How this is calculated
each = total × (1 + tip %) ÷ people
An even split is total (plus optional tip) divided by headcount — trivially easy, and yet the number one source of post-dinner friction, because someone always fronts the card and then chases six people for uneven cents. The rounded-up share solves this: if everyone sends the rounded figure, the payer ends up slightly ahead instead of slightly behind, which is the correct direction for the person who took the risk.
Even splits are fair when consumption is roughly even — shared apartments splitting utilities, road-trip fuel, a birthday gift. They get contentious when one person ordered the steak and another had soup. The pragmatic rule most groups converge on: split evenly when the spread is small, itemize when someone's share is wildly different, and never itemize a $60 bill across six friends unless you enjoy spreadsheets more than friendship.
For recurring shared costs (rent with different room sizes, trips with different stay lengths), proportional splitting beats even splitting: each person pays their weight — days stayed, square meters, income share. This calculator handles the even case; the proportion case is just this result multiplied by each person's fraction.
Frequently asked questions
How do we split when people ordered very differently?
Itemize the outliers only: the person with the $80 wine pays for their bottle, then the rest splits evenly. Full itemization is rarely worth the effort below large bills.
What's the fairest way to split rent between unequal rooms?
Proportionally by room value — a common approach is splitting by square meters, or letting roommates 'bid' comfort premiums. Even splits on unequal rooms are the classic slow-burn dispute.
Someone always forgets to pay me back. Any fix?
Send the exact rounded number with a payment link immediately, while everyone's still at the table. Precision plus immediacy collects debts; 'we'll sort it later' doesn't.