Are We Even vs. Splitwise: Which Is Better for Your Group?

Full disclosure: we built Are We Even. So yes, we have a horse in this race. But we also genuinely believe the best expense splitting system is the one your group will actually use — and for some groups, that's Splitwise. We're going to be honest about where each app wins and where each falls short, and let you decide what matters most for your situation.

The Fundamental Difference

Before we get into feature comparisons and pricing tables, there's one difference that matters more than everything else combined:

Splitwise requires everyone in your group to download the app and create an account. Every single person. If there are six people at dinner, all six need Splitwise installed and set up to participate.

Are We Even requires one person to have an account. Everyone else joins through a browser link. No download. No account creation. No "can you install this real quick?"

This isn't just a design choice — it shapes everything about how each app works in practice. Splitwise's model means more people can add expenses, but it also means more friction to get started. Are We Even's model means less friction, but the person managing expenses carries more of the workload.

Neither approach is objectively better. It depends on your group.

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Let's lay it all out.

Expense Entry

Splitwise: Anyone in the group can add expenses. This distributes the workload — on a group trip, whoever pays for something can log it right away. On the free tier, you're limited to 3 expenses per day. Pro removes that cap.

Are We Even: The group organizer handles expense entry. This centralizes control (no duplicate entries, no mistakes from less careful group members), but it also means one person is doing all the logging. Receipt scanning — snap a photo or forward an email receipt — makes this faster.

Edge: Splitwise, for groups where multiple people want to log expenses. Are We Even, for groups where one organized person prefers to handle it.

Receipt Scanning

Splitwise: Available on Pro only ($4.99/month). Point your camera at a receipt and it extracts the total, date, and description.

Are We Even: Included at the base price. Camera scanning plus email forwarding — you can forward email receipts and the app parses them automatically.

Edge: Are We Even. Same core functionality, but included in the base price rather than locked behind a premium tier. The email forwarding is a nice addition.

Splitting Methods

Splitwise: Equal splits, percentage-based, exact amounts, and itemized expenses (Pro only). Covers the standard scenarios well.

Are We Even: Equal splits, percentage-based, exact amounts, and income-based splitting. The income-based option calculates proportional shares based on what each person earns — useful for couples or roommates with different salaries.

Edge: Depends on what you need. Splitwise's itemized expenses (breaking down a restaurant bill line by line) are great for dining. Are We Even's income-based splitting is great for ongoing shared living costs. If you want to understand all the methods, we wrote a breakdown of the 5 ways to split expenses and when each one makes sense.

Payment Integrations

Splitwise: Venmo and PayPal integration. You can settle debts directly through these apps from within Splitwise.

Are We Even: Six payment options — Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Zelle, Apple Cash, and Google Pay. Members choose whichever payment app they already use.

Edge: Are We Even. More options means more flexibility, especially since different friend groups tend to cluster around different payment apps. Your college friends might be on Venmo while your family uses Zelle.

Recurring Expenses

Splitwise: Pro supports recurring expenses. Set up a monthly rent charge and it automatically creates a new expense entry on schedule. For roommates splitting utilities or couples sharing subscriptions, this saves real time.

Are We Even: No recurring expense automation. You log each expense individually.

Edge: Splitwise, clearly. If you split the same bills every month, automatic recurring expenses eliminate a repetitive task. This is a genuine gap in Are We Even's feature set.

Bank Transfers

Splitwise: Native bank transfer support. You can settle debts directly through the app via bank transfer in some regions.

Are We Even: No native bank transfers. Settlement happens through the integrated payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, etc.).

Edge: Splitwise. Native bank transfers are convenient for users who don't want to go through a third-party payment app.

Offline Mode

Splitwise: The app works offline to some extent — you can view existing data and the app syncs when you reconnect.

Are We Even: Browser-based for group members, so an internet connection is needed to view balances and settle up.

Edge: Splitwise, for travel in areas with limited connectivity.

User Experience

Splitwise: Functional interface that hasn't had a major design refresh in a while. It works, but it feels like it's been around for over a decade (because it has). Some users find it cluttered, especially with ads on the free tier.

Are We Even: Modern, clean interface designed from scratch. Since it's newer, the design reflects current UI patterns and feels more polished.

Edge: Are We Even, though this is subjective. If you've been using Splitwise for years and know where everything is, familiarity has its own value.

The Full Comparison Table

Feature	Are We Even	Splitwise Free	Splitwise Pro
Price	$5/mo or $40/yr	Free	$4.99/mo or $49.99/yr
Free trial	14 days	N/A (free tier)	N/A
Event Pass	$3 one-time	N/A	N/A
App download required	Organizer only	Everyone	Everyone
Daily expense limit	Unlimited	3 per day	Unlimited
Receipt scanning	Included	No	Yes
Split types	Equal, %, exact, income-based	Equal, %, exact	Equal, %, exact, itemized
Payment integrations	6 (Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Zelle, Apple Cash, Google Pay)	2 (Venmo, PayPal)	2 (Venmo, PayPal)
Recurring expenses	No	No	Yes
Bank transfers	No	No	Yes
Ads	No	Yes	No
Charts/analytics	No	No	Yes
Expense search	Yes	No	Yes

Pricing Breakdown

The pricing is surprisingly close:

Are We Even:

• 14-day free trial (all features)
• $5/month or $40/year
• $3 Event Pass for one-off events (no subscription needed)

Splitwise:

• Free tier (3 expenses/day, ads, limited features)
• Pro: $4.99/month or $49.99/year

If you're comparing paid tiers, Are We Even is $40/year vs. Splitwise Pro at $49.99/year. Are We Even is about $10/year cheaper and includes receipt scanning at the base level, but Splitwise gives you a functional free tier if you can live with the limits.

The Event Pass is worth calling out — if you need expense splitting for a bachelor party weekend or a short trip, $3 gets you full access without committing to a monthly subscription. Splitwise doesn't have an equivalent.

For a deeper look at what Splitwise's tiers include, we wrote a complete Splitwise Free vs. Pro breakdown.

Where Splitwise Wins

Let's be direct about this:

Brand recognition. Splitwise has 100+ million downloads and has been around since 2011. When someone says "expense splitting app," most people think of Splitwise. That brand recognition makes it easier to get people on board — they've heard of it, and some already have it installed.

Recurring expenses. If you split the same bills every month (rent, utilities, subscriptions), Splitwise Pro's recurring expense feature is genuinely useful. Are We Even doesn't have this yet.

Everyone can add expenses. In Splitwise, anyone in the group can log an expense. This distributes the work. In Are We Even, the organizer handles all expense entry. For large, active groups where multiple people are paying for things throughout the day, distributed entry is more practical.

Native bank transfers. The ability to settle debts via bank transfer directly in the app is convenient, especially for users who prefer that over third-party payment apps.

Charts and analytics. Splitwise Pro's spending charts are helpful for roommates managing ongoing household expenses. Seeing where the money goes over time has real value.

Established ecosystem. Splitwise has been refined over 15 years. The edge cases have been sanded down. The app handles unusual scenarios (multi-currency, complex group dynamics, partial settlements) with the confidence that comes from years of user feedback.

Where Are We Even Wins

No download required for group members. This is the big one. If you've ever tried to get six people at a dinner table to download an app, create accounts, and join your group, you know the friction is real. With Are We Even, you send a link. They open it in their browser. They're in. No download, no account, no waiting.

Receipt scanning at the base price. Splitwise locks receipt scanning behind Pro. Are We Even includes it for everyone, plus adds email forwarding — snap a photo or just forward the receipt email.

More payment integrations. Six options versus two. Your group members can settle up through Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Zelle, Apple Cash, or Google Pay — whichever they already have.

Income-based splitting. For couples and roommates with different incomes, proportional splitting based on earnings is fairer than a straight 50/50. Splitwise doesn't offer this. You can learn more about equal vs. income-based splitting and when each approach makes sense.

No ads, ever. Splitwise's free tier includes ads. Are We Even has no ad-supported tier — during your trial or on a paid plan, the experience is clean.

Simpler pricing. One plan, one price, all features. No wondering whether the feature you need is free or Pro. Plus the Event Pass option means you're not forced into a subscription for a weekend trip.

Who Should Choose Splitwise

Splitwise is the better choice if:

• Your group already uses it. If everyone's already on Splitwise and it's working, there's no reason to switch. The best expense splitting tool is the one people use.
• You need recurring expenses. Monthly rent, utilities, subscriptions — if you split the same things every month, the automation saves time.
• Multiple people need to add expenses. Large, active groups where different people are constantly paying for things benefit from everyone being able to log expenses.
• You want a free tier. If you split expenses infrequently (a few times a month) and can live with 3 per day, Splitwise's free tier works.
• You need native bank transfers. If you prefer settling debts via bank transfer rather than through Venmo or similar apps.

Who Should Choose Are We Even

Are We Even is the better choice if:

• You can't get everyone to download an app. If you've tried the "everyone download Splitwise" dance and it hasn't worked, the browser-link approach removes that barrier entirely.
• You want receipt scanning without paying extra. It's included at the base price rather than locked behind a premium tier.
• Your group uses different payment apps. Six integrations mean everyone can settle up their way.
• You're splitting with people who earn different amounts. Income-based splitting is built in.
• You need it for a one-off event. The $3 Event Pass is designed for short trips and events — no subscription commitment.
• You're the "organizer friend." If you're already the person who handles the planning and logistics, Are We Even's model fits naturally with how you operate.

The Honest Bottom Line

These are both solid expense splitting apps. Splitwise has the advantage of time, scale, and features like recurring expenses that come from 15 years of development. Are We Even has the advantage of solving the "nobody wants to download another app" problem that Splitwise still hasn't addressed.

If your group's biggest friction point is the daily expense limit or the Pro pricing, check out our Splitwise Free vs. Pro analysis to see if the upgrade makes sense before switching entirely. And if you're exploring other options too, our best Splitwise alternatives guide covers the full landscape.

The real question isn't which app has more features. It's which one your group will actually use. For some groups, that's Splitwise because everyone already has it. For others, it's Are We Even because half the group would never download a dedicated app in the first place.

Want to see how it works? Try Are We Even free for 14 days — no credit card required. Send a link to your group and see if the browser-based approach works better for your people.