Technical Debt Cost Calculator
Annual cost of carrying tech debt.
Enter your values
Enter the developers you are working with.
Enter the cost per hour in $.
Enter the productivity drag in %.
Enter the cost to remediate in $.
Results update instantly as you type — no submit needed. Your values are remembered on this device, and the shareable link reopens the calculator with exactly these numbers.
- Annual debt cost
- $175,500.00
- Cost per developer
- $29,250.00
- Payback on remediation
- 0.5 years
- Hours lost per year
- 2,700
Quick answer
Technical debt costs the extra developer hours every change requires in a degraded codebase.
Annual cost = devs × hours × drag × rate
At a glance
| What it does | Annual cost of carrying tech debt. |
|---|---|
| Category | Technology |
| Inputs needed | Developers, Cost per hour, Productivity drag, Cost to remediate |
| Main output | Annual debt cost |
| Formula | Annual cost = devs × hours × drag × rate |
| Cost | Free — no sign-up, no download |
How to use the Technical Debt Cost Calculator
- 1Enter team size and fully loaded hourly cost.
- 2Estimate the productivity drag from debt.
- 3Enter the cost of remediation.
Inputs explained
- Developers
- Enter the developers you are working with.
- Cost per hour($)
- Enter the cost per hour in $.
- Productivity drag(%)
- Enter the productivity drag in %.
- Cost to remediate($)
- Enter the cost to remediate in $.
Worked example
Using the values the calculator loads with:
Inputs
- Developers6
- Cost per hour65 $
- Productivity drag25 %
- Cost to remediate90000 $
Results
- Annual debt cost$175,500.00
- Cost per developer$29,250.00
- Payback on remediation0.5 years
- Hours lost per year2,700
Frequently asked questions
How do I measure drag?
Compare estimates against actuals on legacy versus new modules.
Should all debt be repaid?
No — repay debt in code you touch often, tolerate it in stable corners.
What do I need to enter into the Technical Debt Cost Calculator?
Just 4 values: developers, cost per hour, productivity drag, cost to remediate. Every field starts with a realistic example, so you can change one number at a time and watch the result update instantly.
How does the Technical Debt Cost Calculator work out the answer?
Technical debt costs the extra developer hours every change requires in a degraded codebase. It applies the formula Annual cost = devs × hours × drag × rate and shows the working so you can check each step by hand.
Is the Technical Debt Cost Calculator free, and do I need an account?
It is completely free with no sign-up, no download and no usage limit. Everything is calculated in your browser, so the numbers you type never leave your device.
Results are estimates for general information. For medical, legal, structural or financial decisions, confirm with a qualified professional.