Personal loans · Cost calculator
What will a personal loan cost after fees?
A $10,000 loan with a 5% fee taken out sends you $9,500. This calculator shows that cash gap beside your payment and full cost.
Use the fixed interest rate and fee from your offer. The example below shows how the numbers work.
Check the payment beside your bills
First, check that the cash after fees covers your expense. Then set aside enough for rent, food, other bills, and a surprise cost. Could you still make the loan payment?
If the payment fits, compare the full cost with another way to pay. A longer loan may make each bill smaller, but add interest in all. You still owe the payments after the cash is gone.
This tool does not check your budget or predict approval, a credit score, or lender action. The estimate leaves out late fees, optional extras, and rate or payment changes.
Compare the offers that cover your need
Keep cash received, payment, total cost, and the end date together. The lowest payment may not have the lowest full cost.
The example loan, from cost to payoff
The example’s full cost
This fixed example uses $10,000, 12% yearly interest, 36 months, and a 5% fee taken from the loan. It stays the same when you edit the tool.
| What to compare | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash received | $9,500.00 |
| Monthly payment | $332.14 |
| Interest in all | $1,957.15 |
| Fee taken from the loan | $500.00 |
| Fee paid separately | $0.00 |
| Total paid | $11,957.15 |
| Cost to borrow | $2,457.15 |
Cost to borrow = total paid − cash received. Here, $11,957.15 − $9,500.00 = $2,457.15. The fee is counted once.
The schedule below shows selected payments from that same example. It stays fixed when you edit the tool.
See payments from the original example
| Payment | Amount paid | Interest | Paid toward the loan | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $332.14 | $100.00 | $232.14 | $9,767.86 |
| 2 | $332.14 | $97.68 | $234.46 | $9,533.39 |
| 12 | $332.14 | $73.15 | $258.99 | $7,055.84 |
| 36 | $332.14 | $3.29 | $328.85 | $0.00 |
Totals use unrounded payments. A lender may adjust the last payment by a few cents. The fee is counted once in the borrowing cost.
Method and sources
Rung fixed-payment model 2026-08-28.4. Cite this model and its example. Use the inputs, fee treatment, and limits with any result.
Read the method and limits
The tool divides the fixed yearly interest rate by 12 to work out each month’s interest. A fee taken from the loan lowers the cash you get. A fee paid on its own adds to the cash you pay. APR is shown only if you enter it; the tool does not calculate APR.
Total borrowing cost is all cash paid minus cash received. This includes the fee once. The estimate leaves out late fees, optional extras, and changes to the rate or payment plan.
- CFPB guidance on personal installment loans — checked August 28, 2026.
- CFPB guidance on installment-loan fees — checked August 28, 2026.
- Regulation Z Appendix J — checked August 28, 2026.