Splitwise

What is Splitwise?

Splitwise is an expense-tracking app designed for shared costs. Whether you are splitting an Airbnb with friends, sharing meals on a road trip, or dividing household bills with roommates, Splitwise keeps track of who paid what and who owes whom.

For digital nomads, Splitwise eliminates the mental load of tracking group expenses while traveling. No more spreadsheets, no more "I'll pay you back later" confusion, no more awkward money conversations.

Why Digital Nomads Use Splitwise

Group Travel Made Simple

Traveling with others means shared costs: accommodations, rental cars, meals, activities, groceries. Without tracking, someone always ends up paying more than their share, or worse, money conversations create tension.

Splitwise removes this friction. Everyone logs what they pay, the app calculates running balances, and you settle up at the end with minimal transactions.

Multi-Currency Support

On a trip through Europe, you might pay for a hostel in euros, lunch in Swiss francs, and a train ticket in British pounds. Splitwise handles this automatically, converting everything so balances make sense regardless of currency.

No Daily Calculations

Instead of Venmo-ing each other after every meal, log expenses as they happen and forget about it until the trip ends. Splitwise optimizes who pays whom to minimize the number of settlement transactions.

How Splitwise Works

Step 1: Create a Group

Name your group ("Portugal Trip 2025") and invite members by email or phone number. Everyone should download the app for best experience.

Step 2: Log Expenses

When someone pays for something shared:

1. Tap "Add expense"
2. Enter the amount and description
3. Select who paid
4. Choose who it was split between (equal, unequal, or by percentages)
5. Add category and notes if helpful

Step 3: Track Balances

The app shows running balances in real-time. You can always see:

• Total group spending
• Who owes money overall
• Who is owed money overall
• Detailed transaction history

Step 4: Settle Up

When the trip ends, Splitwise shows the optimal way to settle all debts with minimum transactions. One person might owe another $47.32, and that is the only payment needed, even if dozens of expenses were shared.

Splitwise for Different Situations

Short Group Trips

Create a trip group, track expenses during your time together, settle up before going separate ways. Delete or leave the group after settlement.

Longer Travel with Companions

Traveling with a partner or friend for months? Keep a running group that tracks all shared costs. Settle periodically or maintain a rolling balance.

Coliving and Shared Housing

Living with other nomads in a shared apartment? Use Splitwise for rent, utilities, groceries, and household supplies. The recurring expense feature helps with regular bills.

Splitting Specific Costs

Not traveling together but splitting a specific expense? Create a simple two-person group for individual situations like splitting a taxi or a shared purchase.

Splitwise Pricing

The free version handles most needs. Pro is worth it if you use Splitwise frequently or want receipt scanning for documentation.

Tips for Using Splitwise

Log expenses immediately. Do not wait until the end of the day. The person who paid logs the expense right after it happens while details are fresh.

Use descriptive names. "Lunch" is less helpful than "Lunch at seaside cafe, Lisbon." Good descriptions prevent confusion later.

Take photos of receipts. Even on free tier, you can add photos to expenses. Useful for reimbursement documentation or disputed amounts.

Agree on splitting rules upfront. Will you split everything equally, or will expensive items be handled differently? Decide before the trip starts.

Settle up regularly on long trips. If traveling together for months, settle balances monthly rather than letting debts grow large.

Splitwise vs. Manual Tracking

For anything beyond occasional simple splits, Splitwise saves time and eliminates errors.

Settling Up: Payment Options

When it is time to settle:

• Cash: Calculate local currency equivalent
• Wise: Low-fee international transfers
• Venmo/PayPal: Integrated in the US
• Direct transfer: Bank transfer in same currency

Splitwise shows what is owed but does not process payments. You handle the actual money transfer separately.

The Bottom Line

Splitwise is the standard for shared expense tracking among travelers. It solves a real problem that everyone who travels with others encounters: fairly splitting costs without awkwardness or spreadsheet fatigue.

The free version is robust enough for most use cases. If you ever travel with others, share housing, or split purchases regularly, download Splitwise and learn the basics. It will save you time, prevent tension, and ensure everyone pays their fair share.

Money is one of the most common sources of travel friction. Splitwise removes it.