Interest Rate Calculator
Know the loan amount, the payment and the number of payments but not the rate? Enter them to solve the interest rate (APR), the effective annual rate and the total interest, with each step of the calculation shown.
Optional final lump sum (e.g. a lease residual). 0 if none.
How to use the Interest Rate Calculator
- Enter the loan amount you borrow (or the amount you actually receive after fees).
- Enter the payment and the term in months or years.
- Choose the payment frequency and any balloon or residual due at the end.
- Press Solve to get the interest rate, effective annual rate and total interest.
- Check the Newton iterations and schedule to see how the answer was found.
How the interest rate is solved
For a fixed-payment loan, the amount borrowed equals the present value of all payments:
L = P × (1 − (1 + i)−n) ÷ i + B × (1 + i)−n
where L is the loan amount, P the payment, n the number of payments, B an optional final balloon and i the rate per period. There is no algebraic formula for i, so the calculator uses Newton's method: start with a guess, then repeatedly improve it with inew = i − f(i) ÷ f′(i), where f(i) is the present value minus L. It usually converges to many decimal places in 3 to 6 steps (a bisection search is used as a fallback).
The APR is i × payments per year. The effective annual rate (APY) also counts compounding: (1 + i)payments per year − 1.
Examples: rate implied by a payment
| Amount | Monthly payment | Payments | Total interest | APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,000 | $495.00 | 60 | $4,700 | 7.00% |
| $10,000 | $320.00 | 36 | $1,520 | 9.43% |
| $5,000 | $175.00 | 36 | $1,300 | 15.68% |
| $300,000 | $1,996.00 | 360 | $418,560 | 7.00% |
| $40,000 | $650.00 | 72 | $6,800 | 5.31% |
If a lender quotes only a payment and a term, use this to check the real rate. If fees are deducted from the amount you receive, enter the net amount instead to see the rate including fees.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find the interest rate on a loan from the payment?
Solve L = P × (1 − (1 + i)^−n) ÷ i for the periodic rate i, then multiply by the number of payments per year. There is no closed formula, so it is solved numerically. For example, $25,000 repaid at $495 a month for 60 months is an APR of about 7.00%.
What is Newton's method?
It is a fast way to find the root of an equation. Starting from a guess, each step moves to where the tangent line crosses zero: i_new = i − f(i) ÷ f'(i). For loan rates it typically reaches full precision in a few steps.
What is the difference between APR and APY?
APR is the periodic rate times the number of periods per year. APY, or the effective annual rate, includes compounding: (1 + i)^periods − 1. A 7% APR with monthly payments is about a 7.23% effective annual rate.
Why does it say the rate would be negative?
If the payments add up to less than the amount borrowed, no positive interest rate fits. Check that the payment, the term and its unit are correct.
Can I include loan fees?
Yes. Enter the amount you actually receive after fees as the loan amount, keeping the same payment. The solved rate is then close to an APR that includes those fees.
Does this work for leases?
Yes. Enter the vehicle's capitalized cost as the amount, the monthly payment, the term and the residual value as the balloon to estimate the implied rate. Leases are often quoted as a money factor; multiply it by 2,400 to get an approximate APR.
Is my data private?
Yes. The calculation runs entirely in your browser.