›Is this really free?
Yes. The planner, the Snowball and Avalanche methods, and all charts work without an account. A free account adds the two advanced methods, saving, payment tracking, and email reminders. There are no paid tiers, ads, or selling of data.
›Where does my financial data go?
Nowhere, until you say so. The calculator runs entirely in your browser; anonymous data lives only on your device. If you create an account and save, your data is stored encrypted-in-transit in our database, readable only by you, exportable and deletable anytime in Settings.
›Do you connect to my bank?
No. You enter balances yourself from your statements. That's a deliberate choice for this version — no bank credentials, no third-party aggregators.
›One of my debts charges no interest. What do I enter?
Leave the interest rate blank and we'll treat it as 0%. The debt still appears in your plan and still gets paid off — it just never adds interest. Interest-free student loans, family loans and on-schedule buy-now-pay-later all belong in your plan.
›Can I start my plan next month?
Yes. Under "When do you start?" you can pick any of the next six months, and if your income is steady you can give us your next payday and we'll start you in that month. Everything after that — your payments, your debt-free date — counts forward from the month you chose. We use the balances you enter today, so check them again when you actually start.
›Which repayment method should I pick?
If staying motivated is the hard part, Snowball's quick wins are worth their small extra cost. If you want the cheapest simple path, Avalanche. If you have past-due accounts, promo rates, maxed cards, or irregular income, the Smart Priority and Adaptive Flex plans handle those directly.
›My budget doesn't cover my minimum payments. What now?
The planner will tell you honestly and show a stabilization plan instead of a fake schedule. Two key free resources: an accredited non-profit credit counsellor (creditcounsellingcanada.ca) can consolidate payments and often reduce interest, and a Licensed Insolvency Trustee consultation (free, federally regulated) explains consumer proposals. Neither commits you to anything.
›Are the numbers exact?
They're careful estimates. We use standard monthly interest math and round like statements do, but we don't simulate your exact billing-cycle days or fees. Expect small differences from your statements.
Full methodology here.›Will this improve my credit score?
Paying on time and lowering credit-card utilization are the two factors most consistently associated with improvement, and your plan targets both. But scoring models are proprietary and vary between bureaus and lenders — we show an educational projection, never a guarantee.
›What happens when I miss a payment?
Mark it as missed in your dashboard. The Adaptive Flex plan absorbs it: balances stay accurate, the schedule recalculates, and the plan explains what changed. One missed month is a data point, not a failure.
If debt is affecting your housing, health, or ability to eat, skip the app and use these today. They're free, legitimate, and regulated — unlike debt-settlement companies that advertise heavily and charge fees for what non-profits do for nothing.
Credit Counselling Canada
creditcounsellingcanada.ca
Accredited non-profit counsellors. Free, confidential help and Debt Management Plans.
FCAC — Financial Consumer Agency of Canada
canada.ca/en/financial-consumer-agency
Federal guides on debt, credit reports, collections rights, and budgeting.
Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy
ised-isde.canada.ca/site/office-superintendent-bankruptcy
Find a Licensed Insolvency Trustee; official information on consumer proposals and bankruptcy.
Your provincial consumer protection office
canada.ca/en/services/finance/consumer-affairs
Payday-loan rules, collection-agency regulations, and complaint processes for your province.
211 Canada
211.ca
Free navigation to local financial-help services, including emergency assistance.
Level It Down provides educational planning tools, not financial, legal, or insolvency advice.