 years is $996/month but only $5,872 in interest. Low payments = high total cost. Our calculator shows both numbers so you can decide.
A 5% origination fee on a $30,000 loan is $1,500 — deducted from your loan amount before you see a dollar. You're paying interest on money you never received. Some lenders hide this; we flag it in every comparison.
0% APR sounds amazing — for 15 months. Then your rate jumps to 27%. If you transferred $25,000 and only paid off $8,000 during the intro period, you're now paying 27% on the remaining $17,000 plus the transfer fee you already paid.
A personal loan temporarily drops your score 5-15 points, then typically boosts it 30-70 points within 6 months. A DMP closes your cards, which can drop your score initially but builds positive history. Debt settlement destroys your credit for years. Know before you choose.
Settlement companies promise to cut your debt by 50% — but you must stop paying creditors for months (destroying your credit), face potential lawsuits, and pay 15-25% fees on the settled amount. We include settlement in our comparison only so you can see why it should be your absolute last resort.
In the first year of a consolidation loan, up to 70% of your payment goes to interest, not principal. By year 4, that flips — 70% goes to principal. Understanding amortization means you know the real cost of paying off early vs. sticking to the full term.
Here's exactly what happens when you use our comparison platform — from confused to confident in under 5 minutes.
Total credit card debt, average APR, credit score range, and current monthly payment. Takes 30 seconds. No SSN, no hard credit pull.
Our engine calculates projected offers for a personal loan, balance transfer card, and debt management plan — all tailored to your credit profile. Total cost, monthly payment, payoff timeline, and credit score impact for each.
We highlight the cheapest option (lowest total cost), the easiest option (lowest monthly payment), and the fastest option (shortest payoff time). You decide what matters most.
Choose your path and we'll pre-qualify you with our lender network using a soft credit pull. See real interest rates, real terms, real fees — from lenders who've already reviewed your profile. No obligation.
Once you pick your best offer, we guide you through the application. Most users go from comparison to funding in 48-72 hours. And we check in at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months to track your progress.
No. Our comparison uses soft credit inquiries only — they're visible only to you and don't affect your score. A hard inquiry only happens when you formally apply for a loan or card, and we make that crystal clear before it happens.
If you don't qualify for a loan, balance transfer, or DMP, we still provide value: a DIY accelerated payoff plan with exact monthly targets, a credit improvement roadmap (what to fix and how long it takes), and a timeline for when you'll qualify. No one leaves empty-handed.
We earn a flat referral fee from lenders when you accept an offer — regardless of which option you choose. This is critical: we have no incentive to steer you toward a higher-rate loan because we're paid the same flat fee either way. Our only incentive is to match you with the option that actually works for you so you succeed and tell others.
We include settlement data in our comparison for transparency, but we do not recommend it except as an absolute last resort. Settlement typically requires you to default on your debts first, destroys your credit for 7 years, and may result in lawsuits from creditors. The settlement industry has a well-documented history of predatory practices — over 60% of clients drop out before completion, and many end up with more debt than they started.
Get the real numbers — total cost, monthly payment, credit impact — in 60 seconds. Free. No credit pull. No obligation.
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