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How to split group expenses: who owes whom
After a trip, a shared flat or a big dinner, the question is always the same: who owes how much, and to whom? There is a simple method that gives a fair answer and settles everything with the fewest possible transfers.
The method in three steps
- Write down every expense: who paid, how much, and who took part.
- Work out each person's balance: what they paid minus their fair share of everything they took part in. A positive balance means the group owes them; a negative one means they owe the group.
- Settle the balances: people with negative balances pay people with positive ones. Matching them carefully keeps the number of transfers low — for N people, never more than N − 1.
Worked example: a weekend trip
Four friends go away for a weekend. Anna books the hotel, Ben rents the car, Chris pays for dinner, Dana pays for nothing yet.
| Expense | Paid by | Amount | Who took part |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotel | Anna | €300 | everyone |
| Car rental | Ben | €120 | everyone |
| Dinner | Chris | €80 | everyone |
The total is €500, so each person's share is €125. Balances are what each person paid minus €125:
| Person | Paid | Share | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anna | €300 | €125 | +€175 |
| Ben | €120 | €125 | −€5 |
| Chris | €80 | €125 | −€45 |
| Dana | €0 | €125 | −€125 |
Settlement — 3 transfers:
- Dana → Anna: €125
- Chris → Anna: €45
- Ben → Anna: €5
Four people, three transfers — the minimum. Paying each expense back separately ("everyone pays Anna for the hotel, everyone pays Ben for the car…") would take up to nine.
When not everyone takes part
Say Dana skipped the dinner. The €80 dinner is then split among three people (€26.67 each), while the hotel and the car are still split among four. Dana's share drops to €105 (€75 hotel + €30 car); everyone else's rises to €131.67. Balances become: Anna +€168.33, Ben −€11.67, Chris −€51.67, Dana −€105 — still three transfers, all to Anna.
The same rule handles custom amounts: if one person ordered the expensive bottle of wine, assign that part of the bill to them and split the rest.
Common mistakes
- Splitting every bill on the spot. It's tiring and creates dozens of tiny transfers. Write expenses down and settle once at the end.
- Forgetting who wasn't there. The fair share depends on who took part in each expense, not on the whole group.
- Rounding as you go. Keep exact amounts and round only the final transfers, otherwise cents drift.
Doing it in Kvit
Kvit does exactly this on your phone. Add the participants, log each expense with who paid and who took part — equal split, custom amounts or excluded people — and Kvit shows the minimal set of transfers. Share the result as plain text in WhatsApp, Telegram, iMessage or email. It works fully offline, with no account. Coming from Splitwise? See the honest Kvit vs Splitwise comparison (на русском).
FAQ
How many transfers are needed to settle a group?
For N people, at most N − 1.
What if someone didn't take part in an expense?
Exclude them from that expense; its cost is split among the others.
Do I need an account?
No. Kvit works offline, with no sign-up.