Both methods pay off debt — they just order it differently. The avalanche saves the most money; the snowball is the one more people actually finish. Educational only, not financial advice.
Snowball pays your smallest balance first; avalanche pays your highest interest rate first. Both throw every spare dollar at one debt while paying minimums on the rest.
List debts smallest to largest, ignore interest rate, and attack the smallest. When it's gone, roll that payment into the next. Each payoff is a quick, visible win — the point is momentum, not math.
List debts by APR, highest first. You pay the most expensive debt down before it compounds against you. Mathematically this clears your debt for the least total interest and, usually, the least time.
The avalanche. Paying the highest APR first always costs less interest and is never slower on paper. If two debts are close in size but far apart in rate, the avalanche can save real money.
The snowball. Studies of real payoff behavior find people are more likely to stick with — and finish — the snowball because early wins keep them going. The best method is the one you don't quit.
Big rate gaps and disciplined? Avalanche. Need motivation to stay in the game? Snowball. A hybrid works too: knock out one tiny balance for the win, then switch to avalanche. Either beats paying minimums forever — then keep the freed-up cash and let investing take over.