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Best Bill-Splitting Apps

Figuring out who owes what will never be an issue again

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In the past, splitting the cost of bills and expenses was a clumsy process. You had to calculate who owed what, then go through the tedious task of collecting money from each person. And since fewer people are carrying cash these days, settling up gets even more difficult. That is, until bill-splitting apps were introduced.

Bill-splitting apps let you divide up the cost of things like group dinners and group trips so that everyone can pay their fair share. The best bill-splitting apps also connect to a credit or debit card or another peer-to-peer payment platform, making it much easier for everyone to cover their share of the expense right away, even down to the penny. With bill-splitting apps, you’ll be able to keep the peace between friends by cutting down on squabbles about who owes what to whom. 

Best Bill-Splitting Apps of 2024

  • Best Overall: Splitwise
  • Runner-Up, Best Overall: SettleUp
  • Best for Group Dinners: Plates by Splitwise
  • Runner-Up, Best for Group Dinners: Tab
  • Best for Group Trips: Splid
  • Most Versatile: Cash App
  • Our Top Picks
  • Plates by Splitwise
  • See More (3)
  • Methodology

Best Overall : Splitwise

  • Cost : Free (with optional paid upgrade)
  • Platforms : Android, iOS, web

Splitwise is a full-featured mobile app that makes it simple to split expenses and track borrowing and lending over time. Its helpful tools and user-friendly interface make it our top choice among bill-splitting apps.

Lets you create unique groups to split expenses

Option to export expenses to a CSV file

Range of features may overwhelm new users

Free for the web, iPhone, and Android, Splitwise is the most versatile of all the bill-splitting apps on our list and fits most situations where you need to split costs between multiple people. You can create groups with various friends and divide up what each person owes. All your shared expenses and IOUs are organized in one place, and everyone in the group can see the amount they owe.

The app tracks borrowing and lending over time. And until the balance is settled, each person’s outstanding balance may go up and down. Splitwise sends reminder notifications about your balances and you’ll find a tally of the amount you owe on the homepage. Payments can be settled with PayPal or Venmo directly from the app, or if the person who owes you pays in cash, you can record a cash payment to clear up the outstanding balance.

Runner-Up , Best Overall : SettleUp

  • Platforms : Android, iOS, web, Windows

Settle Up supports both simple and complicated payment scenarios, and it's particularly handy when you're traveling internationally and you need to split costs in a different currency.

Works offline

Offers real-time exchange rates

Free version has ads

Can only upload pics of receipts with paid version

Settle Up can handle a variety of payment scenarios: When one person pays or multiple people have paid, it can split payments evenly based on the amounts or allow you to select individual amounts for each person to pay. The share function allows you to send expenses via a link. Expenses are backed up and synced for all people in the group so each person can see them.

If you’re traveling internationally, Settle Up offers all currencies and real-time exchange rates. The app's free version will display ads occasionally, which can get annoying if you’re a heavy user. The app's premium version doesn’t have ads, allows you to add photos of receipts, and lets you customize groups with color.

Best for Group Dinners : Plates by Splitwise

 Plates by Splitwise

  • Cost : Free
  • Platforms : iPhone

With the option to add up to 10 people, Plates by Splitwise makes it simple to split the cost of even the most complicated group dinners.

Drag and drop features lets you calculate totals easily

Option to split evenly or customize

Only available for iPhone

There are two types of group diners—those who don’t mind splitting the bill evenly and those who want to precisely split the bill based on what they owe exactly. Plates by Splitwise lets you handle both. The iPhone-only app gives everyone in the group a “plate.” Then as you add items to the group, they can be placed on a specific person’s plate or split up among the entire group.

For example, shared items like appetizers would be split among the entire group or just a few people in the group. The app can handily accommodate large parties by allowing you to add up to 10 people to each group. Once you’ve divided up the food among all the plates you can add in tax and tip. The app is made by the same company as Splitwise and is completely free. The only downside is that the app isn’t available for Android users.

Runner-Up , Best for Group Dinners : Tab

  • Platforms : Android, iOS

With seamless Venmo integration and a handy image upload option, Tab takes the headache out of splitting group dinners.

Option to upload picture of receipt for easy bill-splitting

Can customize splits for special events like birthdays

No web app available

We’ve all been to group dinners and the server brings out just one check—or the restaurant has a policy of not splitting up checks for large groups. Tab solves the headache of figuring out what each person owes. Each person in the group can pay for the items they ordered without having to send the server back to separate the ticket.

Take a picture of the order receipt and the app automatically reads the items from a receipt. This nifty feature saves you from having to enter the amounts for each item. Everyone in the group can join the same bill from their phones and tap the items they ordered to claim them. The tax and tip are divided proportionally among each person in the group. Then, each person gets an itemized total for their items. You can settle up the payment by using Venmo—which is integrated within the app—or by recording a cash payment if friends settle up using a different payment method. You can even use the app to evenly split up the tab for a birthday dinner.

Best for Group Trips : Splid

While it's not specifically for splitting travel expenses, Splid's easy-to-use app is handy for dividing trip costs no matter where you travel.

Supports more than 150 currencies

User-friendly interface

No web-based app

Splitting up the cost of group trips can be tough. Splid allows you to add in all the expenses of a trip and then split it up among each person on the trip. The app is useful for splitting up non-trip expenses as well. Multiple payees can be added to each expense, for example, if two people covered the cost of groceries upfront, but five people need to chip in on the bill. You can settle up bills in different currencies—choosing from more than 150 currencies.

If you need an offline record of the expenses, you can download a PDF or Excel file with a comprehensive summary of all the expenses. The app is free to use for just one group.

Most Versatile : Cash App

 Square Cash

In addition to enabling users to send and receive payments, Cash App can also be used for banking and investing, making it one of the most versatile apps on our list.

Debit card is available

Has an investing option

Charges a 3% fee for credit card transactions

Cash App doesn’t have bill-splitting payment functionality built-in—not yet at least—but because it’s a peer-to-peer payment platform, it can be useful for splitting payments. Once you’ve determined how a payment should be split, you can send a payment request to each person in the group right through the app. They can open their Cash App and send payment based on your request. Then, once you’ve been paid, you can “cash out” and get a deposit to your bank account or use your cash card (a virtual debit card) to make purchases just like you would with your debit card.

The app is free as is sending money via debit card. Credit card payments are charged a 3% fee and instant deposits to your checking account are charged a 0.5%-1.75% ($0.25 min) fee. However, regular transfers to your bank are free.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does a bill-splitting app do.

A bill-splitting app is an app you can download on your smartphone or tablet and use on the go for splitting bills. It divides the cost of the bill that is being split and assigns each person their cost down to the penny. Some bill-splitting apps can be connected to your financial institution or other payment apps and peer payment platforms, so bills can be split and paid immediately. You don’t need to worry about underpaying or overpaying when you go out with a group of friends because the bill-splitting app helps you fairly divide the costs. 

When Would You Use a Bill-Splitting App?

Most people don’t carry as much cash as they used to, so a bill-splitting app is often the convenient and easy way to divide the costs of a bill. You might use a bill-splitting app when you dine out with friends, purchase a gift that multiple people contribute to, or plan a group trip.

How Much Does a Bill-Splitting App Cost?

Most of the bill-splitting apps are free. However, not all of them are available for Android users, and some bill-splitting apps offer free and paid versions. The paid versions typically don’t carry ads and offer more features, such as photos of receipts. Paid versions are generally inexpensive and may cost as little as $1.99. Other apps may charge fees to use a checking account or up to 3% to use a credit card with the app. 

How We Chose the Best Bill-Splitting Apps

To choose our list of the best bill-splitting apps, we evaluated several options, considering factors like app functionality, availability, features, options to integrate with other payment apps, and user reviews. All of the apps we've selected offer an excellent user experience and features that appeal to consumers looking to simplify bill-splitting in specific categories or in general.

Brothers91 / Getty Images

App Store. " Splid ."

Cash App. " Cash App Terms of Service ."

Simplify the calculation of splitting group expenses

Ever get confused about who owes whom how much money when you're traveling with friends and dealing with expenses like rental cars and tolls? Spliito is a free service that simplifies the hassle of splitting bills on trips.

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Calculate the simplest bill-splitting method

If you register records of money advances on the group page, a unique algorithm will calculate the simplest settlement method for you in real-time.

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Easy to use without membership registration

No app installation required; you can use it immediately from your browser without membership registration. There's no need for friends you're traveling with to install the app.

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Supports foreign currencies from all countries

Since it supports all foreign currencies, you can smoothly settle any money borrowed or lent during overseas travel in your own national currency.

Useful in various scenes besides travel

How to use spliito.

Create a group in just 1 minute!

Create a Group

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First, create a group page. Enter the title of the event and the members. When going on an overseas trip, you can also select the foreign currency to be used in the group.

Share with Members

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Share the URL of the group page with members via messaging apps. Only people who know the URL can access the group page.

Record Advances

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Register who advanced how much money for what purchase to whom. Since all members can register, it reduces the burden on the organizer.

Check the Settlement Method

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The settlement method allows you to check 'who needs to repay whom' and 'how much'. The settlement is calculated to be completed in the fewest number of transactions possible.

6 Best Bill-Splitting Apps

With these apps, sharing expenses with family and friends has never been easier.

High angle shot of an unrecognizable man ready to pay the bill with his credit card at a cafe

Getty Images

These apps can help friends split vacation costs or group gifts, or assist roommates in divvying up the grocery bill. Most work for any phone and are free or cheap to download.

Gone are the days of getting stuck with the check at restaurants – at least for those who use a bill-splitting app.

Fortunately, there’s no shortage of these apps, which make divvying up expenses easy and can be used for more than just dining out. They can help friends split vacation costs or group gifts, or assist roommates in divvying up the grocery bill , for example. Most apps work for any phone and are free or cheap to download.

“They’ve been a huge benefit to the restaurant industry. It can get tense when customers start arguing over the check, debating who paid for what. So anything that helps make the servers’ lives a little easier at the register or table, I’m all for,” says Buddy Foy, Jr., owner of The Chateau On The Lake, in Bolton Landing, New York, and The Chateau Anna Maria, in Anna Maria Island, Florida.

Foy says that in recent years, bill-splitting apps have become pretty popular. Most people don't use them, but Foy estimates that about 20% of his customers do.

So with that in mind, here are six of the most popular bill-splitting apps:

  • Plates by Splitwise.
  • Snap & Split Bill.

This app is free (although there’s a pro version for $2.99 a month or $29.99 a year), and it allows for splitting the cost of a bill among multiple people.

This app allows you to pay the establishment via PayPal or Venmo – and if someone pays with cash, no worries. You can record that cash payment so people know that part of the bill was paid.

Best feature: What if a friend doesn’t have the money for the restaurant bill right now? The app will track that person’s balance , so while one or several people may actually pay for the meal on the spot, the person who still owes money can view their balance and chip away at it or pay it all at once.

This app is pretty similar to Splitwise in ease of use. Settle Up can work well for groups of friends (no limit on how many friends) who are traveling together or an apartment full of roommates. The entire group can see their expenses and who has paid what – and who hasn’t paid their share of, say, the electric bill.

It's free, although there is a premium version that costs $1.49 a month or $10.99 a year.

Best feature: If you’re eating at a restaurant, you have a pretty good idea of who ate what. But what if you’re splitting a cost where you have no idea what was spent? Maybe you and a group of people are splitting the cost of throwing a party, for instance, and your friend just went to the store and bought a bunch of supplies. With this app, you can share photos of receipts with the people you’re settling up with. If there’s a trust factor that you’re dealing with, it may help that the person who bought everything can show you a receipt and prove that they weren't exaggerating how much something cost.

Plates by Splitwise

This is an app solely designed for eating at restaurants in a group – and it’s associated with the Splitwise app. You can use it to split the meal for up to 10 people.

Best feature: The nice thing about this app (which so far is only for iPhones) is that you can fix it for the people who want to split a restaurant bill evenly, but you can also manage it if some people in the group are ordering cocktails or appetizers and others aren't chipping in for those.

The app Tab is especially good for splitting a bill at restaurants – especially among large groups.

Best feature: Generally, a bill-splitting app will help you tally up how much you owe for a meal, but you still have to deal with the hassle of paying for your meal.

Tab allows everyone to pay separately for their meal without making the server produce separate checks. You take a picture of the receipt, and the app reads the items (so nobody has to input the numbers of the order into the app). You then look at your phone and tap the items you ordered. You actually make your payment by using Venmo – which works in tandem with the app – and you can record any cash payments if someone wants to pay with cash.

Weird name, helpful app. Plus, you've got to love the tag line on the Splid website: "Split bills not friendships."

This is a good bill-splitting app for groups of friends or family members who are traveling together. You can add all of the expenses that are piling up, and then split them among your fellow companions. What’s more, you can do this in more than 150 currencies. The app is free.

Best feature: You can pay more than one person. Let’s say that two people purchased different kinds of camping gear, but you’ve got six people on the trip. Well, the four remaining campers can then pay the two campers through the Splid app.

Snap & Split Bill

This app is also free. You simply snap a photo of the receipt – from a restaurant or a grocery store, for example – and you can quickly divvy up the expenses and then share the bill.

Maybe there’s an item on the bill that you didn’t partake in – appetizers at a restaurant, for instance – the people who did partake can select that, and the people who didn’t won’t be charged.

Best feature: It may not be the best feature – that would simply be how the app works in general – but a unique feature is its receipt organizer, which can help if you use the app a lot and want to look back at your history of sharing expenses.

10 Best Budget Apps

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trip cost splitting app

Forget about complicated spreadsheets!

Splittr helps you to split group expenses and is super easy to use. It's perfect for vacations, weekend trips, for household costs or any other group costs.

Simply add expenses as you go and Splittr will tell you who is next to pay and who owes whom how much.

Invite your friends and everybody can enter expenses.

- Works offline - Syncs with friends - No registration needed - All currencies supported - PDF and CSV export - It's FREE to download!

This is big time saver!

After a monster trip with over 200 entangled expenses among 7 people, I spent 2 days sorting things out, accounting by hand, and preparing an expense report. Then I thought "there must be an easier way!" I discovered this app. In 15 minutes of data entry, this app produced the same results it took me days to get! I was proud of my arithmetic, but I'd rather save the time!

Invaluable!!!

Just toured Italy with 6 couples. Got home and what did everyone say was the best part, not the wine... Splittr was the best part of the trip. Wouldn't travel in a group without it ever again. Great app, thanks!!!!

Fabulous app

Wow! I've needed this for years! 7 college friends get together for a long weekend every year in a different city. We usually have to create a complicated spreadsheet at the end of the weekend to figure out who owes who how much. This worked PERFECTLY!! Bravo bravo!

I love this app! It has totally revolutionized the way I travel with my family. I know this is probably an uncommon problem but when we travel my father insists on paying for everything for everyone which drives my poor mother crazy. Now we can all just let him produce his credit card and pay while we smile and enter everything into splittr. Then we even it up later. Thank you SO much splittr!!

So easy to use!!!

Highly recommend! Best cost split app after several similar apps trials. Never regret buying this app! Good job.

Perfect for girl friends weekend away

I found this in preparation for a weekend away with two friends from college. It was simple to use but allowed us to break everything down and in produced a report of who owed who what! It couldn't have made paying for everything easier! I highly recommend this app.

So convenient!

This app makes splitting trip expenses a breeze and takes all the stress out of evening up at the end. I've used this on several trips and the group is always grateful for this awesome tool.

I love this app! It's very straightforward and easy to use. It's especially good when expenses are not the same for everyone in the group.

Such a useful app!

I have used this to calculate who owes what for a roadtrip and I LOVE it!! I was trying to use Excel and it was a pain! Glad I found this just a few days in. It'll also be used when figuring out paying for gifts and such with coworkers!

First app I've ever written a review for. Super cool and very versatile. Used on a vacation with friends ... I'm the hero.

Best trip-reimbursement tool

Very convenient way to keep all your friends from hating each other after a trip! Does the math for you so you can focus on having a good time.

I can't say enough good things about this app. Made figuring cost sharing among three friends traveling in Italy a snap. Super easy to figure out, great reporting, does everything you need it to.

Must have for group trips

This is exactly what I needed for a road trip with my friends! Very slick nice app! Does everything VERY well.

Don't leave home without it

Travelled with friends to different countries thus different currencies. No problem as the app not only handled the splits of the costs but converted them to the home currency which made the final equalization payments a breeze once we got home. Brilliant.

Fantastic! Well worth the cost!

This is a fantastic app! I used it while away with a group of 9 women, and I can't think of a single scenario that it couldn't easily deal with. I can't make any recommendations for improvement because it's already completely functional and flexible. My friends all want the app now!

Excellent app. So useful.

Three of travel a lot together. We all take turns paying for various things. This app is perfect for keeping everything sorted out and is soooo easy to use. Great reports. Must have for multiple travellers!!!

Fantastic for Expense Splitting

Just got back from trip with two other friends. Put in all receipts, split costs between two or three people, equally or unequally depending on expense. It is so easy to use, love the equalization report - makes it so clear as to who owes whom what! If you travel with one or more other people you need this app!

  • Money & Career

5 Apps For Splitting Bills So You Don't Have to Do Math at Dinner

trip cost splitting app

Splitting bills is an increasingly common practice from sharing rent and utilities to dividing the cost of dinners or vacations. Navigating the intricate balance of expenses, however, can often lead to confusion, tension, and strained relationships. But thankfully, the rise of innovative mobile apps for splitting bills has revolutionized how we manage and divide our shared expenses with partners , roommates, and friends.

Gone are the days of complicated spreadsheets, endless calculations, and awkward money conversations over who owes what. Teri Williams , the president and chief operating officer at OneUnited Bank, tells PS that you should "make sure there is clarity about how bills will be split (is it 50/50 or some derivation?) and who accepts what form of payment."

Regarding payment method, Williams shared, "With all the payment apps, you want to make sure everyone on the 'team' has an acceptable form of payment, and importantly, has used that form of payment in the past. Avoid that tense moment, when it's time to split the bill and someone says their payment app is not working."

The popularity — and, let's be honest, necessity — of cohabitation and communal living arrangements has further fueled the demand for efficient bill-splitting solutions. Whether splitting rent among roommates, divvying up grocery costs, or sharing the burden of household utilities, learn about the best apps to split bills.

Splitwise

Splitwise is a popular free app offering a comprehensive solution for dividing expenses among partners, roommates, and friends. The Splitwise app streamlines the bill-splitting process by allowing you to track, split, and settle debts within a centralized platform.

A huge benefit of Splitwise is its seamless collaboration feature, which enables you to create shared expense groups and effortlessly log transactions. Williams explains that Splitwise "allows you to tally expenses and pay other people directly to their bank account or using payment services such as Venmo." No more hassling over manual calculations.

The Splitwise app offers convenient options for categorizing expenses, adding receipts, and attaching notes. This app for splitting bills maintains a comprehensive financial transactions record and easy reference. One of Splitwise's best features is accommodating various repayment scenarios and preferences. You can choose how to settle debts, whether an immediate repayment or periodic payments.

Tab

Tab is a user-friendly app that empowers you to effortlessly split bills, manage IOUs, and keep tabs on shared finances. Central to Tab's functionality is its ability to create and manage shared tabs, where you can seamlessly log expenses and track who owes what within a group setting.

The Tab app provides a straightforward mechanism for allocating expenses and calculating each participant's share to split the cost of meals, concert tickets, or vacation rentals. You can easily add new expenses, categorize them based on custom tags, and assign them to specific individuals.

What sets the Tab app apart is its emphasis on social integration and collaboration, enabling you to effortlessly split bills and settle debts within your existing social circle or household. By leveraging contact syncing and social media integration, Tab makes it easy to connect with friends and acquaintances to split bills without manual input or cumbersome account setups seamlessly. Tab offers seamless integration with popular payment platforms such as PayPal and Venmo, allowing users to settle debts directly within the app.

Settle Up

Settle Up streamlines expense management by providing a platform for logging transactions, calculating balances, and settling debts. From dividing up restaurant bills to managing household finances, you can create or join shared expense groups to track all your financial obligations.

The free app offers a range of intuitive features, including splitting bills evenly or unevenly, adding custom expenses with detailed descriptions, and allocating payments to specific individuals within the group.

"The brilliant thing about this app is that all your expenses are backed up and synced across your groups so everyone should be on the same page about what is owed and to whom," Julie Ramhold , consumer analyst at DealNews.com, tells PS. "Do you constantly switch back and forth with friends with someone getting one bill and then losing track of whose turn it is to pay? This app will help you keep track of that and show you who's up next which minimizes the back and forth and keeps groups from having to debate or argue who's up next to foot the bill."

With its built-in currency converter and multi-currency support, the Settle Up app caters to worldwide users. Everyone can participate in expense sharing regardless of location or currency preferences, which is great for friend groups who love international travel.

Settle Up's intuitive design and straightforward interface make it easy to navigate and understand financial obligations, and the app's robust calculation engine ensures that balances are accurately calculated and updated in real-time. Settle Up even offers integration with popular messaging platforms and payment services to communicate with group members and settle debts directly within the app.

Honeydue

Honeydue is a game-changer in helping partners manage finances. The app provides a comprehensive platform for tracking expenses, setting budgets , and staying on top of shared finances. Designed for couples, Honeydue offers a seamless way for partners to collaborate on financial matters, from splitting bills to monitoring spending habits and setting financial goals. With its intuitive interface, this app to split bills empowers couples to foster transparency, communication, and accountability.

Central to Honeydue's functionality is its ability to aggregate all financial accounts and transactions in one place, allowing couples to gain an at-a-glance view of their finances without the need for multiple apps or spreadsheets. From bank accounts and credit cards to loans and investments, Honeydue syncs with various financial institutions to provide real-time updates on balances and transactions, giving couples a clear understanding of their financial standing at any given time.

The Honeydue app fosters a sense of shared responsibility and empowerment in a couple's financial journey . Sometimes when two people merge finances, it can increase the overall number of payments going out and bills coming due. The app offers features such as bill reminders and payment tracking, making it easier for couples to stay organized with their financial obligations.

Venmo

Venmo has become synonymous with effortless bill-splitting. With its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with social networks, the Venmo app offers a convenient platform for sending and receiving money. Whether splitting the dinner bill , sharing rent payments, or reimbursing friends for concert tickets, Venmo simplifies the process with its all-in-one app for splitting bills.

Venmo's social aspect allows you to add notes, comments, and emojis to transactions, creating a fun and engaging way to interact with friends while managing expenses. The app's social feed also provides visibility into friends' activities to foster transparency and accountability. Venmo's seamless integration with contacts and social networks makes it easy to find and connect with friends to streamline splitting bills and expenses with those in your network.

Venmo's versatility extends beyond peer-to-peer payments, with features like Venmo Groups enabling you to create shared tabs for splitting bills among multiple individuals. Venmo Groups allows you to pool funds, track expenses, and settle debts within a collaborative framework to organize a group dinner, plan a trip, or manage household expenses with roommates.

Kate Fann is an established SEO content writer with 10 years of freelance writing experience. She focuses on creating engaging SEO content for lifestyle brands, covering home, technology, and entertainment

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7 Apps That Make It Simple to Split the Bill

Receipt on dining table in restaurant

Good things come in big packages, like ordering a steer directly from the local farmer or pooling your neighborhood grocery shopping into one big Costco run. But figuring out who owes what can be a spreadsheet nightmare. Luckily, we've rounded up seven of our favorite apps to help you eliminate receipt hoarding forever.

If you need a new phone to put these apps on, we rounded up our favorite cheap phones here .

Updated May 2020: We refreshed this list and added more services, like Splitwise.

Free for Android , iPhone

Splittr makes splitting bills super easy. You simply create the trip or event, then add individual expenses for that activity. From there, you can add the parties involved in that activity and how much each person contributed thus far. Then the app does its magic and figures out each person's current balance, as well as who owes what (and to whom) at the end of the trip.

Free for Android , iPhone , Web

Splitwise is a favorite of the WIRED Gear team. It has a more attractive and user-friendly interface and a pro version that lets you track spending by category, store high-resolution receipts, and convert bills by exchange rate if you're splitting expenses with people in other countries. Splitwise also makes an additional app called Plates by Splitwise that's designed specifically for splitting restaurant (takeout) bills. One caveat: You can't pay up inside the app—you've got to use real life money, or do that using another app ... like Venmo!

Free for Android , iPhone , Web (limited features)

Venmo is the way to go for things like paying a friend back for lunch, or paying rent or bills to a master tenant (or tech-savvy landlord). If your roommates owe you money for rent, they can either send you the money they owe through the app (free of charge if you use a debit card or connect your bank account), or you can send a charge for them to fulfill. You can complete the payment in the app, or do so by replying to a text message notification with a specific code. Venmo was acquired by PayPal, but the app experience is more friendly, social, and streamlined than PayPal's app.

GroupMe is mostly a group chatting service, but it does have a feature called Split. This is great for funding a group event, or requesting compensation after the fact. In a GroupMe group, simply click the paperclip icon to the left of the message compose field, tap collect, and enter how much each person owes you. Folks pay via credit card (there's a 3.5 percent charge plus 30 cents for each contributor), and you're notified when everyone has ponied up. If someone doesn't have the app, you can get and share a custom link for them to pay over the web.

Free for Android , iPhone , Windows 10 , Web

Another option for splitting bills among a group is SettleUp . You can create a group and all its members will be able to see expenses and add to them. It works for travel groups, roommates, couples, and anyone else who needs a way to keep expenses and bills organized.

Another option for sending and receiving money between friends or contacts is Square Cash or Google Pay . Both services also let you send and receive money via email. With Square Cash, just link your debit card to your account, then enter the recipients email address, Cc [email protected] on the email, and enter the amount in the subject line. If you want to request money, it's the same process, but you Cc [email protected] instead. It's all done in the app. With Google Pay, you can send or receive money for free from a linked bank account, or send money with a 2.9 percent transaction fee with a debit or credit card. You can also tap the "Attach Money" icon in Gmail to send it via email.

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12 budgetign app screenshots

The 12 Best Budgeting Apps for Travelers

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Ashley Rossi

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

After interning at SmarterTravel, Ashley joined the team full time in 2015. She's lived on three continents, but still never knows where her next adventure will take her. She's always searching for upcoming destination hotspots, secluded retreats, and hidden gems to share with the world.

Ashley's stories have been featured online on USA Today, Business Insider, TripAdvisor, Huffington Post, Jetsetter, and Yahoo! Travel, as well as other publications.

The Handy Item I Always Pack : "A reusable filtered water bottle—it saves you money, keeps you hydrated, and eliminates waste—win-win."

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While you’re stuck daydreaming about your next bucket-list vacation, why don’t you get a hold of your finances and make it a reality by first budgeting out your travel expenses? Whether it’s a road trip or international vacation that you’re planning, easily forgettable items like parking fees can add up. That’s why you should use a travel-specific budgeting app to help streamline your costs on your next trip. Here are 12 budget apps to help you plan your expenses.

PocketGuard

PocketGuard App

Link all of your financial accounts and cards to this app, and it will automatically update and categorize your spending in real time. It then tells you what spending money you have with the “in my pocket” feature. It also automatically builds you a spending budget based on income, bills, and the goals you set. It even finds ways to lower some of your monthly bills for you … sign us up.

Download: iOS | Google Play

Tripcoin

Tripcoin lets you enter in your expenses per day and even works offline. It then processes your spending to give you a spending summary of your trip, which you can export for other uses. This lets you see how much you’re spending on each category of your trip, broken down by day, so you can monitor your vacation expenses in real time.

Download: iOS

9 Sneaky Travel Costs You Might Forget to Budget For

Trip Expense Manager

Trip Expense Manager

The Trip Expense Manager app is ideal for large traveling groups that need help planning and monitoring travel expenses. For each trip you take, you can add Google users, a list of places to go, and expenses, and even mark who paid which bill.

Download: Google Play

TravelSpend

TravelSpend

I love TravelSpend for its easy-to-use features and simple design. How it works: You add expenses as they happen (the app works offline and even converts foreign currencies) and the app tracks your spending by total and by day. You can even follow your spending on a map throughout your vacation.

wally app screenshot

Wally connects to your current financial accounts and tracks your spending so you can get a handle on your cash flow and spending by category. Wally is useful because unlike some of the other budgeting apps, it lets you use private groups for managing trip spending or other budgets. You can even add reminders, notes, lists, documents, and comments.

TripMate

Users love TripMate for its simplicity and easy-to-use features, plus it’s all free. This travel expense tracker app lets you create a trip and then add and remove users as needed. You can add expenses, receive a personalized summary, and even get hotel, and other booking-related information.

Trail Wallet

trail wallet travel budget app

If you’re looking for a travel-specific budget tool and expense tracker, this is your best bet. Input your expenses into Trail Wallet and the app will split them up based on category so you can get a closer look at your spending. Note that only the first 25 items you enter are free.

11 Budget Travel Lies You Should Stop Believing Right Now

Tricount

This travel expense app makes splitting costs a breeze. Simply invite your travel partners to the trip you’ve created on the app, and each person can enter in his or her expenses. Once the trip is over (and all expenses have been entered) you can see who owes whom what amount.

Splitwise

Splitwise is another useful cost-tracking platform that easily lets you split group expenses while traveling. You can split by percentage or shares, and it’s even available in offline mode. It’s great for international trips, too, as the app is available in seven languages and over 100 currencies. Plus, it’s integrated with Venmo and PayPal for easy payback.

trip cost splitting app

Mint is so much more than just a travel expense app—it connects with all of your bank accounts to give you an overall summary of your cash flow. You can then easily create a budget for different categories, like saving for a vacation.

30 Essential Non-Travel Apps for Travelers

The Bach

For those who have been involved in the planning of a bachelor or bachelorette party, you know the trials and tribulations that come with splitting large group expenses. This app was created specifically for those organizing large group trips and includes building an itinerary, polls, and chat features as well as ways to track payments and bar tabs within your group.

YNAB (You Need a Budget)

YNAB (You Need a Budget) is a popular software used for budgeting. While it’s slightly pricey ($84 annually), the positive reviews are endless. On the app version, you can set savings goals and itemize your vaca expenses. There is a free 34-day trial to get you started.

More from SmarterTravel:

  • Single Travel: Essential Tips for Planning a Solo Trip
  • 5 Ways to Stay Sane When Planning a Trip with Friends
  • The 7 Best Trip Planner Apps for Travelers

Ashley Rossi is always ready for her next trip. Follow her on  Twitter   and  Instagram   for travel tips, destination ideas, and off the beaten path spots.

We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.

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  • Calculators
  • Already use Splitwise? Log in

trip cost splitting app

The Splitwise Travel Calculator

How should you and your friends split the cost of a beach house or a road trip? Use the Splitwise travel calculator to share expenses quickly and fairly.

Method of calculation

  • Each person pays the same Good for: misc. expenses, a trip everyone commits to in advance, a short weekend trip
  • Equal nightly rate for everyone Good for: groceries, a shared house with a rotating cast of characters, rentals-by-the-week
  • Divvy up each night Good for: a shared hotel room rented by the night, rental cars

Click and drag on the table below to select which days people were present:

Share your results

Splitting this bill with friends? Send them a splt.ws link:

trip cost splitting app

Keep track of all of your group travel expenses for free with Splitwise!

How to split travel costs with friends and family

Erica Silverstein

Figuring out how to split travel costs when vacationing with friends or family can be a tricky exercise. Case in point: I just came back from a girlfriends getaway where I quickly realized my friends had more money to spend on restaurants and ride-hailing services than I did. I didn't want to be the killjoy who insisted on skipping fancy French food in favor of cooking pasta in our Airbnb, but I was definitely anxious about what my final travel bill would look like.

Not only can group trips create stress around how much the weekend or week will cost, but there can be many questions about who will actually pay for each meal, ride or accommodation and how others will pay them back. No one wants to overpay — even if they are getting rewards points on the purchase.

It doesn't help that your desire to see family and friends, especially after being shut-ins during the coronavirus pandemic, may be at odds with skyrocketing food and travel costs that are outpacing your annual pay raise.

How do you agree on and split travel costs with family and friends so that everyone actually enjoys their getaway and comes home still on speaking terms? Here are seven tips for handling the finances on a group trip.

Discuss general trip costs before you book

Is this a $500-per-person trip or a $5,000-per-couple trip? To set yourselves up for success, take the pulse of the group to determine how much they can spend on this adventure.

It's not an easy ask. "We know that topics about money are taboo in general," says Sarah Foster, an analyst and economy reporter at Bankrate (a sister site of TPG). "A lot of the challenges that people face when committing to travel or going places with their friends can be fixed with the general idea of being comfortable talking about money."

This is especially crucial if you're planning a trip and then inviting others (such as a bachelor or bachelorette party). Your friends might be coming from vastly different financial situations. Give the group an estimate of what flights, accommodations, transportation, food and activities might cost, and then give the invited participants the chance to push back or back out.

And please don't shame anyone for choosing not to go into debt for a vacation they can't afford. The fear of missing out should they opt to stay home is painful enough; you don't want to make your friends feel like they have to choose between financial security and their relationship with you.

Be considerate of room and price disparity when booking accommodations

trip cost splitting app

Unless you are booking identical hotel rooms in which everyone gets their own bed (or shares one), agree with your group on a fair way to allocate and pay for accommodations.

"I absolutely abhor when whoever booked the accommodations gets a smaller place under the assumption that if you're single, you don't need your own space or your own bed. If everyone is paying equally, everyone should get an equal amount of space/room to sleep," says Madison Blancaflor, a senior editor at TPG. She recommends dividing nightly lodging rates unequally, so folks can pay more for larger rooms or less for smaller or shared rooms.

Still, you should never assume anyone is OK with sleeping on a pullout sofa or sharing a bed with someone they're not married to without asking first. Even if they agree, do not charge them the same amount as the couple in the master bedroom ... unless everyone states they are fine with the arrangement.

Alternatively, look for vacation destinations where you can offer the group a range of accommodation styles and prices while keeping everyone in close proximity. For example, on a cruise or at a resort, the family matriarch or patriarch might book a large suite, perhaps with extra space for gatherings, while the grandkids occupy an inside cabin or smaller hotel room that faces a garden instead of the ocean.

Don't assume everyone wants to spend their vacation budget the same way

Some people travel to try the best restaurants in a destination, regardless of cost. Others prefer to dine on the cheap and spend their money on experiences, such as tours or attraction entry fees. Your friends might want to spend the night ordering craft cocktails at numerous bars, while you'd prefer to take in a concert or theater performance. Or, your parents might want to book every tour and enter every museum, while your budget dictates only enjoying free or low-cost activities.

These differences in which vacation activities are valuable to you versus your travel companions can lead to disagreements and hurt feelings when planning the day's activities. It can also make some tripmates uncomfortable when they end up spending more on activities than they'd planned.

To avoid any difficult situations arising, make a point to have the necessary conversation about how to spend your money while on vacation ahead of the trip so you can figure out a compromise. Perhaps group members take turns choosing the day's or evening's activities, or maybe you agree to split up at times according to interest and budget. Sometimes, wealthier grandparents or couples are willing to subsidize a pricier meal or activity the group would love to do so the more budget-conscious travelers don't have to worry about the cost. You won't know until you talk about it.

Remember the fine financial details

Your group may agree to split the restaurant bill, but that doesn't mean you've settled all the important details. Are you leaving a 15% or 25% tip? And how do you account for bad exchange rates when withdrawing money or credit card fees on foreign purchases? No one wants to nitpick, but it might be necessary to ease the stress of travelers on a budget.

Before you agree to split costs, check in with your travel companions to determine how price sensitive they are. Is $5 more here or there a deal-breaker, or are they fine with occasionally going slightly over budget? Be clear about which expenses will be shared and which the individual will have to take on themselves. The only right answer is the one you all agree on.

Use technology to make splitting expenses easier

"Everybody who has a travel rewards credit card or accumulates reward points knows how important it is to be the first one to slap your credit card down on a bill and pay for the group. But what is often overlooked is the repayment process," says Foster.

Splitting costs can become a nightmare when it's time to settle up. Your sister lost her receipts, your boyfriend's best friend wants you to cover his excessive beer buying and there's always someone you have to chase down for months to actually pay you back.

Plus, who owes what anyway? You don't want to divide a bill evenly if people's meals cost vastly different amounts.

"It's important to be aware of how you're splitting the bills on a trip and making sure that no one is overpaying," says Foster. If someone gets a couple of drinks at dinner but someone else doesn't drink at all, it's not fair to make that person subsidize her friend's cocktails. "Nothing makes trips that are supposed to be fun more awkward than the fear of someone at the table paying more than they technically spent, then being afraid to bring it up."

This is a problem, however, that technology can solve. Choose any of a number of cost-splitting apps or calculators, such as Splitwise, to keep track of expenses and figure out who owes whom what. You can enter expenses in the moment — some let you submit photos of the receipts themselves — and even determine who is responsible for splitting each individual payment if it's not the entire group every time. The app does the math and will streamline payments so you're not all simultaneously throwing money at each other.

Take turns paying for group expenses

trip cost splitting app

Low-tech solutions to splitting travel costs work, too. Perhaps one person pays for all dinners and another pays for all transportation with ride-hailing services so it's clearer who needs to get paid and receipts are less likely to get lost. If one traveler really wants to benefit from all those credit card rewards and doesn't mind paying a lot upfront, designate that person to pay for all the group travel expenses. That way, the rest only have to pay one person at the end of the trip.

Alternatively, each person can take turns paying for things in the hopes that everyone spends a similar amount. Even if it's not exact, you won't have such large or complicated repayments at the end of the trip. And everyone gets a chance to earn points or miles on their credit card.

When all else fails, ask for separate checks

It's easier to have one person pay the entire restaurant bill or train fare, but if you're concerned about splitting travel costs fairly, sometimes it's better for everyone to pay for themselves. Ask for separate checks at restaurants, and have each traveler buy their own tour tickets with cash or credit as they see fit.

Look for apps and travel providers that have an option to let multiple people pay from the start. Uber and Airbnb both allow costs to be split from the get-go, so everyone pays as they go instead of settling up at the end.

Bottom line

Splitting vacation costs can quickly become a stressful part of your trip if you don't plan ahead. When multiple people are involved, you'll get just as many opinions on what the budget should be, what you should splurge on and how you'll pay for each expense. The most important thing you can do to prevent arguments or financial anxiety is to open the lines of communication and talk about all the money matters during the planning stage and while you're on the trip.

It may feel awkward to bring up finances, but remember who you're talking to. "Your family, your friends, they all care about you, and they wouldn't want you to put yourself in credit card debt," says Foster. "Everyone in the group does want the best things for you. It's just a matter of building up the courage to approach the conversation."

Once you've agreed on how to split the vacation costs, you can get on with what's most important — enjoying the trip and spending time together as a group.

HerMoney

Connect Friends

The 6 best apps for splitting bills with friends.

apps for splitting bills

Grabbing pizza and beer with friends used to mean emptying your wallets in order to come up with enough cash so that everyone in your party could contribute to the bill. But of course this led to many awkward conversations about exactly how to split the bill, and what to do if someone couldn’t pay their share. 

These days, with platforms like Zelle and Apple Pay, credit cards, and countless bill-splitting apps, carving up a restaurant bill has never been easier. No matter what form of payment you’re using, it’s arguably the apps that have been a game-changer. Some apps are designed specifically for dining out, while others work better for roommates sharing living costs, or splitting the costs of group travel. The best part? These apps can drastically cut down on the number of money transfers each person has to make, and almost completely eliminates the headachy math.

No, bill-splitting apps won’t entirely eliminate those awkward money conversations from your life, but the transparency these apps offer should hopefully take the sting out of these convos and help everyone you’re eating with, traveling with, or living with feel they’re paying exactly what they owe — and not a penny more. 

Here’s the skinny. 

Splitwise (iOS, Android, web-based)

This app gets top marks for versatility and functionality because it covers different kinds of situations, like dividing expenses with a roomie or significant other, splitting a restaurant bill, or taking a trip with friends. It works especially well for activities over time like a monthly grocery bill, utility share, or vacation. 

How it works: Create groups for each activity, and the app keeps a running tally for each group of everyone’s IOUs and who’s paid what along the way. You can split evenly or unevenly by percent or shares.  

For example, let’s say you take a trip with three friends. Everyone can see the shared expenses listed, and each person’s balance goes up and down as the app tracks costs over time. It also tells each person who they owe. At the end of the month, it sends reminder notices of what is owed, but a group can settle up whenever they choose. We love that the app interfaces with Venmo and PayPal since many people already use one or both. Or if someone pays in cash, the recipient can record a cash payment in the app. 

If you want to be able to scan receipts or convert currency on an international trip, you’ll need the pro version . 

Cost: The free version will work for most people (there are periodic ads to watch). The pro version costs $2.99 a month or $29.99 per year (no ads). 

Settle Up (iOS, Android, Windows, web-based)

Like Splitwise, this app keeps track of a group’s expenses—roommates sharing costs or buddies taking a trip—and automatically calculates who owes how much. 

How it works: In the free version, you log in and create a group. You can then decide how to divide payments—equally, by share, or by specific amounts for each individual—and the entire group can see who owes what. That might be all you need. 

If you’re doing more complicated transactions over time with a significant other, the paid version allows you to upload receipts, manage recurring transactions, and create expense categories for better budgeting. In this version, you can also convert currency during international travel. 

Cost: The free version will work for most people (again, periodic ads to watch). The premium version costs for $0.99 a month or $10.99 per year (no ads). 

Splid (iOS, Android)

“Split bills, not friendships” – that’s Splid’s tag line. This app is well suited to group travel but also works for roomies and relationships. It includes 150 currencies and works on and offline (in those travel dead zones). Plus, you can download expense summaries in Excel or a PDF. 

How it works: Add up all the group expenses and divide among the members for easy payment. Multiple members can be added to an expense. So, for example, say two people cover the cost of a boat tour for five, add all five to the expense, and the app will tally who owes how much to whom. No need to register for an account, a feature that people especially like.  

Cost: free 

Plates by Splitwise (iOS)

If you already use Splitwise, this integrated free app is designed specifically for dining out. It gets rave reviews for its ease-of-use functionality, and the visuals make it a snap to use. 

How it works: Everyone in the group gets their own “plate” and you drag their menu items to their plate. If several people share something like an appetizer or dessert, those items can be shared among those plates (or among the whole group if ordered that way). If two people are paying together, their plates can be “stacked.” The app calculates tax and tip portions, and notifies users by email or text of their total. A couple limitations: it limits group size to 10 and it’s only available on iOS. 

Tab (iOS, Android)  

An alternative to Plates, this dining-out app steps in for Android users and larger groups. It allows you to upload a photo of the receipt so each person can access the same bill from their phones and claim their items. In fact, it’s one of the few apps that allows you to upload a photo for free. 

How it works: Each person taps the items they ordered from the receipt, or, if sharing, multiple people can tap the same item and the cost gets divvied up. Tax and tip also are split up proportionately. Tab keeps activity synced in real time, and individualized totals go out to each person. 

The app interfaces with Venmo for easy payment or allows you to record a cash payment from someone. One thing to know—Tab doesn’t allow uploading older photos of receipts from your camera roll to square up later, so you’ll want to handle splitting the bill in the moment.

Venmo (iOS, Android)

Just in case you don’t already use Venmo, here’s the rundown. 

How it works: Venmo lets you send to and request payment from another person. It’s not a bill-splitting app, per se, but it’s a snap to pay back or be reimbursed for an expense by adding your bank account or a debit card for no-fee transfers. Your roomie covered groceries? Do the math and pay your share. And don’t forget, it interfaces with other apps like Splitwise and Tab. 

More Must-Have Apps:

  • 8 Free Productivity Apps
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Trip Splitter 4+

Track shared expenses, dc software arts, designed for ipad.

  • #176 in Travel
  • 4.4 • 62 Ratings

Screenshots

Description.

Breezily split expenses with travel companions. In seconds. It takes mere seconds to create a new trip and add participants. When you split a bill, simply pop open the app, enter each participants costs, and the IOU’s are calculated and stored. And at any point, just request the Totals menu item to see the simplest number of payments for everyone to get even, or send a quick email to participants with the breakdown of costs. Our customers say it all: 5 Stars! "Works great - perfect app!" 5 Stars! "Easy to use and fun" 5 Stars! "Makes group travel a snap!" I love it! I've tested out at least 8 other travel apps and this one is so easy to use and intuitive. Chosen for "App of the Week" review by abcnews.go: http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2013/06/app-of-the-week-trip-splitter/ Main features: - Unlimited number of participants - Add participant photos for added fun - Create even or uneven splits - Enter quantities owed or paid in under 6 seconds - Categorize expenses with the touch of an icon - Supports all country currencies, multiple currencies in a single trip, and the very large numbers required by some currencies - Totals View at any time to see totals by categories and persons, and the IOUs for evening-up - Email participants a very detailed list of spendings Special features: - Geo-locate all your spendings on a map - Attach photos of receipts or events - Record individual payments between people - View daily expenses and totals - Switch between concurrent trips - Email and web support PLUS TONS MORE—as you continue your trip, you’ll reveal how much functionality our app has and how stress-free your trip can be!

Version 4.0.7

4.0.7 fixes a crash when switching trips and fixes various iPad screen layout problems.

Ratings and Reviews

Must have for group travel.

I’ve been using this app for more than 10 years now, and it is a must have for travel with friends and family. It makes it easy to track/split out costs, even with multiple currencies within one trip. The only downside is that it depends on one person, being the keeper of the expenses, rather than sharing a trip with all the travelers to update as you go.

Great App - Wish It Was More Robust

Overall great app and I’ve used it for years amongst friends. The currency setup/conversion is a bit confusing and I wish there were some UX enhancements and that this was cloud based and could be shared across multiple users. Have used this app for groups as small as 2 to 15 people. It definitely is a bit harder to use with larger groups but still works fine.

Great App!!!

I love this app! It is easy to input expenses during a trip with plenty of detailed information. The app clearly tracks expenses by day, by category (gas, lodging, food, etc) and by traveler so that it is easy to settle/even up at the end of the trip. The app also creates simple reports to email from within the app to all travelers included in the trip expenses. Thank you for creating and maintaining this app.

App Privacy

The developer, DC Software Arts , indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .

Data Not Collected

The developer does not collect any data from this app.

Privacy practices may vary, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More

Information

  • Developer Website
  • App Support
  • Privacy Policy

trip cost splitting app

Family Sharing

Up to six family members can use this app with family sharing enabled., more by this developer.

Trip Splitter Lite

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By Charlotte Davey

Woman sitting on an aeroplane looking at her smartphone

The best travel apps, when used to your advantage, can be the most indispensable companion for a trip. Not only can they save you time and money, but they can also reduce any journey-induced stress. Need to work out costs on a group trip , translate a menu, or get from A to B when you don’t speak the language? There’s an App for that. But just as you don’t need a suitcase laden with unworn clothing, no one needs a phone clogged with gimmicky or useless apps. We asked our jet-setting editors to share the apps they genuinely use while travelling and the lesser-known gems that have saved a holiday. So while the BA App, Rome2Rio, or Monzo might be stalwarts of the frequent flyer’s home screen, here are the clever, hardworking Apps our travel insiders swear by.

Cost: Free to use (Wanderlog Pro includes additional features and costs around £40 per year)

USP: One of the best travel apps for planning every kind of trip, including road trips and group travel: create a trip itinerary, budget costs, organise flights and hotel reservations, and collaborate with friends. After your trip, share a travel guide to inspire other travellers.

Wanderlog brings everything you need to plan your trips into one seamless app experience. Its user-friendly, web-scanning database contains a huge wealth of information about sights, attractions and places to eat and drink. Not only can you find recommended hotspots through the app and add these to a map view, but you can also import reservation and flight details from your emails. Wanderlog is especially ideal for group trips. Your customised itineraries and lists can be edited by multiple people in real time, and users can leave notes for fellow travellers – such as a reminder of the must-have dish or dress code at a restaurant. Smart AI functionality means that the app can offer (editable) auto-generated itineraries as well. And if that isn’t enough, you can track expenses and cost-splitting too, indispensable for larger groups and squabble-prone families. Toyo Odetunde

Wheely

Cost: Free to download.

USP: Request a chauffeur-driven, class-leading car on-demand or in advance for yourself or on behalf of others.

Wheely is a seriously plush chauffeur service within an easy-to-use app, currently operating in London, Paris , Dubai, and Moscow. What makes this ideal for the frequent flyer is that you can add in your flight details when booking an airport pick-up, so the driver knows exactly what time you’ll be landing (so no risk of them driving off if you’ve been delayed), and they’ll be ready and waiting for you (with your name on a sign) at arrivals. For any other queries, you can live chat with a real person (no bot responses here) – for example, if they can provide a baby seat (which they happily did for a recent family holiday ). Cars come with water and chargers as standard, and drivers are friendly, professional and knowledgeable. Peace of mind at the click of a button. Charlotte Davey

Hong Kong Taxi Cards

Cost: £1.99

USP: With over 9,000 Hong Kong addresses translated into written Chinese and Cantonese, equipped with a function to request additional addresses and get feedback quickly, this is not an ordinary dictionary-type translator app.

This is indispensable for travelling around Hong Kong if you’re not fluent in Cantonese. The App has pretty much every address ready in Chinese and Cantonese, so you can show your taxi driver where you want to go without getting lost in translation. It also has a speaking option which delivers the address fluently, which is really helpful if you have zero grasp of the language. Another handy feature is that the App will show you the journey time and estimate fare – something to remember is that not all taxis have card machines so you’ll need to make sure you have enough cash on you before you hail a cab. Matt Buck

Woman with a smartphone in a taxi

Cost: Free to download (Splitwise Pro costs £2.79)

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USP: Splitwise is the easiest way to share expenses with friends and family and stop stressing about “who owes who”.

This is a game changer for working out costs on group trips. Everyone in the party signs up, and then you simply enter your expenses as you go – with a description of what it was (flights, accommodation, food, etc) and who it needs to be split between (i.e. the whole group or just those who were in the taxi, for example). It’s a great way to stay on top of costs, from larger expenses to smaller spending, like a round at the bar. At the end of the trip, click ‘simplify debts’, and you should be left with just one transaction each to ensure everyone has paid the same amount. You can label each trip and see who has settled up, and if someone doesn’t pay the App will send them helpful reminders (saving pennies and friendships). Charlotte Davey

Google Translate

USP: Translate between up to 133 languages with instant camera translation.

Google Translate is nothing new, but if you download the app, you can use the camera on your phone to upload signs, labels, or menus for an instant translation. This is a lifesaver for travelling in a country that doesn’t use the English alphabet or a language you’re unsure how to pronounce. The platform is currently proficient in 133 languages, so this is a great one wherever you are in the world. The App also works offline so you don’t need to worry about data roaming charges. Another function that is noteworthy is the speaker option – not only can you point your phone at a sign for a translation, but it will then speak in your chosen language, which is particularly helpful for those who are visually impaired. Charlotte Davey

USP: Find wheelchair-accessible restaurants, cafes, toilets, shops, cinemas, parking lots, bus stops and much more.

Developed by a not-for-profit company based in Germany , this is a great app for wheelchair users, families travelling with prams, or even for those with heavy suitcases navigating public transport. Operating in over 30 countries, a vast number of restaurants, stations, shops, and more are shown on an interactive map with a traffic light system for whether it is fully accessible (green), part accessible (yellow), or not accessible (red). The App replies to users rating places they have visited, so less touristy areas won’t have as much information. Charlotte Davey

Wheely

Cost: Free to download

USP: Stay connected in over 200 countries and regions. Install an eSIM and get online in minutes with no roaming fees.

Especially handy if you’re travelling through different countries, Airalo allows you to use different eSim cards to keep your data roaming costs down. The App is free to download, and then simply choose the country you’re in, and select a data plan depending on how long you're there and how much you’ll be using your phone. You can often save around £10 for a week's holiday which is worth it if you’re a frequent flyer or watching the pennies while travelling. Sophie Knight

Cost: Free to use. In-app purchases.

USP: Whering is the digital wardrobe and styling app where you can curate, organise, style and plan your outfits.

Whering is essentially a portable digital wardrobe – a ‘Clueless’ style outfit planner on your mobile phone. Fill your in-app wardrobe by uploading photos of your clothes, or by importing images from the app’s cosmic database or your favourite online retailers. Whering will then process these images into sleek, combinable ‘cut-outs’, allowing you to put together countless outfits, looks and mood boards, which can also be organised by occasion. If you’re short on time, or feeling either uninspired or spontaneous, Whering’s AI can deliver outfit suggestions in seconds – even taking into account the weather forecast, ideal when travelling a country you’re not familiar with (or just braving London’s erratic climes). The Planner function is especially great for trips, storing your outfit ideas for specific dates and events. Also great for travel planning is the packing list feature; you can add items to a packing list for a particular destination, and Whering can suggest items you may have forgotten. Toyo Odetunde

COMMENTS

  1. Split expenses with friends. :: Splitwise

    Split expenses with any group: trips, housemates, friends, and family. Add expenses easily Quickly add expenses on the go before you forget who paid. Pay friends back ... So amazing to have this app manage balances and help keep money out of relationships. love it! Haseena C, Android.

  2. Best Bill-Splitting Apps of 2024

    Splitwise is a full-featured mobile app that makes it simple to split expenses and track borrowing and lending over time. Its helpful tools and user-friendly interface make it our top choice among bill-splitting apps. Pros & Cons. Pros. Lets you create unique groups to split expenses.

  3. ‎Splitwise on the App Store

    If you don't choose to purchase "Splitwise Pro", you can continue using Splitwise for free. Premium Subscription Service "Splitwise Pro": 1. Store high-resolution receipts in the cloud (10GB cloud storage) 2. OCR integration for scanning and itemizing receipts. 3. Backups to JSON, downloadable from our website. 4.

  4. ‎Splittr

    Invaluable app for travel with friends 17 days, 5 couples, 3 countries, 3 currencies, $7,500 in shared expenses and creative expense splitting throughout. Splittr made the finances of this trip between friends SOOOOO simple. I've had trips with 2-3 friends over a weekend or so and used a spreadsheet to track it all.

  5. Spliito

    Check the Settlement Method. The settlement method allows you to check 'who needs to repay whom' and 'how much'. The settlement is calculated to be completed in the fewest number of transactions possible. Get Started. Spliito offers you the easiest way to pay for the split when you travel.

  6. Splitwise

    Splitwise is simple to use: - Create groups or private friendships for any splitting situation. - Add expenses, IOUs, or informal debts in any currency, with support for offline entry. - Expenses are backed up online so any everyone can log in, view their balances, and add expenses. - Keep track of who should pay next, or settle up by recording ...

  7. Best Bill-Splitting Apps

    5.25%. Min. Balance to Earn APY. $1. Learn More From Our Partner. So with that in mind, here are six of the most popular bill-splitting apps: Splitwise. Settle Up. Plates by Splitwise. Tab.

  8. Splittr

    Best cost split app after several similar apps trials. Never regret buying this app! Good job. ... Fantastic for Expense Splitting. Just got back from trip with two other friends. Put in all receipts, split costs between two or three people, equally or unequally depending on expense. It is so easy to use, love the equalization report - makes it ...

  9. SplitPal

    SplitPal makes it simple to split expenses with the least amount of transaction. 4 Easy Steps! 1. The Group: First create a group for your expense, then add the individuals that participated. 2. The Expenses: Start adding your expenses. Example: Lunch, Dinner, Happy hour, house expense, coffee shop.

  10. 5 Apps For Splitting Bills With Partners, Roommates, Friends

    This app for splitting bills maintains a comprehensive financial transactions record and easy reference. One of Splitwise's best features is accommodating various repayment scenarios and ...

  11. 7 Great Bill Splitting Apps: Splitwise, Venmo, and More

    Splittr. Free for Android, iPhone. Splittr makes splitting bills super easy. You simply create the trip or event, then add individual expenses for that activity. From there, you can add the ...

  12. 5 of the Best Cost-Splitting Apps for Travelers

    If you're an Android user, the basic version is ad-supported, and it costs $0.99/month (or $11/year) to lose the ads and add a few extra features. On iOS, there's no free version, just a one-time payment of $1.99. It does offer a few extra features compared to Splitwise, however. For example, it's possible to send an image of bills to any ...

  13. The 12 Best Budgeting and Travel Expense Apps to Download

    This travel expense app makes splitting costs a breeze. Simply invite your travel partners to the trip you've created on the app, and each person can enter in his or her expenses. Once the trip ...

  14. Best bill-splitting apps for dining, trips and more

    Best for. Billr. App costs $1.99. List costs, split shared items, set tax and tip amounts, show up to 16 people what they owe and send copies of the split by text or email. Groups. Restaurants or bars. Settle Up. App costs $1.99. Manage shared expenses with friends, track receipts and past bills and show who pays next.

  15. Splitwise

    Splitwise is simple to use: - Create groups or private friendships for any splitting situation. - Add expenses, IOUs, or informal debts in any currency, with support for offline entry. - Expenses are backed up online so any everyone can log in, view their balances, and add expenses. - Keep track of who should pay next, or settle up by recording ...

  16. Travel calculator :: Splitwise

    Method of calculation. Each person pays the same Good for: misc. expenses, a trip everyone commits to in advance, a short weekend trip. Equal nightly rate for everyone Good for: groceries, a shared house with a rotating cast of characters, rentals-by-the-week. Divvy up each night Good for: a shared hotel room rented by the night, rental cars.

  17. 7 Best Split Bills Apps to Track Shared Expenses

    Acasa. Acasa is not just a bill-splitting app; it has so much more to offer to make your lives easier. It is designed to set up, manage, pay, and split the cost of bills from a single platform. The free app emphasizes your household bills and splits them proportionally between you and your roommate.

  18. ‎Group Cost Split on the App Store

    Cost Split is the most versatile of all the bill splitter apps on the app store and fits most situations where you need to split costs between multiple people. You can create groups with various friends and divide up what each person owes. Cost Split helps to divvy up travel expenses on a group vacation. Budget and Bill Organizing.

  19. Group Cost Split

    This app will help you settle the debts and the emotions. Cost Split is the most versatile of all the bill splitter apps on the play store and fits most situations where you need to split costs between multiple people. You can create groups with various friends and divide up what each person owes. Cost Split helps to divvy up travel expenses on ...

  20. How to split travel costs with friends and family

    Look for apps and travel providers that have an option to let multiple people pay from the start. Uber and Airbnb both allow costs to be split from the get-go, so everyone pays as they go instead of settling up at the end. Bottom line. Splitting vacation costs can quickly become a stressful part of your trip if you don't plan ahead.

  21. The 6 Best Apps for Splitting Bills With Friends

    The pro version costs $2.99 a month or $29.99 per year (no ads). Settle Up (iOS, Android, Windows, web-based) Like Splitwise, this app keeps track of a group's expenses—roommates sharing costs or buddies taking a trip—and automatically calculates who owes how much. How it works: In the free version, you log in and create a group. You can ...

  22. ‎Trip Splitter on the App Store

    ‎Breezily split expenses with travel companions. In seconds. It takes mere seconds to create a new trip and add participants. When you split a bill, simply pop open the app, enter each participants costs, and the IOU's are calculated and stored. And at any point, just request the Totals menu item…

  23. 8 of the best travel apps that travel editors can't live without

    Cost: Free to use (Wanderlog Pro includes additional features and costs around £40 per year) USP: One of the best travel apps for planning every kind of trip, including road trips and group travel: create a trip itinerary, budget costs, organise flights and hotel reservations, and collaborate with friends. After your trip, share a travel guide ...