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Car Loan Payment Calculator

Enter the amount you are financing, the interest rate, and the term to get the equal monthly payment on a car loan. The tool also reports the total paid and how much of that is interest.

By the AutoLoanable Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-09-17

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Enter your numbers and press Calculate. Nothing you type leaves your browser.

How this calculator works

This calculator answers one question: what is the equal monthly payment on a car loan? It needs the amount financed, the annual interest rate, and the term in months.

Payment = P × i ÷ (1 − (1 + i)^-n)

  • P — the amount financed after any down payment or trade-in
  • i — the monthly rate, the annual rate divided by 1,200
  • n — the number of monthly payments

Total paid is the payment multiplied by n, and total interest is that figure minus P. A longer term lowers the payment but raises the interest; a shorter term does the opposite. Enter the rate you were offered.

What changes your result

Only a few inputs move the number materially. In rough order of impact:

Sensitivity of the monthly payment
InputEffect on the paymentEffect on total cost
Amount financedDirectly proportionalDirectly proportional
Interest rate / APRDirectly proportionalDirectly proportional
Term (months)Lower payment when longerHigher total interest when longer
Down paymentLowers the paymentLowers total interest
Trade-in equityLowers the amount financedLowers total interest
Sales tax and feesRaises the amount financedRaises total cost

Enter the rate you were actually offered. This site is not a lender and does not publish rates — a quoted rate is only meaningful next to the term and the amount financed.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the payment and the total cost?
The payment is what you owe each month. The total cost adds every payment together, so it includes the interest charged on top of the amount you financed.
Does a 0% car loan still have a payment?
Yes. At 0% the relationship collapses to P divided by n, so the payment is the amount financed split evenly across the months and no interest is charged.
Why can a smaller payment cost more?
A smaller payment usually comes from a longer term. More months means interest is charged for longer, so the total can be higher even though each payment is lower.
Should I include a down payment here?
Enter only the amount you are financing. Use the auto loan calculator to work out the amount financed from a price, down payment, trade-in, and sales tax.

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