Divvy vs Splitwise: Which Expense Splitter Should You Use?
An honest comparison of Divvy and Splitwise. When each one makes sense, where they differ, and why we built Divvy in the first place.
Full disclosure: we built Divvy. So take this with a grain of salt. But we're going to be honest about both apps, because you should use whichever one actually works for your situation.
Why Divvy exists
Splitwise is a great app. Millions of people use it, and for good reason. It does expense splitting well and has been around for years.
So why build another one?
It started with one specific frustration: Splitwise's free plan has a daily transaction limit. If you're on a group trip and logging expenses throughout the day, you can hit that cap pretty quickly. And when you do, you're stuck waiting until tomorrow or paying for a subscription just to add a dinner bill.
That was annoying enough that we decided to build something without that restriction. Divvy doesn't limit how many expenses you can add per day on the free plan. Log as many as you need.
Where Splitwise wins
Let's be real about what Splitwise does better.
It's more established. Splitwise has been around since 2011. It has a huge user base, polished apps on every platform, and years of refinement. If you want the app that "everyone already has," that's Splitwise.
It has more features. Currency conversion, receipt scanning, recurring expenses, detailed charts and reports. Splitwise has had over a decade to build out its feature set, and it shows.
Native mobile apps. Splitwise has dedicated iOS and Android apps. Divvy is a web app. It works well on mobile browsers, but it's not a native app you download from the store.
Integrations. Splitwise connects with Venmo, PayPal, and other payment services. You can settle debts directly through the app in some cases.
Brand recognition. When you tell friends "let's use Splitwise," most people know what you're talking about. That matters when you're trying to get a group onboard.
Where Divvy wins
No daily transaction limits. This is the big one. On a trip where you're logging breakfast, an activity, lunch, groceries, and dinner in one day? No problem. Add as many expenses as you need without hitting a paywall.
Simple and fast. Divvy does fewer things, but the things it does, it does quickly. Add an expense in a few taps. See balances instantly. Settle up with minimal friction. There's no feature bloat getting in the way.
Free for most people. Divvy's free plan covers up to 10 groups with unlimited members and unlimited expenses. For most friend groups, households, and trips, you'll never need to pay anything.
Easy onboarding. Share a group link and anyone can join in seconds. Signing up is passwordless, just enter your email, get a code, and you're in. No passwords to remember or forget.
When to use Splitwise
Splitwise is probably the better choice if:
- You need native mobile apps
- Your friend group already uses it and everyone has accounts
- You want features like receipt scanning or currency conversion
- You need integrations with payment apps like Venmo
- You're managing complex, long-term shared finances
When to use Divvy
Divvy makes more sense if:
- You're tired of hitting daily limits on the free plan
- You want something simpler without a learning curve
- You're setting up a quick group for a trip or event
- You don't want to make everyone download an app (it's a web app, just share a link)
- You just need to track expenses and settle up without the extra features
The honest take
If Splitwise's free plan worked without the transaction limit, we probably wouldn't have built Divvy. That one restriction was the spark.
But once we started building, we realized there was value in making something simpler. Not every expense splitting situation needs receipt scanning, charts, and payment integrations. Sometimes you just want to add "$45 for pizza" and have everyone see what they owe.
Both apps solve the same core problem: tracking shared expenses so nobody gets shortchanged. Splitwise does it with more features. Divvy does it with fewer barriers.
Use whichever one fits how you actually split expenses. If you want to give Divvy a shot, create a group for free and see if the simplicity works for you.