How to Move Your Expense History from Splitwise (Step-by-Step)

You've decided to move away from Splitwise. Maybe the daily expense limit finally got to you. Maybe you're tired of begging everyone to download the app. Maybe you found something that fits your group better. Whatever the reason, you're staring at months or years of expense history and wondering: how do I take this with me?

Here's the honest answer that will save you hours of frustration: you probably don't need to.

That sounds counterintuitive, so let's walk through what your Splitwise data actually contains, how to export it if you want it, and why most people are better off starting fresh.

What Splitwise Data Actually Contains

Before you worry about exporting anything, it helps to understand what you'd be moving. Your Splitwise account stores:

• Expense records: Every expense you've logged — the description, amount, date, who paid, and how it was split.
• Group memberships: Which groups you're in and who's in each group.
• Balances: Who owes whom and how much, calculated from all the expenses.
• Settlement records: Payments people have made to settle debts.
• Comments and notes: Any comments added to individual expenses.

That might sound like a lot of important data. But ask yourself: when was the last time you looked at an expense from six months ago? For most people, the answer is never.

The only piece of data that actually matters day-to-day is current balances — who owes whom right now. And those balances can be transferred to any new app in about 30 seconds by adding a single opening expense.

The Two Approaches to Switching

Approach 1: The Clean Break (Recommended)

This is what we recommend for 90% of people switching from Splitwise. It's simpler, faster, and avoids the headaches of data migration.

Step 1: Settle all balances in Splitwise.

Before you leave, get everyone to zero. Send payment requests for what people owe you. Pay what you owe others. Use Venmo, Cash App, PayPal, Zelle, whatever your group uses. The goal is to close the books.

This is actually good practice regardless of whether you're switching apps. Accumulated balances that sit for months create social friction. Settling up is a natural breaking point.

Step 2: Set up your new app.

Create your groups in whatever tool you're switching to. If you're moving to Are We Even, this means creating a group and sending browser links to your friends — they don't need to download anything, which already makes this step easier than it was with Splitwise.

If you're moving to Tricount, Settle Up, or another app, follow their setup process. We covered the options in our best Splitwise alternatives guide.

Step 3: Start logging expenses in the new app.

That's it. Going forward, all new expenses go into the new system. Your Splitwise data stays in Splitwise (your account doesn't disappear), and your new expense life starts fresh.

Step 4: Tell your group.

A simple message works: "Hey, I'm switching from Splitwise to [new app] for our group expenses. Here's the link to join."

If you're switching to something that doesn't require everyone to download an app, this conversation is dramatically easier. "Click this link" is a lower bar than "download this app and create an account."

Approach 2: The Data Migration

Some people want their expense history. Maybe you need it for tax purposes, maybe you're meticulous about records, or maybe you just want the peace of mind of having everything in one place. Here's how to get your data out of Splitwise.

Step 1: Export from Splitwise.

Splitwise offers a CSV export feature, but it's only available through the website — not the mobile app.

1. Open a web browser and go to splitwise.com
2. Log in to your account
3. Go to your account settings (click your name or avatar, then "Account settings" or "Your account")
4. Look for "Export data" or "Export to CSV"
5. Select the group or date range you want to export
6. Download the CSV file

The exported file includes expense descriptions, amounts, dates, payers, and split details. It's a standard CSV that you can open in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet tool.

Step 2: Review what you've got.

Open the CSV and take a look. You'll likely see columns for:

• Date
• Description
• Category
• Cost
• Currency
• Who paid
• How much each person owed

The format is functional but not always clean. Expenses that were split unevenly might have multiple rows. Group names and member names are usually included. Deleted expenses might or might not appear, depending on when you export.

Step 3: Decide what's actually worth keeping.

This is where most people realize the clean break was the right call. Looking at 300 expense records from the past two years, you'll find:

• Most are already settled
• Many are for groups that no longer exist (that vacation two years ago)
• The ones that matter are recent, unsettled balances

If you do find unsettled balances, the simplest approach is to settle them in Splitwise (Approach 1) or note the balance and create a single opening expense in your new app.

Step 4: Import (if your new app supports it).

Tricount offers a direct Splitwise import feature, which is one of its genuine advantages. You can import your Splitwise groups and expense history directly into Tricount without manual work.

Most other apps — including Are We Even — don't offer direct Splitwise import. This isn't because it's technically impossible, but because in practice, people rarely need their full history in the new app. What matters is tracking expenses going forward.

If you want your historical records for reference, keep the CSV file in a folder on your computer or Google Drive. It's your data and you can always look it up if needed.

Handling Unsettled Balances

The trickiest part of switching isn't the data — it's the money people still owe you (or that you owe them). Here's how to handle different scenarios:

Everyone Settles Up Before the Switch

Best case. Everyone pays what they owe through Venmo, Cash App, or whatever your group uses. Balances go to zero. You start fresh in the new app with a clean slate.

Someone Owes You Money and Won't Pay Before the Switch

This happens. Someone owes you $47 from three months ago and hasn't paid despite reminders. Here's the move:

1. Note the exact balance from Splitwise
2. Set up the new app
3. Add a single expense in the new app for that amount, attributed to the person who owes you
4. Now the balance carries forward in the new system

This is simpler than importing hundreds of historical expenses. One entry captures the net result of everything that came before.

You Have Complex Balances Across Multiple Groups

If you're in several Splitwise groups with overlapping people and tangled balances, settling everything at once can feel overwhelming. Take it one group at a time:

1. List each group and its current balances
2. Settle the simplest groups first (one or two people, small amounts)
3. For larger groups, send a message: "I'm switching expense apps — can everyone settle their balance this week?"
4. For stubborn holdouts, use the single-expense method described above

You Owe Someone Money

Pay them. Don't let the app switch be an excuse to dodge a debt. Settle what you owe in Splitwise before you leave. It's the right thing to do, and it starts your new app experience without baggage.

What About Your Splitwise Account?

You don't need to delete your Splitwise account when you switch. In fact, there are reasons not to:

• Your data stays accessible. If you ever need to look up an old expense, it's there.
• Other people might still use it. If you're in Splitwise groups that you're not the organizer of, those groups continue to function.
• It costs nothing. An inactive Splitwise account doesn't charge you anything (assuming you're on the free tier or cancel Pro).

Just unsubscribe from Pro if you're paying for it, and let the account sit. There's no urgency to delete it.

Common Mistakes When Switching

Trying to recreate everything. You don't need to re-enter 200 historical expenses into your new app. The history is settled — literally and figuratively. Start fresh.

Switching mid-trip. Don't change expense apps in the middle of a group vacation. Finish the trip in Splitwise, settle up, then switch when you're starting something new.

Not telling your group. If you just stop using Splitwise and start adding expenses elsewhere without saying anything, your group will be confused. A quick heads-up message prevents chaos.

Overthinking the export. The CSV export takes two minutes. Opening it and realizing you don't need any of it takes another two minutes. Don't spend hours planning a data migration strategy before you've looked at what you're actually migrating.

Choosing the new app based on import features. Don't pick your next expense splitting app because it has the best Splitwise import. Pick it because it solves the problem that made you leave Splitwise. Whether that's the no-download requirement, offline mode, or just being free, the import feature is a one-time convenience — everything else is what you'll live with daily.

A Practical Timeline

If you want a structured approach, here's a timeline that works:

Day 1: Announce the switch. Tell your active Splitwise groups that you're switching apps and ask everyone to settle their balances by the end of the week.

Day 2-5: Settle up. Send payment requests. Pay what you owe. Follow up with people who haven't settled.

Day 5: Export (optional). If you want your historical data, do the CSV export from the Splitwise website. Save it somewhere you'll find it later.

Day 6: Set up the new app. Create your groups. If you're using Are We Even, send browser links to your group members. If you're using another app, guide people through the download and setup.

Day 7: Start fresh. Begin logging expenses in the new app. If anyone still has an unsettled Splitwise balance, add it as a single opening expense.

Day 14+: Cancel Splitwise Pro (if applicable). If you're paying for Splitwise Pro, cancel the subscription. Keep the account — just stop paying for it.

That's it. The whole process takes about a week, and most of that is waiting for people to pay you back — which, let's be honest, is a problem regardless of what app you're using.

The Bottom Line

Switching from Splitwise is less about data migration and more about behavior change. The data is either already settled (most of it) or can be carried forward with a single balance entry. The real work is getting your group to adopt the new tool — and if you're switching to something with lower friction, that part is actually easier than what you went through to get everyone on Splitwise in the first place.

If you haven't decided where to switch yet, our Splitwise Free vs. Pro breakdown might help you decide if staying is worth it, and our Splitwise alternatives guide covers the full landscape of options.

Ready to start fresh? Are We Even lets you create a group and invite friends via browser link — no downloads required. Try it free for 14 days and bring your group along in about 30 seconds. You can also check out our Switch from Splitwise page for a guided walkthrough.