LetsColab

Bill splitter

Enter the bill, then each person’s own items and their share of everything that was shared. Tax and tip are divided in proportion to what each person had.

Overrides tax %
Name Share of common items Own items

A row counts when it has a name or a share. Share 1 is a normal portion, 0.5 half, 0 none.

Total to pay

$153.60

$120.00 + $9.60 tax + $24.00 tip. Shared items: $100.00.

Person Items Tax Tip Pays
Ana $60.00 $4.80 $12.00 $76.80
Ben $40.00 $3.20 $8.00 $51.20
Cy $20.00 $1.60 $4.00 $25.60

The link contains what you entered, encoded after the #. Nothing is uploaded; whoever opens the link can read it.

Tip at a glance

Tip on a pre-tax amount, rounded to the cent.

Bill 10%15%18%20%22%
$25.00 $2.50$3.75$4.50$5.00$5.50
$50.00 $5.00$7.50$9.00$10.00$11.00
$80.00 $8.00$12.00$14.40$16.00$17.60
$120.00 $12.00$18.00$21.60$24.00$26.40
$200.00 $20.00$30.00$36.00$40.00$44.00
$350.00 $35.00$52.50$63.00$70.00$77.00

How the split is worked out

The bill is split in three layers, in whole cents throughout:

  1. Items. Everything nobody claimed as their own is the common pool: common = subtotal − Σ own items. Each person gets own items + common × (their share ÷ total shares).
  2. Tax. The tax is divided in proportion to each person’s items, which is how it was charged in the first place.
  3. Tip. The tip is worked out on the subtotal (or on the subtotal plus tax, if you choose), then divided in proportion to each person’s items (or items plus tax).

Dividing money proportionally rarely produces whole cents, and rounding every person separately can leave the table a cent or two short of the bill. So each division uses the largest-remainder method: everyone gets their exact share rounded down, then the cents left over go one each to the people whose shares had the largest fractions. The amounts on this page always add up to the total, to the cent.

A worked example

Three friends have a $120 dinner with 8% tax and a 20% tip on the pre-tax amount. Ana had a $20 cocktail no one else touched. Everything else was shared, but Cy only had a light main, so Cy takes a half share.

Splitting that bill evenly would have been $51.20 each. Ben would pay the same either way; Ana would save $25.60 at Cy’s expense. Whether that matters is up to the table, but it is better decided with the numbers in front of everyone.

Even split or itemised?

For a group that shares everything and orders roughly alike, an even split is quicker and nobody minds the difference. Itemising is worth the minute it takes when orders differ a lot, when someone is not drinking, or when a guest is being treated. Setting a guest’s share to 0 and leaving their items in the common pool spreads their meal across everyone else.

Limits

The calculator assumes a single tax rate on the whole bill. Where food and drink are taxed at different rates, or a service charge is already included, enter the tax amount from the receipt and set the tip to 0 if service is already paid. Tipping customs vary a lot between countries and types of venue; the rates in the table are arithmetic, not a recommendation. Nothing here moves money: use your usual payment app to settle up.

Common questions

How do I split a bill when people ordered different things?

Enter anything only one person had in their “own items” box, and leave everything that was shared (starters, a bottle of wine, bread) in the common pool. The common pool is divided by shares, and each person’s tax and tip follow what they actually ate, so someone who had a salad does not pay tip on someone else’s steak.

What does a share of 0.5 mean?

Half as much of the shared items as someone with a share of 1. Use it for a child, someone who arrived late, or someone who skipped the wine. A share of 2 is useful for a couple paying together. A share of 0 means the person pays only for their own items.

Should the tip be on the amount before or after tax?

Customs differ. Tipping on the pre-tax amount is common in the US and is the default here, because tax is not part of the service. Some people prefer to tip on the total. Switch the “tip on” setting and the page shows the difference; at typical rates it is a few cents per person.

Why does one person pay a cent more than another with the same share?

Because the bill cannot always be divided into whole cents evenly. $100 three ways is $33.333…, so one person pays $33.34 and two pay $33.33. The calculator hands out the leftover cents by the largest-remainder method, so the shares always add up to the exact bill.

Can I send everyone their amount?

Press “Copy share link” and paste it into your group chat. The link carries the bill and the shares after the #, and anyone who opens it sees the same breakdown. Nothing is uploaded, and no payment is made from this page.

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