Truck Payment Calculator
Estimate your monthly truck payment, total interest, and what it costs per mile. Compare loan terms from 24 to 84 months with presets for used and new trucks.
Know Your Truck Payment Before You Sign
Your truck payment is likely the single largest fixed expense in your operation. Before committing to a purchase, you need to know exactly what it costs — not just the monthly number, but how it affects your per-mile operating cost. A $1,500/month payment looks manageable until you realize it adds $0.15-$0.19 per mile depending on how many miles you run.
This calculator handles the math for you. Enter the truck price, your down payment, loan term, and APR to see your monthly payment, total interest paid over the life of the loan, and cost per mile based on your expected mileage. The term comparison table shows how choosing a shorter or longer loan dramatically changes both your monthly payment and total interest. Use the quick presets to compare common scenarios — used day cab, used sleeper, new sleeper, or box truck.
Once you know your truck payment per mile, plug it into our Cost Per Mile Calculator to see your full operating cost. Then use the Profit Per Load Calculator to evaluate whether specific loads actually make money after all expenses. For help finding loads that consistently beat your breakeven rate, check our owner-operator dispatch guide.
Truck & Loan Details
Cost Per Mile Context
Enter your expected monthly miles to see what this truck payment costs you per mile. This helps you factor the payment into your total operating cost.
Typical APR Ranges
Frequently Asked Questions
Monthly payments typically range from $800-$3,500 depending on truck price, down payment, loan term, and APR. A used sleeper at $65,000 with $10,000 down on a 60-month loan at 7.9% APR runs about $1,109/month. A new truck at $165,000 with $25,000 down on a 72-month loan at 6.5% APR runs about $2,428/month. Use the calculator above to see your specific payment.
APR depends heavily on your credit score and time in business. Excellent credit (750+) can get 4.5-6.5%. Good credit (700-749) typically sees 6.5-9.0%. Fair credit (650-699) ranges from 9.0-14.0%. New authorities with thin credit files often face 12-18%. Shopping multiple lenders and having a larger down payment can significantly reduce your rate.
Shorter terms mean higher monthly payments but less total interest. A 36-month term on a $55,000 loan at 7.9% saves over $6,000 in interest compared to a 72-month term, but your monthly payment is nearly double. Choose based on your cash flow — if the higher payment doesn't strain your monthly budget, shorter terms save significant money. Use the comparison table in the results to see exact differences.
Most lenders require 10-20% down for commercial trucks. A larger down payment (20-30%) reduces your monthly payment, lowers total interest paid, and often qualifies you for a better APR. For a $65,000 used truck, that means $6,500-$19,500 down. If you're a new authority, expect to need closer to 20-25% down.
Your truck payment is typically the largest fixed cost in your operation. At 10,000 miles/month, a $1,500/month payment adds $0.150/mile to your operating cost. At 8,000 miles/month, it jumps to $0.188/mile. Running more miles spreads this fixed cost further. Use our Cost Per Mile Calculator to see how your payment fits into your total operating costs.
Find Loads That Cover Your Payment — and Then Some
Our dispatchers know your operating costs and target loads that put profit in your pocket after every expense. No contracts, no setup fees.