Auto Loan Calculator
Calculate your monthly car payment including trade-in value, sales tax, and fees. Compare different loan terms to find the best option.
Your Details
Enter vehicle price, down payment, rate, and term (plus optional trade-in and taxes) to see your monthly payment, total cost, breakdown chart, term comparison, and amortization schedule.
Estimated Monthly Payment
$0.00
Payoff Date: --
Loan Amount
$0
Total Interest
$0
Sales Tax
$0
Total Cost
$0
Cost Breakdown
Compare Loan Terms
Loan Balance Over Time
Amortization Schedule
| Month | Payment | Principal | Interest | Balance |
|---|
| Year | Principal Paid | Interest Paid | End Balance |
|---|
Complete User Guide
What is the Auto Loan Calculator?
This calculator estimates your monthly car payment and total cost of financing. Enter the vehicle price, down payment, interest rate, and loan term; optionally add trade-in value, amount owed on the trade, sales tax rate, and fees. You can choose whether to include taxes and fees in the loan amount.
Results include your estimated monthly payment, payoff date, loan amount, total interest, sales tax, total cost, a principal vs. interest breakdown chart, a loan balance chart, a term comparison (other loan lengths), and a full amortization schedule (monthly or yearly view).
Key Metrics
Monthly Payment
The fixed amount you pay each month. Shorter terms mean higher payments; longer terms mean lower payments but more total interest.
Total Interest
The total cost of borrowing. A lower rate or shorter term reduces this amount.
Loan Amount
Vehicle price (plus optional tax and fees in loan) minus down payment and trade-in equity. This is what you finance.
Total Cost
Everything you pay: all loan payments plus down payment and trade-in equity (and sales tax if not in loan). The true cost of the vehicle with financing.
How to Use This Calculator
- Enter the vehicle purchase price and your down payment.
- Enter the interest rate (APR) and select the loan term in months.
- Optionally enter trade-in value and amount owed on the trade.
- Set sales tax rate and title/registration fees; check or uncheck to include them in the loan.
- Click Calculate to see monthly payment, total cost, charts, term comparison, and amortization schedule.
- Switch between Monthly and Yearly views in the schedule.
Understanding Your Results
Trade-in equity
Trade-in value minus amount owed. Positive equity reduces the amount you finance; negative equity (you owe more than the trade is worth) is added to the loan.
Include taxes and fees in loan
If checked, sales tax and fees are added to the loan amount so you finance them. If unchecked, you pay them upfront and only the vehicle price (minus down and trade equity) is financed.
Term comparison
The calculator shows how your payment and total interest would change at 36, 48, 60, 72, and 84 months so you can compare options.
Understanding the Charts
Cost breakdown: The doughnut chart shows how much of your total payments go to principal (the loan) versus interest (the cost of borrowing).
Loan balance over time: The line chart shows how your remaining balance decreases over the life of the loan, typically by year.
Formulas
Monthly Payment (M)
M = P × [r(1+r)^n] / [(1+r)^n − 1]
P = loan amount, r = monthly rate (APR ÷ 12), n = number of months
Loan amount
Vehicle + (tax & fees if in loan) − down payment − trade-in equity
Important Notes
- Results are estimates. Actual rates and terms depend on your credit and lender. Tax treatment of trade-in varies by state.
- Longer terms (72–84 months) lower the payment but increase total interest and the risk of negative equity.
- Get pre-approved and compare dealer financing with your bank or credit union.