Trip expenses without the headache
The best way to split group travel expenses is to create a shared group before the trip, log expenses as they happen (hotels, meals, gas, activities), and settle up at the end. One person can handle payments to earn credit card points while others reimburse them. Use an app that calculates minimum transfers needed.
How it works
Before: Set up a group
Create a group, share the link. Friends join free — no payment required.
During: Log expenses
Whoever pays adds it. "Dinner — $180." Takes 15 seconds.
Choose who's in
Not everyone in every expense? Just include who participated.
End: Settle up
The app calculates minimum transfers. Two or three Venmos, done.
What to track
Accommodations
Hotels, Airbnbs, vacation rentals. Usually one big payment.
Transportation
Rental cars, gas, Ubers, tolls, parking.
Meals
Restaurants, groceries, snacks, coffee runs.
Activities
Museum tickets, tours, boat rentals. Only include participants.
Supplies
Sunscreen, coolers, groceries for the house.
Tips
Tour guides, housekeeping. Small amounts that add up.
Split strategies
The equal-split trip
Everything split equally, no matter who ordered what. Simple, fast, no debates. Works for close friends.
The fair-split trip
Shared costs equal (hotel, car). Individual splurges tracked separately. Nobody subsidizes someone's lobster.
The mixed-income trip
Friends at different life stages? Income-based splitting keeps the trip accessible to everyone.
The couples trip
Three couples, one Airbnb? Split by couple (1/3 each) rather than per person.
Related guides
Tips for smoother trip finances
- Agree on the approach before leaving. Equal splits? Track individual items? Decide at the start.
- Log expenses immediately. You'll forget the $12 snack run by tomorrow.
- Designate one or two payers. Fewer transactions to track, someone earns all the credit card points.
- Settle before everyone leaves. Easier to resolve questions when you're still together.
What we've learned from trip groups
The biggest predictor of post-trip payment drama? How long it takes to settle up after returning home.
Groups that settle on the last night of the trip almost never have issues. Groups that wait "until we get home" often never fully resolve it. Life gets busy, the urgency fades, and someone quietly decides to let it go — while resenting it.
Our advice: do the final settlement while you're still together, even if you're tired. It takes five minutes and prevents months of awkwardness.
Why Are We Even works for trips
Group trips have a specific problem: you're asking multiple people to adopt a new tool together. That's where most apps fail.
Before you leave
- Set up a group and share the link with everyone
- Agree on split approach (equal vs. itemized)
- Decide who's the "designated payer" (if any)
- Plan when you'll settle up (last night of trip?)
Related Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
- How should we split group trip expenses?
- Create a shared group before the trip. As expenses happen — hotels, dinners, gas — whoever pays logs it. At the end, the app calculates who owes what and minimizes transfers.
- Should we split everything equally on trips?
- Usually yes for shared costs like the Airbnb and rental car. But if someone orders expensive wine while others drink water, exact splits might be fairer. Agree before the trip starts.
- What if someone only joins part of the trip?
- Add them only to expenses for the days they're there. Are We Even lets you choose who's included in each expense.
- When should we settle up?
- Most groups wait until the trip ends. Do one settlement before everyone scatters. The app shows the minimum transfers needed.
Your next trip, minus the money drama
Track expenses as you go, settle up at the end. Event Pass: $8 for 45 days.