How much will a $50,000 HELOC cost monthly in 2026?
Home equity borrowers already accustomed to low borrowing rates and costs got some welcome news last week when rates on home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) fell again. Already approximately two percentage points lower than they were in September 2024, for example, HELOC rates plummeted again this month, now down to just 7.44% for qualified borrowers. This makes a HELOC not only the least expensive way to borrow equity but also one of the least expensive ways to borrow money overall. And with the average home equity amount hitting a record high in 2025, there's likely a lot of money to tap into right now.
A $50,000 HELOC, for example, will maintain a credible amount of equity in the home for owners to potentially leverage in the future while still allowing them to make payments both large and small right now. And with rates here low, this could be a viable way to borrow this much money currently. Still, with your home functioning as collateral in these exchanges, it's critical that you can afford your repayments. To better determine the answer, it helps to know how much a $50,000 HELOC could cost qualified borrowers monthly now. Below, we'll crunch the numbers homeowners should know before getting started with an application.
See how much home equity you could borrow with a HELOC here.
How much will a $50,000 HELOC cost monthly in 2026?
Calculating the monthly payments of a HELOC, no matter its size, requires some speculative math as the product has a variable interest rate that can and will change for borrowers, particularly over an extended repayment period. Additionally, interest-only payments are typically mandated for HELOCs during the initial draw period before full repayments are required later on. This makes borrowing with a HELOC even less expensive at the start compared to other products.
Here, then, is how much a $50,000 HELOC will cost monthly in 2026 (and beyond), calculated against today's low average rate, two common repayment periods, and the assumptions that the rate remains constant and the full HELOC is repaid immediately (versus just the interest):
- 10-year HELOC at 7.44%: $591.94 per month
- 15-year HELOC at 7.44%: $461.80 per month
For reference, here's how much this same-size HELOC would have cost in February 2025, calculated using the same parameters:
- 10-year HELOC at 8.28%: $614.06 per month
- 15-year HELOC at 8.28%: $485.94 per month
So, payments here are down substantially year over year, coming in more than $20 cheaper now than they were. And if you were using a HELOC during this time, you likely already benefited from these changes, as HELOC rates adjust monthly for borrowers based on market conditions. No refinancing or refinancing closing costs are required here, as they would be with alternative products like home equity loans. And with the possibility of HELOC rates declining further later this year, this could be the smart way to borrow $50,000 now.
Get started with a HELOC online today.
The bottom line
A $50,000 HELOC comes with monthly payments ranging from $462 to $592, approximately, for qualified borrowers right now, at the start of 2026. But with rates here likely to change, both this year and over the years still to come, borrowers should spend the time calculating their potential costs against a variety of rates and terms. By doing so, they can improve their chances of success both in 2026 and until the line of credit has been repaid in full.
