# Payday Loan Rollover Cost Simulator — See the Debt-Trap Math | MeridianWallet > See exactly what rolling over a payday loan costs. Move the slider for each renewal and watch the fees stack up against the amount you originally borrowed. Источник: https://nimblepayday.com/tools/rollover-simulator/ --- FREE TOOL · NO SIGN-UP # Payday Loan Rollover Cost Simulator Can't repay on the due date? Each "rollover" pays only the fee and keeps the full balance owed. Move the sliders and watch what renewing really costs. CS **Reviewed by [Carmen Schaefer, AFC®](/authors/carmen-schaefer/)** · Last updated May 24, 2026 ## Your loan Amount borrowed $100**$300**$1,000 Fee per $100 borrowed $10**$17.50**$30 Number of rollovers (renewals) 0**3**10 Assumes a standard 14-day term per cycle. A rollover pays the fee only — the principal is not reduced. Total fees paid $262 on a $300 loan you still owe in full Principal still owed**$300** Total you will repay**$562** Effective APR**456%** Fees vs. amount borrowed **Before you roll over again:** most states require a licensed lender to offer an **Extended Payment Plan** at no extra cost once a year — ask for it. A credit-union [Payday Alternative Loan](/other-options/) (28% APR cap) or earned-wage access can clear the balance for a fraction of what another renewal costs. This simulator maps the cumulative cost of extending a payday loan beyond its original fourteen-day window, showing how renewal fees stack while the principal remains untouched. Enter your loan amount and the number of times you anticipate rolling it over, and the tool generates a running total of fees paid versus debt still owed. The concrete takeaway: at a common rate of $17.50 per $100 borrowed, a single $300 advance carried through four renewals consumes roughly $262 in charges without reducing the balance by a single dollar. ### The mechanics of rollover math - A payday loan is priced as a flat fee for a short term — usually 14 days. - The fee per cycle equals your amount borrowed divided by 100, multiplied by the fee per $100. - Total fees equal the fee per cycle multiplied by (1 original term plus the number of rollovers). - At $17.50 per $100, a $300 loan rolled four times costs about $262 in fees — while the $300 principal is still owed. - Effective APR annualizes the per-cycle fee over a 14-day term, reflecting the price of the credit regardless of how many times it is renewed. - Note: This simulator is an educational estimate using a flat per-cycle fee and a 14-day term. ## How does a two-week loan become a ten-week burden? Each time you pay the finance charge to extend the due date without touching the principal, you trigger a rollover that restarts the clock at full price. Consider Maya, who borrows $300 to cover a car repair. Her lender charges $17.50 per $100, meaning she owes $52.50 in fees at the end of fourteen days. Unable to pay both the fee and the $300 principal, she pays just the $52.50 to "roll" the loan forward. Two weeks later, she faces the same choice again. By the time she has rolled the loan four times, she has entered five billing cycles—one original term plus four renewals—yet she still owes the full $300 she borrowed on day one. ## What does the arithmetic look like cycle by cycle? The simulator multiplies the per-cycle charge by the total number of periods you actually use to generate the cumulative out-of-pocket cost. For Maya’s loan, the per-cycle calculation is ($300 ÷ 100) × $17.50, which equals $52.50. Because she completes five full cycles—one original plus four rollovers—the total fees equal $52.50 multiplied by 5, or about $262. The tool displays this figure alongside the unchanged $300 principal, illustrating why rollovers are the most expensive part of a payday loan: every payment covers only the cost of time, not the debt itself. ## Why政策规定 rollover limits matter Because state laws cap how many times a loan can be renewed—or prohibit rollovers entirely—the number of cycles you canactually enter varies by location. Before assuming you can extend four times, verify whether your state permits sequential renewals or requires a cooling-off period. Consult the specific regulations in your jurisdiction to see how many cycles the simulator should realistically calculate for your situation. [Browse state-specific rollover limits](/state-guides/) ## How can you use these numbers before you sign? Treat the simulator’s cumulative fee total as a hard ceiling you are willing to pay, and compare it against alternatives that reduce principal immediately. 1. **Enter your exact shortfall.** Input only the cash you actually need, not the maximum offered. 2. **Count pay periods realistically.** If you cannot cover the loan plus fee from your next check, assume at least one rollover when viewing the total. 3. **Match the cycle count to your state’s legal maximum.** Use the simulator’s total-fee line to see the worst-case legal cost. 4. **Compare against non-rollover alternatives.** Review [other borrowing and assistance options](/other-options/) that allow you to pay down balance rather than just buying time. 5. **Set a personal deadline.** Decide in advance that if you reach the second rollover without a plan for the principal, you will seek assistance rather than a third extension. ## Questions borrowers ask before rolling over Am I legally allowed to roll over a loan indefinitely? No. Most states enforce strict caps on the number of renewals permitted per loan, and some prohibit rollovers entirely. Exceeding these limits can trigger mandatory repayment plans or licensing penalties for the lender. Check [your state’s specific regulations](/state-guides/) to see the maximum cycles applicable to your situation. What happens if I cannot afford the rollover fee itself? Missing the fee typically places the loan in default, which may result in the lender attempting to debit your linked checking account or sending the debt to collections. If you anticipate this scenario, consult [our guide on handling repayment shortfalls](/guides/what-if-you-cant-repay/) to understand communication strategies and potential workout arrangements before the due date passes. Should I focus on the APR or the total fees listed? Both metrics serve different purposes. Effective APR annualizes the per-cycle fee over the 14-day term, allowing you to compare the relative price of credit regardless of loan duration. However, the simulator’s total fee figure—such as the roughly $262 in our example—represents actual cash leaving your pocket. Use the total fee to judge whether the loan is affordable in absolute dollars, and the APR to compare it against longer-term credit products. #### See lower-cost options first Compare a payday loan against alternatives that don't renew — PALs, earned-wage access, and more. [Compare alternatives](/other-options/) 🔒 No application required to browse --- #### More tools - [Affordability checker](/tools/affordability-checker/) - [Payday vs. alternatives](/tools/payday-vs-alternatives/) - [Loan cost calculator](/tools/cost-calculator/)