Understand what each strategy optimizes
Debt avalanche attacks the highest-interest balance first, which usually minimizes total interest cost.
Debt snowball attacks the smallest balance first, which can create faster psychological wins and simplify your debt list sooner.
Measure both cost and execution risk
A payoff strategy is only good if you will actually stick with it. If one approach saves a bit more money on paper but makes you quit after a few months, it is not the stronger plan in practice.
Run both strategies with the same monthly budget and compare total interest, payoff date, and how quickly you get visible progress.
Choose the strategy you can repeat under stress
The best debt strategy survives real life: unexpected expenses, motivation drops, and the temptation to stop making extra payments.
Pick the plan that stays understandable, sustainable, and emotionally doable even when the month is messy.