How to use the split bill calculator
- Type the bill amount. Use the amount before tax and tip. If the bill already includes tax, leave the tax box empty.
- Add tax and tip if you need them. Both are percentages. The tip is worked out on the bill before tax unless you tick Tip on the total after tax.
- Choose Equally or By income, then add everyone who is sharing. Names are optional; they only label the results. For a split by income, type each person's income.
Each person's share updates as you type. Use Copy result to paste the list into a group chat.
Splitting a bill equally
An equal split is the total divided by the number of people. The total is the bill plus the tax and the tip, each rounded to the cent:
- Tax = bill × tax % ÷ 100
- Tip = bill × tip % ÷ 100 (or (bill + tax) × tip % ÷ 100 with the after-tax option)
- Each share = (bill + tax + tip) ÷ number of people
For example, a $120.00 meal with 8% tax and an 18% tip for 4 people:
| Line | Sum | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Bill | $120.00 | |
| Tax at 8% | 120 × 0.08 | $9.60 |
| Tip at 18% | 120 × 0.18 | $21.60 |
| Total | $151.20 | |
| Each of 4 people | 151.20 ÷ 4 | $37.80 |
Rounding and the leftover cents
Money can only be paid in whole cents, but a total often does not divide evenly. $100.00 between 3 people is $33.333... each. If everyone paid $33.33, the group would pay $99.99 and be 1 cent short. If everyone paid $33.34, they would pay $100.02.
The calculator works in whole cents and does this:
- Each share is first rounded down to the cent: $33.33, $33.33 and $33.33, which is $99.99.
- The cents left over, here 1 cent, are handed out one each, so nobody pays more than 1 cent above their exact share.
- In an equal split they go to the people listed first. In a split by income they go to the people whose exact share was closest to the next cent up (this is known as the largest remainder method).
So $100.00 between 3 people is $33.34, $33.33 and $33.33, and the calculator marks the person paying the extra cent with a star and says so in a note. The shares always add up to the total exactly. There can never be more leftover cents than people.
Splitting a bill by income
Splitting in proportion to income means each person pays the same percentage of their income, rather than the same amount. Some couples and housemates use it for rent, groceries and household bills when one person earns more than another.
Each share is the total times that person's income divided by everyone's income added together:
share = total × your income ÷ total income
Use the same kind of income for everyone: all yearly or all monthly, and all before tax or all take-home. Mixing them gives the wrong shares. Someone with no income can be included with 0; they pay nothing.
| Person | Monthly take-home | Share of income | Pays of $200.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sam | $2,500 | 45.45% | $90.91 |
| Alex | $1,700 | 30.91% | $61.82 |
| Jo | $1,300 | 23.64% | $47.27 |
| Total | $5,500 | 100% | $200.00 |
The exact shares are $90.909..., $61.818... and $47.272... Rounded down they come to $199.98, so 2 cents are left over. Sam's and Alex's exact shares were closest to the next cent up, so each of them pays 1 cent more. With a simpler example, $1,000 between incomes of $50,000, $30,000 and $20,000 splits exactly into $500, $300 and $200.
Special cases
- One person. They pay the whole total, which is handy for checking tax and tip on your own bill.
- Everyone's income is 0. There is nothing to share in proportion to, so the calculator asks for at least one income above 0. Switch to an equal split instead.
- Tax already included. Leave the tax box empty. Adding tax again would charge it twice.
- Tip customs vary by country and by type of service, and some bills already include a service charge. Check the bill before adding a tip.
- Currency. The symbol follows your browser's language setting. The arithmetic is the same in any currency with 100 smaller units.
Questions and answers
How do I split a bill by income?
Add up everyone's income, then each person pays the bill times their income divided by the total. With incomes of $50,000, $30,000 and $20,000, a $1,000 bill splits into $500, $300 and $200: everyone pays 1% of their income.
Should the tip be on the amount before or after tax?
Both are used, and it is your choice. This calculator tips on the bill before tax unless you tick the after-tax option. On a $120 bill with 8% tax, an 18% tip is $21.60 before tax or $23.33 after tax.
Why does one person pay 1 cent more?
Because the total does not divide evenly in whole cents. $100 between 3 people is $33.333... each, so two people pay $33.33 and one pays $33.34. Without that extra cent the group would be 1 cent short.
Is splitting by income fairer than splitting equally?
It depends on what the people sharing agree. An equal split charges everyone the same amount; a split by income charges everyone the same share of what they earn. The calculator does either, so you can compare both before you decide.
Should I use income before or after tax?
Either works as long as everyone uses the same one. Take-home pay is a sensible choice, because it is the money people actually have to spend.
Sources
Checked on 7 October 2026. If a rule has changed, please tell us.