Auto Loan Calculator
Calculate your auto loan payments and see how interest, fees, and loan terms affect the true cost of your car.
Vehicle Information
Purchase price of the vehicle.
Rebates or incentives that reduce the price.
Loan Terms
How long you’ll make payments.
Annual percentage rate used to calculate interest each month.
Down Payment & Trade-In
Upfront cash you put toward the purchase.
Estimated value of your trade-in vehicle.
Remaining loan balance on the trade-in (if any).
Taxes & Fees
Sales tax rate applied to the purchase.
Government fees for title and registration.
A loan is easiest to understand when you can see the full cost over time.
About this calculator
This Auto Loan Calculator helps you estimate the true cost of financing a vehicle.
It combines your loan terms with common real-world costs like down payments, trade-ins, sales tax, and title and registration fees.
- Monthly auto loan payment – An estimate of what you’ll pay each month.
- Total interest – How much interest you pay over the life of the loan.
- Total cost – The overall cost of the vehicle when you include payments, taxes, and fees.
- Affordability context – How loan structure changes payment size versus total cost.
What each input means
- Auto price is the purchase price of the vehicle.
- Down payment is the cash you pay upfront, which reduces the amount you need to finance.
- Trade-in value is the value of your current vehicle applied toward the purchase.
- Amount owed on trade-in is any remaining loan balance on your trade-in vehicle (which may increase the amount financed).
- Loan term (months) is how long you’ll make payments.
- Interest rate (APR) is the annual percentage rate used to calculate interest.
- Sales tax is the sales tax rate applied to the purchase.
- Title & registration fees are government fees added to the transaction total.
How does an auto loan work?
Auto loans are installment loans: you borrow a fixed amount and repay it through fixed monthly payments over a set term.
Each payment includes interest (the cost of borrowing) and principal (the amount that reduces your balance). Early payments tend to be interest-heavy because the remaining balance is highest.
Longer terms can lower the monthly payment, but they usually increase the total interest paid and the overall cost of financing.
Key assumptions & limitations
- Fixed interest rate – Assumes a fixed interest rate and fixed monthly payments.
- On-time payments – Payments are made on time and in full.
- Taxes and fees vary – Sales tax and title/registration fees are entered as estimates and can vary by state and dealer.
- Not a full ownership budget – Does not include insurance, maintenance, repairs, fuel/charging, or depreciation.
- Estimates only – Results are estimates and are not financial advice.
This calculator is designed for comparing scenarios, not providing financing recommendations.