The short version: everything you type into payoff.tips stays on your device — no servers receive your numbers, and there are no accounts. We use Google Analytics only to count visits in aggregate; it never sees your loan details.
How the calculator works
Payoff is a fully client-side application. All calculations — loan amounts, interest rates, payment schedules, rent comparisons — run in JavaScript inside your own browser. Nothing you enter is transmitted to us, stored by us, or shared with anyone. When you close the tab, the numbers are gone.
Information we do not collect
- We do not collect names, email addresses, or any account information (there are no accounts).
- We do not collect the financial figures you enter.
- The calculator itself sets no cookies and does not use browser local storage to retain your inputs.
- We do not use advertising trackers or sell data to anyone — there is no data to sell.
Third-party services
Three categories of third parties are involved in delivering and measuring the site:
- Web hosting. Like any website, our hosting provider may log standard technical information when your browser requests the page — such as your IP address, browser type, and the time of the request. These logs are used for security and reliability, not to identify you, and they never contain anything you type into the calculator.
- Analytics. We use Google Analytics to understand aggregate site usage — things like page views, approximate geography, and device type — so we can improve the tool. Google Analytics may set cookies or similar identifiers in your browser and receives the standard technical data that accompanies web requests, such as your IP address. It never receives the loan amounts, rates, or any other figures you type into the calculator; those stay on your device. Google's handling of analytics data is described in Google's privacy policy, and you can opt out with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on or any content blocker — the calculator works fully either way.
- Fonts. The page loads typefaces from Google Fonts. When your browser requests those font files, Google receives the technical request data (such as your IP address) that accompanies any web request. Google's handling of that data is described in Google's privacy policy.
Downloads and printing
The "Download CSV" and "Print" features are generated entirely in your browser. The CSV file is created locally on your device and never passes through our systems.
Children's privacy
payoff.tips is a general-audience financial education tool. Because we collect no personal information from anyone, we collect no personal information from children.
Changes to this policy
If we change how the site works in a way that affects privacy, we will update this page and revise the "last updated" date above before the change takes effect.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Reach out through the Support us page.