Splitwise Alternatives: 3 Free Ways to Split Costs

The best Splitwise alternatives are Tricount if you want splitting that's free and unlimited with no ads, Settle Up if you want friends to check balances from a link without installing anything, and Honeydue if you're a couple who wants to see accounts and bills together. Splitwise itself is still a solid pick for roommates and friends. Its free version covers splitting and balances, but it has ads, and extras like receipt scanning sit behind Pro.

Why people look for Splitwise alternatives

Splitwise is the app many people think of first when a group shares costs. You add a bill, say who paid and how to split it, and everyone sees what they owe. Then you settle up later, in cash or through a payment app.

It does that job well. So why look elsewhere? Usually for one of these reasons:

• Ads. The free version of Splitwise shows ads, and some people find that annoying in an app they open after every dinner out.
• Features behind Pro. Splitting and balances are free, but Pro adds receipt scanning, charts and more.
• Friends who won't sign up. Splitwise needs an account, and getting a whole group to make one can be the hardest part.
• No signal. On a trip, you may want an app that works fully offline.
• It's just the two of you. Couples often want more than a running tab, like a view of shared accounts and bills.

If one of those sounds like you, one of the apps below will likely fit better. If none of them bother you, Splitwise is still a fine choice.

What to look for in apps like Splitwise

All the apps here do the same basic job: record who paid what, and work out who owes whom. The differences are in the details, so check these before you pick.

• Is it fully free? Some apps are free and unlimited. Others are free with ads, or free with paid extras.
• Does everyone need the app? Some apps let friends see the balance without installing anything.
• Does it work offline? Handy on trips, in the mountains, or abroad without data.
• Is it for a group or a couple? Group splitters keep a tab. Couples apps show shared money as a whole.

One more thing to know: none of the group splitters here plan a budget. They track shared costs, nothing more. If you also want a monthly budget, see our guide to budget apps for couples.

Splitwise: the baseline

SplitwiseView app ›

Splitwise records shared expenses between friends, roommates or partners and keeps a running balance. It works on iPhone, Android and the web, so everyone in the group can use it, whatever phone they have.

The free version covers what most people need: splitting expenses and tracking balances. Pro adds receipt scanning, charts and more. The app has ads, it needs an account, and it works partly offline.

The catch: it splits costs, it doesn't plan a budget. And everyone in the group needs an account to join.

Who it suits: roommates and friend groups who share bills often and don't mind ads or signing up.

Tricount: a free Splitwise alternative with no limits

Tricount · FreeView app ›

Tricount splits group costs and shows who owes what. Its biggest selling point is simple: it's free and unlimited, with no subscription and no ads. That makes it the most direct free Splitwise alternative on this list.

It also works offline, which matters on trips. You can add a meal or a taxi fare with no signal, and it's all there when you're back online. Tricount runs on iPhone, Android and the web.

The catch: like Splitwise, it splits costs and doesn't plan a budget. If you want charts of where your money goes each month, this isn't that app.

Who it suits: travel groups, roommates and anyone who wants splitting with no limits and nothing to pay.

Settle Up: friends check balances from a link

Settle UpView app ›

Settle Up tracks shared costs with friends and roommates. Its standout feature is that friends can view the balance from a link. They don't have to install anything to see what they owe.

That solves one of the most common problems with group apps: the one friend who never downloads it. With Settle Up, you can keep the tab and just send the link. An account is optional, it works offline, and it runs on iPhone, Android and the web.

Splitting is free, with ads.

The catch: you'll see ads unless you pay. If ads are the reason you're leaving Splitwise, Tricount is the better fit.

Who it suits: people who split trips or rent and want friends to check balances without installing anything.

Honeydue: for couples, not groups

Honeydue · FreeView app ›

Honeydue is a different kind of app. It's not a group splitter. It's a money app made for couples, with shared spending limits and a chat about purchases.

Instead of logging each bill and who paid, you and your partner see your accounts and bills together. You can set spending limits for the two of you and talk about purchases right in the app. It's free to use, with optional tips. It runs on iPhone and Android.

The catch: it works best with linked US bank accounts. If you won't link a bank, or you live outside the US, skip it.

Who it suits: couples who use Splitwise only between the two of them and want a fuller, shared view of their money for free.

Splitwise alternatives compared

Here's how the four apps line up on the things that matter most when you share costs.

A quick read of the table:

• No ads and nothing to pay: Tricount.
• Friends without the app: Settle Up.
• Two people, shared accounts: Honeydue.
• Everyone already uses it: Splitwise.

Tricount vs Splitwise

These two are the closest match, so they're worth a direct look.

Both split group costs, both run on iPhone, Android and the web, and both are free to start. The difference is in what the free version includes.

Tricount is free and unlimited, with no subscription and no ads. It works fully offline.

Splitwise gives you splitting and balances for free, but shows ads. Receipt scanning, charts and more are part of Pro. It needs an account and works partly offline.

If you mainly split costs on trips, or you just want a clean app with nothing to pay, Tricount is the easier choice. If your group already lives in Splitwise, switching may not be worth the hassle of moving everyone over.

How to choose a split expenses app

If you're still unsure, start with the question that matters most to you.

1. Do ads bother you? Pick Tricount. It has none, and nothing to pay.
2. Will your friends refuse to install an app? Pick Settle Up, and send them the link.
3. Are you splitting with a partner, not a group? Try Honeydue, if you're in the US and happy to link a bank.
4. Is your group already on Splitwise? Stay. It does the job, and moving everyone is work.

Whichever app you choose, a few habits help:

• Add costs right away. It's easy to forget who paid for the taxi by the next morning.
• Settle up often. Small balances are easier to clear than big ones.
• Agree on the rules first. Even splits or by item, decide before the trip, not after.

For more options, including apps for one-off group costs, see our roundup of the best apps to split bills, or search Squapp for a bill splitting app.

Keep deciding: Best apps to split bills, Budget apps for couples, Find an app to split costs.