How to split the bill fairly, tax and tip included
Splitting evenly is fast but rarely fair. Here is how to pick the right method for the table, and how to do the by-item split without a calculator.
Split your receipt now
Snap it, share the link, everyone taps what they had. Free, no sign-up.
Three ways to split a bill
| Method | Best when | Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Split evenly | Everyone ordered about the same; shared plates | The person who had a salad pays for the steak |
| Split by item | Orders differ, someone skipped drinks | Tedious by hand: tax and tip need dividing too |
| One person pays, others pay back | The restaurant takes one card only | Someone has to chase payments |
Most groups do the third with the second: one card pays, then everyone pays back what they had. That is exactly what SplitSlip automates.
The fair way to split tax and tip
Tax and tip should follow what each person ordered, not be divided evenly. If your food came to 30% of the subtotal, you pay 30% of the tax and 30% of the tip.
Example: subtotal $100, tax $8.63, tip $20. Your items were $30.
- Your tax: $8.63 × 30/100 = $2.59
- Your tip: $20 × 30/100 = $6.00
- Your total: $30 + $2.59 + $6.00 = $38.59
Shared plates
Appetizers, a bottle of wine, the dessert everyone picked at: split those evenly between the people who had them, then apply the tax and tip rule above. Three people share a $18 calamari? $6 each.
Rounding without losing a cent
Proportional shares rarely come out to whole cents. Round each share, then give any leftover cents to the largest shares so the totals add up exactly to the bill. SplitSlip does this for you, so the payer is never short.
The one-minute version
- Take a photo of the receipt in SplitSlip. AI reads each line, the tax and any printed tip.
- Add a tip if there is none (15%, 18%, 20% or 22%).
- Share the link in the group chat. Everyone taps what they had on their own phone.
- Each person sees their exact total and pays you with one tap on Venmo, Cash App or PayPal.
Split your receipt now
Snap it, share the link, everyone taps what they had. Free, no sign-up.