Use this tool to estimate a car loan payment, the interest and the amount financed. Have these ready: price, down payment, trade-in value, sales tax, rate and term.
By the Personalloaner Editorial Team · Last updated 2026-09-16
How we get paid: if you apply through the link above, a lending partner may send us a referral fee. It never changes the rate you are offered or what we publish. We are not a lender and we do not process applications. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Full disclosure.
Enter your numbers and press Calculate. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
How we get paid: if you apply through the link above, a lending partner may send us a referral fee. It never changes the rate you are offered or what we publish. We are not a lender and we do not process applications. The lowest rates are only available to the most qualified applicants. Full disclosure.
How this calculator works
The vehicle itself secures a car loan. Begin with the price, take off the down payment and trade-in credit, then add sales tax on the difference to reach the amount financed.
If the down payment and trade-in together cover the price and the tax, there is nothing to finance and the payment is zero.
How sales tax is handled depends on the state and locality, and auto rates move with credit and term. Enter your own figures.
Common questions
Does the loan always cover sales tax?
Not always. Some buyers settle the tax separately. If you roll it into the loan, add it to the amount financed as this tool does; if you pay it up front, set the tax rate to zero.
What happens if the trade-in and down payment top the price?
The amount financed is then zero, and so is the payment. No loan is required.
How does the term shape the cost?
A longer term lowers the monthly payment but raises total interest, and it can keep you upside down on the car for longer.
Do auto rates stay fixed or move?
Many are fixed, though some are variable. This tool assumes a fixed rate throughout.
