Expense Split Calculator
Add people and expenses, mark who paid for each, and see exactly who owes who — with the minimum number of payments to settle everything up.
People in the group
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Who owes what
Manage group expenses on trips or with roommates, then track your own share in Expenly.
Download FreeHow to Split Expenses Fairly
The simplest approach is equal splitting: divide the total by the number of people. This works well for groups with similar incomes spending on shared experiences. For couples or households with unequal incomes, proportional splitting (based on percentage of combined income each person earns) is fairer and reduces financial tension.
This calculator uses equal splitting by default — the most common need for trips, dinners, and group activities.
The Minimum Transactions Problem
When multiple people pay for different things, settling up naively creates a lot of back-and-forth payments. The "minimum transactions" algorithm used in this calculator finds the smallest number of payments needed to make everyone whole. Instead of 6 people sending payments to each other, it might find that 3 payments settle everything.
This is the same approach used by apps like Splitwise — and it's significantly better than the "everyone Venmo everyone" approach.
Tips for Group Travel Finances
- Designate one person per expense type: One person handles all meals, another handles accommodation. Reduces complexity significantly.
- Settle at the end of each day: Don't let IOUs accumulate. A quick calculation at dinner is easier than untangling a week of expenses at the airport.
- Use a shared spreadsheet or log: Everyone seeing the running total prevents misunderstandings and keeps the group accountable.
- Round to the nearest dollar: Don't split to the cent — it creates friction without meaningful accuracy.
Splitting Bills With Roommates
For ongoing roommate expenses, the cleanest system is usually: one person pays each recurring bill (utilities, internet, streaming) and the others Venmo their share at the start of the month. Keep a shared note with each person's bills to ensure the total expense is roughly equal. Use this calculator at the end of the month to true up any imbalances.