How do I split bills with friends?

Create a trip, add your friends as participants, then add expenses. Otter automatically calculates who owes whom and shows the minimal payments needed to settle up.

Is Otter free to use?

Yes, Otter is completely free with zero fees. No sign-up or account required—just create a trip and share the link.

Splitwise Alternative: Free, No Sign-Up Expense Splitting

Looking for a simpler way to split bills? Otter is a free, donation-based alternative to Splitwise—no registration, no personal data, no ads. Compare side by side.

Why consider an alternative?

Splitwise is popular for splitting expenses, but it requires everyone to create an account. If you're splitting a dinner with a colleague, a weekend trip with acquaintances, or a one-off event, asking people to sign up can feel awkward. You might also prefer an app that doesn't collect personal data or show ads. Otter was built for exactly that: fast, fair splitting with zero friction.

Splitwise vs Otter

Feature	Splitwise	Otter
Cost	Free tier with ads; Pro subscription for ad-free & premium features	100% free, donation-based. No subscription.
Sign-up required	Yes — email, password, or Google account	No sign-up. No account. No registration.
Trip participants	Must create account to join a group	Join via link. No download or sign-up needed.
Personal data	Stores email, name, payment preferences	No PII stored. No personal data collection.
Platforms	iOS, Android, Web	iOS app + Web. Works on any device with a browser.
Ads	Ads on free tier	No ads. Ever.
Security & privacy	Account data stored; privacy policy applies	Minimal data. No security risks from stored PII.

100% free, donation-based

Otter doesn't charge subscriptions or hide features behind paywalls. We're funded by donations from people who find the app useful. No ads, no upsells, no "Pro" tier. Just split expenses and settle up—for free.

No PII, no security risks

We don't store names, emails, or payment details. Trip data is minimal and ephemeral. There's nothing to leak, nothing to hack. You stay in control of your information.

Works for everyone—no app required

Create a trip, share the link. Friends can view balances and add expenses from any browser—no download, no sign-up. If they want the native iOS app for a smoother experience, it's there. But it's never required.

When to use Otter

Perfect for travel, dinners, day trips, roommates, and one-off events. If you want a clean UI, zero friction for your group, and no ads or data collection—Otter is built for you.