Car Loan Calculator (2026)
Estimate your monthly auto loan payment from the vehicle price, your down payment and trade-in, the APR, and the loan term. See the total interest and total cost too, so you can compare terms before you sign. Everything runs in your browser; nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Estimate updates as you type. A bigger down payment or trade-in lowers the amount financed, the monthly payment, and the total interest.
How the car loan payment is calculated
A car loan is an amortized loan, so each payment is the same and it covers both interest and a slice of the balance. The monthly payment is P = A × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−n), where A is the amount financed, r is the monthly rate (APR ÷ 12 ÷ 100), and n is the number of months. The amount financed is the vehicle price minus your down payment and trade-in. For example, a $30,000 amount financed at 7.5% APR over 60 months works out to roughly $601 per month, with about $6,070 of total interest.
Loan term: lower payment versus total cost
Stretching the same loan over more months lowers each payment but raises the total interest, because you borrow the money for longer. A 72 or 84 month loan looks cheaper each month yet costs more overall, and you can end up owing more than the car is worth for longer. Use the term dropdown to compare a shorter term against a longer one and watch how the monthly payment and the total interest move in opposite directions.
Common questions
What APR should I enter if I do not know mine yet?
If you have not been approved yet, enter a rate you think is realistic for your credit and the term, then try a higher and a lower rate to see the range. Advertised rates usually go to the strongest borrowers, so a slightly higher figure gives a more cautious estimate. Confirm your real APR with the lender before relying on a number.
Should I include tax and fees in the price?
The calculator uses whatever you type as the price. If your sales tax, title, and dealer fees will be rolled into the loan, add them to the price field for a closer estimate. If you will pay them in cash up front, leave them out of the price. Either way, treat the result as an estimate.
Is my data saved?
No. The calculation runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type is stored, transmitted, or shared.
Method: standard amortized loan formula, payment = amount financed times the monthly rate divided by (one minus (one plus the monthly rate) to the power of negative number of months); amount financed = price minus down payment minus trade-in. General references include published explainers from Bankrate, NerdWallet, and Investopedia. Always verify your actual APR, fees, and payment with the lender or dealer.