Semi truck payment calculator

By Fernandez · Updated October 2026

Work out the monthly payment on any commercial truck loan before you sign, with or without a balloon. The numbers save to My Deal on this device, so the other calculators start from them.

Truck price

Down payment

Fees and taxes financed

APR (your quote, not an offer)

EXAMPLE default

Term

Balloon at the end

Monthly payment

$1,715

Total interest

$24,925

Amount financed

$78,000

Principal vs interest by year

Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5

Green: principal. Red: interest. Saved to My Deal on this device so other tools start from these numbers.

A $1,715 payment needs loaded miles every week. We find the loads; you approve each one.

Our dispatchers find and negotiate the loads; you approve each one and sign the rate con. 5% of gross for one truck with an MC 6 months or older, no setup fee.

Start dispatch

How the payment is calculated

The calculator uses the standard amortization formula lenders use for fixed-rate loans:

Amount financed = price + financed fees - down payment
Monthly rate = APR / 12
Payment = (amount financed - balloon / (1 + rate)^term) x rate / (1 - (1 + rate)^-term)
Total interest = all payments + balloon - amount financed

Federal excise tax, sales tax and documentation fees belong in the fees field if you finance them. Whether excise tax applies at all depends on the truck's weight rating; the federal excise tax guide explains the thresholds.

Worked example

Item	EXAMPLE
Truck price	$85,000
Down payment	$8,500
Financed fees	$1,500
APR	11.5%
Term	60 months
Monthly payment	about $1,715
Total interest	about $24,900

EXAMPLE figures, not an offer. Your lender's quote decides the real numbers.

What a good result looks like

A good payment is one the truck can earn in a normal month at the rates your lanes pay, with room left for repairs and slow weeks. Run the payment through the how much truck can I afford calculator or our truck payment math to see how many loads it needs. If the answer is more loads than the truck can run, the payment is too big, however good the truck is.

Watch the total interest as closely as the payment. Stretching the term from 48 to 72 months lowers the payment and adds thousands in interest.

Using it as a used semi truck loan calculator

Used trucks often come with shorter terms and different rates than new ones, and a balloon is more common on some deals. Enter the actual quote you have. Then compare it with what a typical semi truck monthly payment runs for a similar price, and with the cost of taking over semi truck payments if someone has offered that.

Already paying a loan? See whether the truck refinance savings calculator finds a better deal, or price a hired driver with the truck driver pay calculator.

General information about financing, leasing and tax, not financial, tax or legal advice. RigCaptain is not a lender, broker, dealer or insurer. Read every contract and ask a tax professional or attorney about your own deal.

Make the payment with loads you choose

You know the payment now. A dispatcher can tell you how many loads a week it takes on your lanes.

Book loads for this payment

YOUR NUMBERS, EXAMPLE

Payment: $1,715 /mo
Our fee: 5% of gross
YOU KEEP: the rest

Questions

How is a semi truck loan payment calculated?

The amount financed is the price plus financed fees minus the down payment. The monthly rate is the APR divided by 12. The standard amortization formula then spreads that amount, plus interest, evenly across the term. If there is a balloon, its present value is set aside first, so the monthly payment is lower and the balloon is due at the end.

What is a typical semi truck loan term?

Lenders publish their own terms, and they depend on the truck's age, the price and your credit and experience. Longer terms lower the payment but raise the total interest and can leave you owing more than the truck is worth for longer. Use the term field to compare a few options side by side.

Does this work as a box truck financing calculator?

Yes. The math is the same for any commercial truck, from a 26 ft box truck to a heavy haul tractor. Enter the price and loan terms for your truck. A lower price usually means a lower payment, but check that the loads your rig can haul will cover it every month.

Should I take a loan with a balloon payment?

A balloon lowers the monthly payment by leaving a lump sum due at the end. It can help cash flow, but you need a plan to pay or refinance it, and the total interest is often higher. Ask the lender in writing what happens if you cannot pay the balloon when it comes due.

How much of my first year payment is interest?

On most truck loans, a large share of the first year's payments goes to interest, because interest is charged on the full balance. The yearly bars in the calculator show the split for your numbers. The share going to principal grows every year as the balance comes down.