How to use the bill splitter
- On By item, type a name for everyone under Who is at the table? and use Add person for more.
- Add a line for each receipt item with its Item name and Price. Under Who had it?, tap the people who ate or drank it. Tap several names, or Everyone, to share it.
- Set Tax as a rate or the dollar amount on your receipt, pick a Tip, and choose whether the tip is based on the amount before or after tax.
- Read what each person owes, then use Copy summary to send it to the group.
- Use Equal split when everyone pays the same, or Custom shares for fixed shares such as 60/40.
How the split works
Person's total = items + tax share + tip share
A shared item is divided equally among the people who tapped it. Tax and tip are then divided in proportion to each person's items, so someone who ordered more carries more of both. Every amount is worked out in whole cents and the leftover cents are handed out by the largest-remainder method, so the shares always add up to the bill exactly. Emily Post lists 15 to 20 percent, pre-tax, for sit-down service.
Worked example
The page opens with Alex (Burger $16.00, Beer $7.50), Sam (Caesar salad $13.50), Jordan (Pasta $18.00) and Nachos at $12.00 shared by all three, so each pays $4.00 toward it. The subtotal is $67.00, tax at 8% is $5.36, and an 18% tip on the subtotal is $12.06, for a total of $84.42. Alex owes $27.50 + $2.20 tax + $4.95 tip = $34.65, Sam owes $17.50 + $1.40 + $3.15 = $22.05, and Jordan owes $22.00 + $1.76 + $3.96 = $27.72. The three add up to $84.42. On Equal split, a $120.00 bill with an 18% tip across 4 people comes to $35.40 each.
Limits and edge cases
- A priced item that nobody is tapped on is listed as Not assigned and is not charged to anyone, so assign it before you collect money.
- A dish shared unevenly can be added as separate items, one per person.
- Rounding up adds to the tip, and the page shows the effective tip rate.
- The page handles up to 12 people, 40 items and prices up to $1,000,000.
- For a quick tip chart and an even split, use the tip calculator. To find tax from a rate, use the sales tax calculator, or try the percentage calculator for other percentages.
Bill splitter FAQ
How do you split a bill by what each person ordered?
Add up each person's items, then divide the tax and tip in proportion to those subtotals. In the starting example Alex ordered $27.50 of a $67.00 subtotal, about 41%, so Alex pays $2.20 of the $5.36 tax and $4.95 of the $12.06 tip.
How do you split shared appetizers?
Add the dish once and tap every person who shared it, or tap Everyone. The price is divided equally among them, and if it does not divide evenly the extra cents go to one person, so the shares still add up to the bill.
Should the tip be calculated before or after tax?
Etiquette guides such as Emily Post's say 15 to 20 percent of the pre-tax bill, and many people tip on the total instead. On a $67.00 subtotal with 8% tax, an 18% tip is $12.06 before tax or $13.02 after tax. Use the Tip is based on setting to switch.
What if someone skipped the drinks that others ordered?
Assign the drinks only to the people who had them. Tax and tip follow each person's items, so a non-drinker does not pay toward the bar tab.
What if the tip is already on the bill?
Many restaurants add an automatic gratuity for large parties, so check the receipt first. If it is there, choose Custom and enter 0 for the tip so you do not tip twice.
Sources: Emily Post, general tipping guide. Amounts here are estimates for convenience, so check them against your receipt.