Splitwise Pro or paying per trip: how to work out which is cheaper
Multiply the per-trip price by how many trips your group takes in a year, then compare that with one year of the subscription. Whichever is smaller wins for you. Splitwise Pro’s price varies by country, so take the figure from the App Store, Google Play or Splitwise’s own site. Trip Split is 10 USD once per trip.
The two ways of paying
- A subscription (such as Splitwise Pro) charges per month or per year, whether you travel that month or not. It covers everything you track in the app, including costs unrelated to trips.
- Paying per trip (Trip Split) charges 10 USD once for a trip. One person in the group pays and everyone gets the unlocked features. When the trip is done you owe nothing further.
How to compare them
- Count the trips your group takes together in a typical year.
- Multiply by 10 USD to get the yearly cost of paying per trip.
- Look up the current yearly price of the subscription where you would buy it.
- Compare the two numbers. Also ask whether you use the subscription for anything besides trips.
A worked example with made-up numbers
Suppose a yearly plan cost 50 USD. These figures are only an illustration, not Splitwise’s price. Paying 10 USD per trip would cost the same as that plan at five trips a year, and less than it at fewer than five.
A group that travels together twice a year would pay 20 USD per trip, a saving of 30 USD against the example plan. A group that travels together every month would pay 120 USD against the same example, and the subscription would win.
Replace 50 with the real price and the answer changes accordingly. That is the whole method.
Things the price does not capture
- Who has to pay. A subscription is usually per person, so everyone who wants the paid features needs their own. In Trip Split, one person pays for the group.
- What you use it for. If the same app also tracks rent and groceries all year, a subscription is paying for more than trips.
- Limits on the free tier. If the free plan of your current tool has a daily cap, a trip can run into it. See Splitwise daily limit: what to do on a group trip.
What you get free in Trip Split
Adding expenses by hand without limit, up to 10 people joining by link, working offline, currency conversion, balances, a short list of transfers and confirming the bill. The 10 USD per trip unlocks unlimited quick notes and the full bill with a share link and CSV export. See the Splitwise alternative page for how it differs, and check each product’s website for its current price.
Common questions
How much does Splitwise Pro cost?
Splitwise Pro is a subscription. Its price depends on your country and billing period, so look at the listing in the App Store or Google Play, or on Splitwise’s own site, for the figure that applies to you.
Which is cheaper, a subscription or paying per trip?
It depends only on how many trips you take. Multiply the per-trip price by the number of trips in a year and compare it with one year of the subscription. Below, there is a worked example with made-up numbers you can replace with your own.
Does one person in the group have to pay in Trip Split?
Yes, one person pays 10 USD for the trip and everyone in the group gets the unlocked features. Adding expenses by hand, balances and settling up are free without paying.
What happens to my data after a trip?
The trip is kept for two years after it ends so you can look at it again, and then deleted. You can also delete a trip yourself.
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