Finance calculator

Auto Loan Calculator

Work out your monthly car payment from the price, down payment, APR, and term — then add sales tax, dealer and registration fees, a cash rebate, and a trade-in (including negative equity) to see the real amount financed, the cash due today, your total out-of-pocket cost, and your negative-equity risk. Compare terms, weigh a rebate against a low APR, check what you can afford, and export an Excel report — in any currency.

Transparent assumptions Trade-in & negative equity Taxes & fees Affordability check Excel report
Calculate my payment See the deal breakdown

Taxes, fees, rebates, and lender terms vary by state and dealer.

An auto loan calculator estimates your monthly car payment and total cost from the price, down payment, interest rate, and term — and, here, the full deal structure: trade-in and negative equity, sales tax, fees, the real amount financed, the cash due today, and your underwater risk.

Calculator

Auto loan deal analyzer

Enter your vehicle and loan details

Price, taxes, fees, trade-in, and rebate — see your monthly payment, the real amount financed, the cash due today, and your total cost.

Region wording

Changes labels (e.g. EMI vs monthly payment) and the default currency — never the math. Tax rules still vary locally.

Vehicle price$35,000 · new

The negotiated price of the vehicle and whether it is new or used.

$

The price you agree with the seller.

Vehicle type

Sets the default depreciation assumption for the underwater-risk estimate.

$

Cash you pay at signing.

Loan terms6.50% · 60 mo

The interest rate (APR) and the length of the loan in months.

%

The lender's rate, e.g. 6.5. Use 0 for a 0% promo.

5y · common: 36, 48, 60, 72, 84.

Used only to label dates in the schedule.

Taxes & feesSales / VAT tax 7.00% · fees $1,000

Sales tax plus dealer, title, registration, and any other fees — and whether they are financed or paid upfront.

%

Computed tax: $1,750.

$

Dealer processing / doc fee.

$

Government title and plate fees.

$

Any additional fees.

Taxes and fees are added to the amount financed.

When on, tax is charged on the price minus the trade-in value. This varies by state — confirm your local rule.

Trade-in & rebateRebate $1,500 · trade $10,000 / owe $4,000

A cash rebate reduces the loan. A trade-in's value (minus what you still owe on it) is net equity; if you owe more than it is worth, that is negative equity.

$

Manufacturer or dealer cash reduces the amount financed.

$

The allowance for your current vehicle.

$

The loan still owed on the trade.

Net trade-in equity of $6,000 is applied like a down payment.

Ownership costs (optional)None yet

Add estimated monthly insurance, fuel/energy, and maintenance to see your true monthly cost of ownership — these are not part of the loan.

$
$
$
Prepayment & depreciation (advanced)18.00%/yr depreciation

Optional extra payments shorten the loan and cut interest. The depreciation rate drives the underwater-risk estimate only.

$

Added to principal every month.

$

A single lump-sum prepayment.

Which payment the lump sum lands on.

%

Estimate used only for underwater risk. Real depreciation is front-loaded.

Your estimated monthly payment

$494.05

60 payments · payoff Jun 2031.

A 10-sheet Excel report built from your inputs — premium, formula-driven, generated in your browser.

Your XLSX report includes:

SummaryInputsDeal breakdownMonthly amortizationYearly summaryTerm comparisonRebate vs low APRAffordability checkCharts dataNotes & disclaimer

Amount financed

$25,250

The loan principal.

Upfront due today

$5,000

Down payment plus anything not financed.

Total interest

$4,393

17.4% of the amount financed.

Total of loan payments

$29,643

Principal + interest.

Total purchase cost

$37,750

Price + tax + fees.

Total out-of-pocket cost

$34,643

All the cash you pay.

Est. monthly ownership cost

$494.05

Add ownership costs to refine.

Cost above vehicle price

− $357

Rebate & trade-in offset all financing costs.

Estimated negative-equity (underwater) risk

Lowrisk level
0of 60 months underwater (est.)

Based on an assumed 18%/yr depreciation, the loan balance is projected to stay at or below the vehicle's value for the whole term — so you are unlikely to be underwater.

Educational estimate — taxes, fees, rebates, and lender terms vary. Not a loan offer.

Deal breakdown

How the amount financed and the cash due today are built from the price, taxes, fees, rebate, and trade-in.

Auto loan deal breakdown in USD
Vehicle pricecash+ $35,000
Less: cash rebate / incentivereduces loan− $1,500
Taxable amount (after trade-in credit)$25,000
Sales tax (7%)financed+ $1,750
Dealer / documentation feesfinanced+ $600
Title & registration feesfinanced+ $400
Less: down paymentreduces loan− $5,000
Less: net trade-in equityreduces loanTrade-in value minus what you still owe on it.− $6,000
Amount financed$25,250

Amount financed

$25,250

Upfront due today

$5,000

Total purchase cost

$37,750

Price + tax + fees

Total out-of-pocket

$34,643

All cash you pay

Sales / VAT tax treatment of trade-ins and rebates varies by state/region. This taxes the price less the trade-in value (when the trade-in tax credit is on) and does not reduce the taxable price by the rebate. Confirm your local rule.

Visual breakdown

Each chart has a data table beneath it for exact figures and screen readers.

Principal vs interest

How much of the loan is the amount financed versus interest.

You finance $25,250 and pay $4,393 in interest.

Show data table
Principal vs interest — data table
Amount
Principal financed$25,250
Interest$4,393

Total cost breakdown

What makes up the money you spend: vehicle (net of rebate), tax, fees, and interest.

Tax, fees, and interest add $7,143 on top of the vehicle.

Show data table
Total cost breakdown — data table
ComponentAmount
Vehicle$33,500
Tax$1,750
Fees$1,000
Interest$4,393

Loan balance vs vehicle value

Your loan balance falling, against an estimated vehicle value. Where the balance is above the value, you are underwater.

The balance stays at or below the estimated value the whole term.

Show data table
Loan balance vs vehicle value — data table
MonthBalanceValue
1$24,893$34,426
3$24,172$33,306
5$23,444$32,222
7$22,708$31,174
9$21,964$30,160
11$21,212$29,179
13$20,451$28,229
15$19,683$27,311
17$18,906$26,422
19$18,120$25,563
21$17,326$24,731
23$16,524$23,926
25$15,713$23,148
27$14,892$22,395
29$14,063$21,666
31$13,225$20,961
33$12,378$20,279
35$11,522$19,620
37$10,656$18,981
39$9,781$18,364
41$8,897$17,766
43$8,003$17,188
45$7,099$16,629
47$6,185$16,088
49$5,262$15,565
51$4,328$15,058
53$3,384$14,568
55$2,430$14,094
57$1,466$13,636
59$491$13,192
60$0$12,976

Monthly payment by term

The same amount financed and APR across common terms — longer terms lower the payment but raise total interest.

From $774/mo at the shortest term to $375/mo at the longest.

Show data table
Monthly payment by term — data table
TermPaymentInterest
36mo$774$2,610
48mo$599$3,492
60mo$494$4,393
72mo$424$5,310
84mo$375$6,246

Compare loan terms

Same amount financed and APR across common terms. A lower monthly payment usually means more total interest and longer underwater.

Auto loan term comparison in USD
TermMonthly paymentTotal interestTotal paidExtra interest vs shortestRisk note
36 mo$773.89$2,610$27,860—Higher payment, least interest. Builds equity fastest.
48 mo$598.80$3,492$28,742+ $882Higher payment, least interest. Builds equity fastest.
60 mo ·​ yours$494.05$4,393$29,643+ $1,783A common balance of payment and total interest.
72 mo$424.45$5,310$30,560+ $2,700Lower payment, more interest; higher chance of being underwater.
84 mo$374.95$6,246$31,496+ $3,636Lowest payment, most interest; long stretch likely underwater — highest risk.

Cash rebate vs low APR

Manufacturers often let you take either a cash rebate or a low promotional APR — not both. This compares the total cost of each over your term (60 months), on a $26,750 loan before the rebate.

$

Offered if you skip the low APR.

%

The rate you'd finance at if you take the rebate.

%

The manufacturer's low rate.

Rebate vs low APR comparison in USD
MetricTake the rebateTake the low APR
Loan principal$25,250$26,750
APR used6.50%1.90%
Monthly payment$494.05$467.70
Total cost over term$29,643$28,062

The 1.9% promotional rate costs about 1,581 less over the loan than taking the 1,500 rebate at 6.5%. A low APR often wins on larger or longer loans, where the interest savings outweigh the rebate.

How much car can I afford?

A guideline from your income, target payment share, existing debts, and running costs. Not financial advice — lenders weigh your whole picture.

$

After-tax income each month.

%

A common ceiling is ~15% of take-home.

$

Other loans / card minimums.

$

Optional — a payment you're aiming to stay under.

Enter your monthly take-home income to estimate a comfortable car payment and maximum loan. Running costs used: $0/mo (from the ownership section above).

Amortization schedule

The first 12 months show by default. Open the full schedule for every payment, or the yearly summary for a compact view.

Monthly amortization schedule in USD
#DateBeginningMonthly paymentExtraInterestPrincipalEnding
1Jul 2026$25,250$494.05—$136.77$357.28$24,893
2Aug 2026$24,893$494.05—$134.84$359.21$24,534
3Sep 2026$24,534$494.05—$132.89$361.16$24,172
4Oct 2026$24,172$494.05—$130.93$363.12$23,809
5Nov 2026$23,809$494.05—$128.97$365.08$23,444
6Dec 2026$23,444$494.05—$126.99$367.06$23,077
7Jan 2027$23,077$494.05—$125.00$369.05$22,708
8Feb 2027$22,708$494.05—$123.00$371.05$22,337
9Mar 2027$22,337$494.05—$120.99$373.06$21,964
10Apr 2027$21,964$494.05—$118.97$375.08$21,589
11May 2027$21,589$494.05—$116.94$377.11$21,212
12Jun 2027$21,212$494.05—$114.90$379.15$20,833
Monthly payment$494.05
Result

At a glance

Formula shown
payment = P × i(1+i)ⁿ / ((1+i)ⁿ − 1) — at 0% APR it is simply P / n.
Scenario support
Trade-in and negative equity, taxes and fees, term comparison, rebate vs APR, and affordability.
Workbook export
10-sheet Excel (XLSX) report
Educational estimate
Planning support from the values you enter — not professional advice.

How to read your result

The monthly payment is only the starting point — the deal breakdown underneath shows the amount actually financed once sales tax, fees, your down payment, a cash rebate, and trade-in equity are all netted together, plus the cash due today. The underwater indicator compares that balance against the vehicle's projected depreciation, so you can see how long you would owe more than the car is worth. Use the term comparison to check total interest across 36 to 84 months, the rebate-vs-APR tool to see which promotion actually costs less over your term, and the affordability check to sanity-test the payment against your income before you download the workbook.

The auto loan formula

Monthly payment

payment = P × i(1+i)ⁿ / ((1+i)ⁿ − 1)

P is the amount financed, i the monthly rate (APR ÷ 12 ÷ 100), n the number of months. At 0% APR it becomes P / n.

Amount financed

P = price − rebate − down − trade equity (+ tax/fees, + neg. equity if financed)

Reductions lower the loan; financed taxes, fees, and rolled negative equity raise it.

Worked example

A $35,000 new car at 6.5% APR over 60 months, with $5,000 down, a $1,500 rebate, a $10,000 trade-in on which $4,000 is owed, 7% sales tax (trade-in credit applied) and $1,000 of fees, all financed. Sales tax comes to $1,750 (on $35,000 − $10,000), so the amount financed is $25,250 with $5,000 cash due today. The monthly payment works out to about $494, with total interest of about $4,393 — for a total out-of-pocket cost of about $34,640, below the sticker price because the rebate and $6,000 of trade equity offset the added tax, fees, and interest.

Assumptions

  • Models a fixed-rate auto loan with monthly payments and monthly compounding.
  • Sales tax is estimated from the rate you enter, applied to the price less the trade-in value where the trade-in tax credit applies; a rebate is assumed not to reduce the taxable price.
  • A down payment, rebate, and trade-in equity reduce the amount financed; financed taxes, fees, and rolled-in negative equity increase it.
  • The negative-equity (underwater) estimate uses an assumed depreciation rate, not your specific vehicle’s real resale value.
  • Results are estimates from the values you enter — not a lender quote or a loan offer.

Limitations

  • Not included by default: gap insurance, extended warranties or service contracts, variable-rate changes, late fees, and lender-specific charges.
  • Ongoing insurance, fuel, and maintenance are excluded from the loan itself unless you enter them separately.
  • Exact sales tax and the treatment of trade-ins and rebates depend on your state — confirm before signing.
  • It does not guarantee loan approval, a rate, or any specific terms.

Frequently asked questions

How is a car loan monthly payment calculated?

Payment = P × i(1+i)ⁿ ÷ ((1+i)ⁿ − 1), where P is the amount financed, i is the monthly rate (APR ÷ 12 ÷ 100), and n is the number of months. Interest is charged on the balance you still owe each month, and the rest of the payment reduces the principal. At a 0% APR, the payment is simply P ÷ n.

What does the “amount financed” include?

It is the vehicle price plus any sales tax and fees you finance and any negative equity you roll in, minus your down payment, cash rebate, and net trade-in equity. The payment and interest are based on this amount, not the sticker price.

How does a trade-in affect my auto loan?

Your trade-in’s net equity (its value minus what you still owe on it) reduces the amount financed like a down payment. If you owe more than the trade is worth, that negative equity must be paid in cash or rolled into the new loan; rolling it in means you start the new loan underwater.

Is it better to take the rebate or the low APR?

Compare the total cost of each over the same term, since you usually cannot take both. A rebate often wins on smaller or shorter loans; a low APR often wins on larger or longer ones. Use the rebate-vs-APR tool on this page with your own numbers.

What is negative equity and why is it risky?

Negative equity means you owe more than the car is worth. If you sell, trade, or total the car while underwater, you must cover the gap out of pocket — and insurance only pays the car’s value, not your loan balance. A bigger down payment and a shorter term reduce the time you spend underwater.

Related calculators

Tools that build on the same loan and interest math:

  • Loan CalculatorWork out the monthly payment, total interest, and payoff date for any fixed-rate loan from the amount, rate, and term.
  • Personal Loan CalculatorEstimate repayments on an unsecured personal loan and see how the rate and term change what you pay overall.
  • Amortization Schedule CalculatorBuild a full payment-by-payment schedule showing how each instalment splits between principal and interest.
  • APR CalculatorTurn a loan rate plus fees into the true annual percentage rate so you can compare offers on equal terms.
  • Mortgage CalculatorEstimate monthly payments, interest, taxes, insurance, PMI, and amortization using practical home-loan assumptions.

Read the guide

For the amortization formula behind any fixed-rate installment loan, worked through step by step, see How to Calculate Monthly Loan Payments Before Borrowing.

Finance disclaimer

This calculator is for educational and estimation purposes only. It is not financial, lending, tax, accounting, or legal advice and is not a loan offer or approval. It models a fixed-rate auto loan with monthly payments. Actual loan terms, APR, sales tax, registration and title costs, dealer charges, rebates, insurance, and a lender’s rules can change actual results, and sales-tax treatment of trade-ins and rebates varies by state. The negative-equity (underwater) estimate relies on an assumed depreciation rate and is not a forecast. Confirm all numbers with your dealer, lender, and tax authority before making a financial decision.

How we calculate · Found an error? email us

Authorship & verification

Written and maintained by

  • Formula and examples verified on 14 June 2026
  • Educational estimate only

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