Is FairSplitter free to use?

Yes, FairSplitter is completely free. All features — expense splitting, group management, multi-currency tracking, and settlement recording — are included at no cost with no subscription required.

Do my friends need to install FairSplitter to split expenses?

No. You can add anyone by name and phone number without them needing the app — useful for splitting with people who aren't tech-savvy. If your friend does have FairSplitter, you can also link to their account by email or phone so you both see the shared balance.

How do I split a bill unevenly between friends?

Tap Add Expense, enter the total amount, then choose a split method: Equal splits it evenly, Percentage lets you assign a share to each person (e.g., 60%/40%), and Custom lets you type each person's exact amount. FairSplitter automatically calculates who owes what.

How do I settle up with friends?

FairSplitter shows your net balance with each person — who owes whom and the exact amount. When a payment happens (cash, bank transfer, UPI, PayPal, Venmo, or any method), you record it in the app to mark the debt settled. FairSplitter tracks the record; the actual money transfer happens through whichever payment method you prefer.

Can I use FairSplitter for international trips with multiple currencies?

Yes. FairSplitter supports multiple currencies with automatic conversion, so you can add expenses in local currency (euros, yen, pesos, etc.) and see balances converted to your home currency. This makes it straightforward to settle up after an international trip.

Can I use FairSplitter offline?

Yes. You can add and view expenses without an internet connection. Any changes made offline sync automatically when you reconnect.

What's the difference between a friend and a group in FairSplitter?

A friend is a one-on-one connection for tracking expenses between two people. A group lets you add multiple people under one name (e.g., 'Bali Trip 2025' or 'Apartment 4B') so all shared expenses for that context stay organized together. You can have both: individual balances with each friend, and separate group balances.

Can I edit or delete an expense after adding it?

Yes, you can edit or delete any expense at any time. Every change is logged in the activity history so all group members can see what was updated and when.

How do I add a friend in FairSplitter?

You can add a friend by email address, phone number, or just their name. If they have a FairSplitter account, linking by email or phone connects your balances so you both see the same figures. If they don't have the app, adding them by name still lets you track what they owe you locally.

Yes. All data is encrypted in transit and at rest. We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties.

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How-ToSettle UpGuide

How to Settle Up with Friends in FairSplitter

Step-by-step guide to recording a payment and marking a debt as settled in FairSplitter — including how multi-group balances work.

FairSplitter Team·March 1, 2026·5 min read

Settling up shared expenses with friends using FairSplitter

When someone owes you money — or you owe them — FairSplitter shows the exact amount and lets you record when the payment happens. Here's how settling up works.

What "Settling Up" Means in FairSplitter

FairSplitter tracks who owes whom across all shared expenses. When a payment actually happens — via cash, Venmo, PayPal, UPI, bank transfer, or any other method — you record it in FairSplitter to mark the balance as paid.

FairSplitter records the settlement. The actual money transfer happens through whichever payment method you and your friend prefer. FairSplitter doesn't process payments — it keeps the record straight.

How to Settle Up Step-by-Step

Open FairSplitter and tap the Home tab.
In the Balances with Friends list, tap the friend you want to settle up with.
Their detail screen opens. At the top, a balance card shows one of three states:
- "[Name] owes you overall" — displayed in green, with the amount
- "You owe [Name] overall" — displayed in red, with the amount
- "All settled up" — shown when the balance is zero
Tap Settle up (visible below the balance amount when there's an outstanding balance).
If you share balances across multiple groups with this friend, a selection modal appears — choose which group balance you're settling, or settle the full combined amount.
Enter the amount being settled and confirm.
The balance updates immediately.

Once fully settled, the balance card shows "All settled up" and the Settle up button disappears.

Reading the Balance Card

The balance shown on the friend's detail screen is the net balance — it combines all expenses and previous settlements between the two of you, across all groups.

Example:

In "Apartment 4B" group: Bob owes you $50
From a one-off dinner (no group): You owe Bob $20
Net balance shown: "Bob owes you $30 overall"

When you tap Settle up, you're settling this net amount.

Settling a Specific Group Balance

If you and a friend are in multiple groups, the settle up flow lets you choose which balance to settle rather than forcing you to combine everything.

Example: Alice and Bob share:

A "Bali Trip 2025" group where Alice owes Bob $120
An "Apartment 4B" group where Bob owes Alice $40

They might settle the trip balance separately from the apartment balance — especially useful when the trip is over but they're still accumulating apartment expenses.

To settle a specific group:

Tap Bob's name on the Home tab.
Tap Settle up.
The group selection modal appears — choose "Bali Trip 2025".
Confirm the amount. Only the trip balance is marked as settled; the apartment balance continues.

Which Payment Methods Can I Record?

Any payment method. FairSplitter doesn't process the money — it just lets you log that a transfer happened. Common methods people record:

Cash
Venmo
PayPal
Zelle
UPI
Bank transfer
Any other method

Record whichever method you actually used.

What If Only Part of the Balance Is Being Paid?

You can settle a partial amount. In the settle up flow, change the amount to whatever is actually being paid. The remaining balance stays open until fully settled.

Example: Bob owes you $90 but can only pay $40 now. Record $40. The balance updates to show Bob still owes you $50.

After Settling Up

Once a balance is fully settled:

The balance card shows "All settled up"
The Settle up button disappears
The settlement is recorded in the activity history with the date and amount

If new shared expenses are added later, the balance reappears and the cycle continues.

Common Questions

Does settling up delete the expense history?

No. All expenses and past settlements remain in the activity history. Settling up just marks the current balance as zero — the full record of what happened is always preserved.

What if I recorded a settlement by mistake?

Open the Activity tab, find the settlement entry, and delete it. The balance reverts to what it was before.

Do both people need to confirm the settlement?

No. One person records the settlement in their app and the balance updates for both. If both people have FairSplitter accounts linked (by phone or email), the update appears on both sides automatically.

What if my friend doesn't have the app?

If you added them by name only (no linked account), you record the settlement on your side. Since they aren't in the app, the settlement only updates your local record — which is still useful for your own tracking.

Can I settle up inside a group view?

The Settle up button is on the friend's detail screen (reached from the Home tab). From inside a group, you can see the balances, and tapping a member will take you to their detail screen where you can settle up.

Ready to split expenses easily?

FairSplitter is available on iOS & Android.

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