Split the bill calculator
Add the courses, add the tip, divide by the number of people. It handles the awkward cases too — uneven orders, one person paying for the wine, service already on the bill.
The quickest way to do it
Most bill splitters give you three boxes: total, tip, number of people. That works right up until someone didn't drink, or two of you shared the starter, and then it doesn't. This one is a scratchpad instead — you write the bill out as lines, and it adds up as you type.
A typical dinner for four looks like this:
mains 86.50 | + | 86.50 |
drinks 34 | + | 34 |
dessert 18 | + | 18 |
tip +18% | + | 24.93 |
split among 4 people | = | 40.86 |
| Total | 163.43 |
Each person owes 40.86. The split line is shown for reference and is never added into the total, so the bill can't be counted twice.
When people ordered different amounts
This is where three-box calculators fall over. The trick is to name each person's line, then handle the shared items separately:
sam 24.00 | + | 24 |
alex 31.50 | + | 31.50 |
jo 19.00 | + | 19 |
shared wine 42 | + | 42 |
wine each: shared wine / 3 | = | 14 |
sam owes: sam + wine each | = | 38 |
alex owes: alex + wine each | = | 45.50 |
jo owes: jo + wine each | = | 33 |
| Total | 116.50 |
Naming a line with a colon lets you reuse its value below. Those lines are reference figures, so the three "owes" lines don't inflate the bill.
Tip before or after tax?
There is no single right answer, and the difference is usually small. Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is the stricter reading and is what many people in the United States do; tipping on the whole amount is simpler and slightly more generous.
Because a percentage line always applies to the running total above it, you choose which one you get by where you put the line:
- Put
tip +20%above the tax line and you tip on the food only. - Put it below the tax line and you tip on the taxed total.
In the United Kingdom and much of Europe, check the bill first — an optional service charge of 10 to 12.5 per cent is often already added, and tipping again on top is doubling it.
Rounding up
Splitting rarely lands on whole coins. If you want each person to pay a round number, write the split, look at the figure, then add a line like rounding 1.14 so the sheet still balances against what you actually hand over.
Questions
Should the tip be calculated before or after tax?
Custom varies. Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is the stricter reading and is common in the United States; tipping on the total including tax is simpler and slightly more generous. In a scratchpad you can put the tip line above or below the tax line to get either, because a percentage always applies to the running total above it.
How do you split a bill when people ordered different amounts?
Give each person their own named line for what they ordered, then add a shared line for anything the table shared and divide only that part. Named lines let you total one person's share without it being added into the table total twice.
What is a normal tip percentage?
In the United States 18 to 20 per cent for table service is the usual range. In the United Kingdom and much of Europe 10 to 12.5 per cent is common and service is often already included, so check the bill before adding anything.
Is this bill splitter free?
Yes. There is no account, no limit, and nothing you type is uploaded. The arithmetic happens inside your own browser.
Can I send the split to everyone?
Use Share link and the whole sheet is encoded into the web address, so sending the link sends the working. Or use Export to copy it as a plain-text summary to paste into a group chat.
Can I change the currency symbol?
Yes, with the selector above the results column. It guesses from your browser's region first and then remembers your choice.