PairTab vs Splitwise
Splitwise is made for groups — housemates, trips, friends — and tracks who owes who until someone settles up. PairTab is made for two people who share costs but keep their money separate: it keeps one running balance of who has contributed more, and future shared spending brings it back toward even. Only the expenses you mark Shared are visible to your partner.
Get PairTab, freeSide by side
| PairTab | Splitwise | |
|---|---|---|
| Made for | Two people who share costs but keep their money separate. | Sharing expenses with housemates, trips, groups, friends, family and partners. |
| How the balance works | One running balance of who has contributed more over time. Future shared spending brings it back toward even, with no tiny settlements. | Tracks balances and who owes who. You settle up with a friend and record the cash or online payment. |
| Personal spending | Expenses you mark Private are visible only to you and never count toward the shared balance. | Built to track shared expenses with the people you split with. |
| Ways to split | Equal, percentage or exact amounts, on the free plan. | Equal or unequal splits. A default split per group is a Pro feature. |
| Free plan | Every way of splitting and the running balance, with the last three months of history. | Up to 4 new expenses a day, according to the Splitwise help center. |
| Receipt scanning | With PairTab Plus. | With Splitwise Pro. |
| Bank or card import | None. You add shared expenses yourself; PairTab does not move money. | Transaction import from a linked card, with Pro, in the US only. |
| Paid plan | PairTab Plus, an optional subscription. One subscription covers both partners. | Splitwise Pro: an annual plan for one person, an annual Duo plan for two people, or a monthly plan for one person. |
| Platforms | iPhone and Android. | iPhone, Android and the web. |
What Splitwise offers is as stated on its own pages in October 2026: splitwise.com, Splitwise Pro, What is Splitwise Pro and who can use it?. Plans and features change; check there for the latest.
Questions
Can couples use Splitwise?
Yes. Splitwise names partners among the people it is for, and its Duo plan covers two people. It works per expense: each one changes who owes who, and you settle up with a payment. PairTab is built around one running balance between two people instead.
Does PairTab make us settle up?
No. PairTab shows one running balance of who has contributed more over time. The next shared expenses bring it back toward even, so there is no need to pay each other back for every expense.
Can my partner see everything I spend in PairTab?
No. Only expenses you mark Shared are visible to your partner. Expenses you mark Private are visible only to you and never count toward the shared balance, the shared list or the budgets.
How much does PairTab cost?
PairTab is free to download, and the running balance and Private and Shared expenses are free. PairTab Plus is an optional subscription for recurring expenses, shared budgets, receipt scanning, export and unlimited history. One subscription covers both partners, at the price the App Store or Google Play shows before you buy.