Best expense splitting apps for roommates, compared

Splitkaro

That’s us

A household that runs on the same bills every month

Rent, internet and utilities set once as recurring bills, free, each with its own split and paid or unpaid tracking
Split by room, by head or by item, and skip whoever was away
Reminders go out for you, so nobody has to chase in the group chat
Roommates without an account can still be added
Free unlimited expenses, and no ads even on the free plan

Card and bank feeds through Plaid are still in beta
No web app; shared expense links open in a browser, view only

See how home groups work

Splitwise

A household that already uses it

Free recurring bills: monthly, weekly, fortnightly or yearly
Started out as a rent-splitting site, and still the best-known name
Settle up through Venmo or PayPal
A full web version as well as the apps

The free plan limits how many expenses you add a day and shows ads
Card import, receipt scanning and search are Pro
No personal spending tracking alongside the household

Splitwise vs Splitkaro, in detail

Venmo Groups

Roommates who already pay each other on Venmo

Built into Venmo, with up to 30 people in a group
Split equally by default, or edit shares and leave people out
Settles in the fewest payments, and you can mark cash payments as paid
Free from a Venmo balance, bank or debit card

No recurring expenses, so rent goes in by hand each month
Everyone needs a Venmo account; teen accounts and business profiles cannot join
A credit card payment costs 3%

Flatastic

Chores and shopping lists as well as bills

A cleaning rota, shared shopping lists and expenses in one app
On iPhone, Android and the web
One Premium subscription can cover the whole household

Custom splits are still being finalised, so uneven rooms are hard to handle
The free version shows ads; Premium for the household is $6.49 a month or $34.99 a year
In English and German only

Which one should you actually pick?

Best for most householdsSplitkaroRecurring rent and bills, splits by room, and reminders that chase for you, free for unlimited expenses.

If your place already uses itSplitwiseNobody has to switch, and the history stays put, as long as nobody hits the daily limit on adding expenses.

If everyone is on VenmoVenmo GroupsNothing new to install, and settling up is one tap. Rent has to be added by hand each month.

If chores cause more fights than billsFlatasticThe cleaning rota and shopping lists are the point. Expense splitting is simpler than the others.

Questions, answered

What is the best expense splitting app for roommates?

Splitkaro, for most households. Rent and bills are set once and come back every month, each with its own split, and reminders chase whoever has not paid. It is free for unlimited expenses. Venmo Groups suits roommates who already pay each other on Venmo, and Flatastic suits a place that also wants a chore rota.

How should roommates split rent when rooms are different sizes?

Split the shared space equally and the bedrooms by what each one offers: size, a private bathroom, closet space, light. Our free rent split calculator works it out room by room and gives you a link to send everyone. Try the rent split calculator →

Which app handles recurring rent and bills for free?

Splitkaro and Splitwise both do. Venmo Groups has no recurring expenses, so rent goes in by hand each month.

Is Venmo Groups a good Splitwise alternative for roommates?

For settling up, yes: it is built into Venmo and free from a balance, bank or debit card. For running a household, less so, because there are no recurring expenses and everyone needs a Venmo account.

Do all my roommates need to install the app?

Not in Splitkaro. Only you need an account; roommates without one can be added to the home group, and you keep track of their share.

Expense splitting apps for roommates, compared.

The short answer