Split Bill Calculator
Fair shares when people owe different amounts.
Reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · Updated 24 October 2026 · How we check our maths
Your values
ⓘ Live results
- Subtotal
- $86.25
- Tax
- $7.33
- Tip
- $15.53
- Grand total
- $109.11
- Even split would be
- $27.28
| Person | Items | Owes |
|---|---|---|
| Person 1 | $24 | $30.36 |
| Person 2 | $31.5 | $39.85 |
| Person 3 | $18 | $22.77 |
| Person 4 | $12.75 | $16.13 |
Quick answer
To split a bill fairly when people spent different amounts, each person pays their own items × (1 + tax rate + tip rate). With 8.5% tax and an 18% tip, the multiplier is 1.265, so someone whose food came to $24 owes $24 × 1.265 = $30.36. An even split only makes sense when everyone ordered roughly the same.
What the Split Bill calculator does
Enter what each person's items cost, separated by commas, plus the tax and tip percentages. The calculator totals the bill, works out tax and tip on the pre-tax subtotal, and shows each person's share including their proportional slice of tax and tip. It also shows what an even split would cost, so the group can see how much difference it makes.
The same method works for any shared cost where people used different amounts: hotel rooms split by nights stayed, group gifts, vacation rentals or a shared grocery order. Leave the tip at 0 when there is no service charge.
Tip is calculated on the pre-tax amount, which is the usual etiquette in the US. If you want to tip on the post-tax total or need help choosing a percentage, use the tip calculator; to check a local tax rate, the sales tax calculator shows the effect of different rates.
The formula
Person's share = items × (1 + tax% ÷ 100 + tip% ÷ 100) Even split = subtotal × (1 + tax% ÷ 100 + tip% ÷ 100) ÷ number of people
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| items | Pre-tax cost of what that person ordered or used, including their share of anything shared | $ |
| tax% | Sales tax or VAT rate applied to the bill | % |
| tip% | Tip or service charge as a percentage of the pre-tax subtotal | % |
| subtotal | Sum of everyone's items before tax and tip | $ |
This is a straightforward proportional split: because tax and tip are percentages of the subtotal, sharing them in proportion to each person's items gives exactly the same answer as itemizing them line by line. It replaces the separate hotel-cost and uneven-bill split pages. It does not handle a fixed-amount service charge or a coupon that applies to the whole bill; for those, add or subtract the amount and divide it evenly or in proportion before entering the items.
Worked examples
Dinner for four, different orders
Four friends' food and drinks came to $24, $31.50, $18 and $12.75, with 8.5% sales tax and an 18% tip.
Inputs
- Each person's items24, 31.50, 18, 12.75 comma separated
- Tax8.5 %
- Tip18 %
Result
- Subtotal$86.25
- Tax$7.33
- Tip$15.53
- Grand total$109.11
- Even split would be$27.28
Shares range from about $16 to about $40, against $27.28 each on an even split. The person with the $12.75 order would overpay by more than $11 if the bill were simply divided by four.
Hotel room split by nights
Three people share a $140-a-night room: two stay two nights, one stays one night. Hotel tax is 12%.
Inputs
- Each person's items280, 280, 140 comma separated
- Tax12 %
- Tip0 %
Result
- Subtotal$700
- Tax$84
- Tip$0
- Grand total$784
- Even split would be$261.33
Entering nights × rate for each person gives $313.60, $313.60 and $156.80. If one person booked a pricier room, enter their rate separately; fees per stay (like resort fees) can be split the same way.
Lunch with a service charge, no tax line
Three coworkers spend $42, $15 and $27.50 where prices already include tax, adding a 20% tip.
Inputs
- Each person's items42, 15, 27.5 comma separated
- Tax0 %
- Tip20 %
Result
- Subtotal$84.5
- Tax$0
- Tip$16.9
- Grand total$101.4
- Even split would be$33.8
With tax set to 0, each share is simply items × 1.20. In countries where menu prices include VAT, this is the right setup.
Handling shared dishes, drinks and discounts
- Shared appetizers or bottles: divide the item price by the number of people who shared it and add that amount to each sharer's total before entering it. A $24 starter shared by three adds $8 to each of those three.
- One person treats another: add the guest's items to the host's total and leave the guest out of the list.
- Percentage discounts: a 10% off coupon reduces everyone's items equally, so apply it by entering items × 0.9 for each person.
- Fixed discounts or gift cards: subtract the amount from the grand total and divide in proportion to each person's share, or just evenly if the group agrees.
- Automatic service charge: if the restaurant has already added gratuity, set the tip to that percentage rather than adding it twice.
Even split or proportional split
An even split is quicker and is often fine when orders are within a few dollars of each other. Proportional splitting matters when the gap is large: in the dinner example, the even share is $27.28 but the smallest order costs only about $16 with tax and tip, a difference of more than $11. Groups often agree in advance to split evenly for food and pay separately for alcohol, which is easy to model by entering each person's drinks plus an equal food share.
Splitting rooms, rentals and trips
For accommodation, the fairest base is usually person-nights: each person's items equal nights stayed × nightly rate ÷ people in the room. If two people share one room for three nights at $150, each enters $225. Larger rooms or private bathrooms can be weighted by agreeing a higher rate for those occupants. For a whole trip, plan the total first with the travel budget calculator, then use this page to settle up afterward.
How to use the Split Bill Calculator
- 1List each person's pre-tax items from the receipt, adding their share of anything shared, and type the totals separated by commas.
- 2Enter the tax rate shown on the receipt, or 0 if prices already include tax.
- 3Enter the tip percentage, or 0 for hotel rooms, rentals and other costs without a tip.
- 4Read each person's amount owed in the table and compare it with the even split.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fairest way to split a restaurant bill?
Have each person pay for their own items plus the same percentage of tax and tip. This keeps light eaters from subsidizing expensive orders while sharing tax and tip in proportion.
Should the tip be calculated before or after tax?
In the US the usual practice is to tip on the pre-tax amount, which is what this calculator does. Tipping on the total adds only a little, for example $1.32 extra on an $86.25 bill with 8.5% tax and an 18% tip.
How do I split a hotel room when people stay different nights?
Multiply each person's nights by the nightly rate, divided by how many share the room each night, and enter those amounts. Set tax to the hotel's tax rate and tip to 0.
How do I split a bill unevenly between couples?
Add up each couple's items and enter one amount per couple. The calculator then treats each couple as one payer.
Why does the even split differ from the individual shares?
The even split divides the grand total by the number of people regardless of what they ordered. Individual shares follow each person's items, so they only match when everyone spent the same.
References
- Tipping guidelines for restaurant service — The Emily Post Institute
About this calculator
- Built and reviewed by the Calculation Machine team · How we build and test calculators
- Last reviewed: October 24, 2026
- Report an error