Best Apps for Travel Series: Splitting Costs
Whether on a road trip to Kelowna or planning a Greek Island getaway, sharing and splitting costs with your travel companions can sometimes be a bit stressful. Luckily, I found a few great apps that can help to ensure a stress-free trip. I took the liberty of looking into some of these money-splitting helpers so that you don’t have to! Take a scan through the options below and choose the app that will work BEST for your next group vacay because, let’s face it, no one wants to fight over who owes who at the end of a memorable trip!
Splitwise
First up is Splitwise, probably the most well-known of the three. It’s a free app available on both iPhone and Android (and the web, too) and fits most cost-splitting situations. Whether it’s an Uber trip or group dinner, you can create, name and invite people to your group so that the cost is properly divided between each traveller. Each person in the group can then manually add their shared costs from the trip so that all expenses and IOUs are organized in one place, AND everyone can see the amount they owe. What’s neat about this app is that it tracks everyone’s balance throughout the trip and then evenly divides the remaining balances most efficiently. It’s pretty much a plug-and-play at this point. While you can’t pay through the app in Canada, it’s easy enough to e-transfer or give cash to who you owe and then record it in the app. For my Excel-loving peeps, there’s even an option to export all the expenses to a CSV file!
I’ve decided this app could be the perfect solution for dealing with the girl you just met at a bachelorette party who still owes you $100 a week after the trip. Splitwise will send reminder notifications to that person for you until they send payment and record it in the app. This way, you don’t have to feel like the nag trying to get her $100 bucks back, then having to exchange awkward glances when you see each other at the wedding… urgh!
Check out their website for more information about the differences between the free and pro versions of the app.
Settle Up
Another great app for splitting expenses while traveling is Settle Up. This app allows you to split payments evenly or divide amounts in any way you would like. It then shares it with your group members using email, WhatsApp, or other messaging apps. It is perfect for that Greek Island trip we talked about because it can also calculate the local currency exchange rate! The free version is available for the iPhone and Android, and if you upgrade to the paid version ($1.39 per month), it lets you store snapshots of receipts and customize your group’s colour, which is perfect for those who are REALLY committed to a theme.
Check the website for more information and links to download the app.
Splid
Last up is Splid, which is great for those doing the world tour since the app supports more than 150 currencies. While one may laugh about their tagline “Split apps, not friendships,” it’s not news that money can put a strain on any relationship. Like the other apps mentioned, Splid also allows you to add in all the trip expenses and then split it among each person in your group. Multiple payees can be added to each expense, making it even easier to keep track of your expenses. For example, if two people covered the cost of dinner and drinks one night, but five people need to chip in on the bill, then you don’t have to spend time calculating every which way. If you need an offline record of the expenses, Splid also includes a feature where you can download a PDF or Excel file of all the costs… so trendy! The catch? The app’s free version is restricted to use for only one group.
Download the app through the website or through your phone’s app store.
Splitting up the cost of group trips can be tough, but at least it’s easier than it was a few years ago! Thanks to progressive technology and people who truly care about the minor inconveniences in life, we are all the better for it. Gone are the days of figuring out who paid what and the arguments about who owes who, coupled with that calculator app – sooo passé – thanks to these select apps! So download your favourite and Bon Voyage!
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