The Best Free Apps to Split Bills With Roommates and Friends (2026)

There are more ways to split bills with roommates than ever before. There are also more ways to pick the wrong tool and end up with more friction than you started with.

Here is a rundown of the best free options and what each one is actually built for.

ExpenDiv

Best for: recurring bills with one person managing everything

ExpenDiv is built specifically for situations where one person tracks shared expenses (rent, utilities, streaming subscriptions) and needs to collect from the others. The key differentiator: the people you bill never need to download the app or create an account. They receive email reminders with a payment link already in the email.

• Free plan: unlimited expenses, unlimited participants, manual reminders
• Premium ($3.99/month): unlimited expenses and participants, automated daily reminders, customizable reminder tone and timing
• No account needed for participants: just an email address
• Works in any browser, no download required

Splitwise

Best for: group settlements and trip expenses

Splitwise is the most well-known bill splitting app, and it excels at group situations where expenses run in multiple directions: a vacation where different people cover different costs, or a shared house where everyone pays for different things throughout the month.

• All participants must create Splitwise accounts
• Strong for complex group settlements
• Free tier is solid; Pro plan is $3.99/month
• Multi-currency support for international groups

Venmo and CashApp

Best for: sending money, not tracking it

Venmo and CashApp are payment apps, not bill trackers. They handle the transfer but do not track balances, send reminders, or tell you when something is due. If you already know what is owed, they handle the payment. They are not the tracking system.

• No balance tracking or reminder features
• Free to use
• Best used as the payment method alongside a tracking tool

Google Sheets

Best for: people who want full control and do not mind maintaining it

A shared spreadsheet is infinitely flexible and completely free. It can track anything you want if you build it right. The downside: it only works if everyone keeps it updated, and it sends no reminders.

• Free and highly customizable
• No automatic reminders
• Breaks down when people stop updating it
• Works well for detail-oriented groups

How to Choose

• Recurring bills you manage alone: ExpenDiv
• Group expenses with back-and-forth settlement: Splitwise
• You just need to send money: Venmo or CashApp
• Full control with no app: Google Sheets

The Bottom Line

For most roommate situations (splitting rent, utilities, and a few subscriptions) ExpenDiv is the simplest option. Your roommates never create accounts, reminders go out automatically on the paid plan, and payment links make it easy for them to pay you in one tap.

If you are splitting costs across a larger group where expenses run in multiple directions, Splitwise handles that complexity better.

Frequently Asked Questions