A free Splitwise alternative that reads the receipt for you
Splitwise is a good ledger. You tell it what everyone owes, and it keeps track. Tabster starts a step earlier: photograph the receipt and every line item comes back priced, so your friends can tap what they ordered instead of anyone typing the meal in by hand.
Both are free to start. The difference is what you get without paying.
What each app gives you for free
Splitwise offers receipt scanning and itemization — they are listed as Pro features on its own pricing page. In Tabster they are the product, and they are free. Here is where each feature sits:
| Feature | Tabster | Splitwise |
|---|---|---|
| Inputting expenses to track | Free | Free |
| Scanning a receipt | Free | Pro subscription |
| Itemizing a bill line by line | Free | Pro subscription |
| Unlimited expenses | Free | Pro subscription |
| Currency conversion | Free | Pro subscription |
| Charts and graphs | Not offered | Pro subscription |
| Expense search | Free | Pro subscription |
| An ad-free experience | No ads | Pro subscription |
| A social feed with photos | Free | Not offered |
Watch a bill get split with Tabster
Fifty seconds, start to finish: the receipt is photographed, every item comes back priced, the group claims what they ordered, and it ends in a Venmo request. Nobody has to type the bill in unless you don’t have a photo or link of the receipt.
What Tabster does differently
The receipt itemizes itself for free
Take a photo and every line item comes back priced and ready to claim. Nobody types the bill in.
Everyone claims at once, at the table
The receipt is live. Your friends tap what they ordered on their own phones and you watch the totals move in real time, instead of one person reconstructing the meal afterwards.
Friends do not need an account
Send a link or let them scan the QR code. They claim their items and pay without downloading anything or signing up.
Tax and tip split themselves
Surcharges are apportioned to what each person actually claimed, so nobody overpays fees on a dish they did not order.
Payment is one tap
Venmo, PayPal and Cash App open with the amount and the recipient already filled in.
Two things Tabster doesn’t do
Worth being straight about, because for some use cases Splitwise makes more sense. It advertises these on its free tier:
- Support for 100+ currencies and 7+ languages — while Tabster supports currency conversion on receipts to USD, Tabster only supports English language.
- Spending totals and expense categories — Tabster does not help you categorize your expenses.
If you are looking for a bill splitting app that helps you with expense categorization, or to use with friends who speak different languages, Splitwise is the better option. If you are looking to easily split a dinner, a weekend away, or the monthly bills with roommates, read on.
Switching over
There is nothing to migrate and nothing to cancel. Split your next bill in Tabster and see how it goes — you do not need an account to try it, and neither do the people you are splitting with.
New to it? Start with how to split a restaurant bill with friends or how to split expenses on a group trip.
Splitwise feature tiers above are quoted from Splitwise’s own pages, checked on August 1, 2026: splitwise.com/pro, splitwise.com. Splitwise is a trademark of its owner; Tabster is not affiliated with or endorsed by Splitwise. Features and pricing change — check their current pages before deciding.
