can i fork it?
πŸ’° personal finance

Splitwise costs $5/mo.
These cost $0.

4 free alternatives to Splitwise, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.

Splitwise vs Free Alternatives Matrix

Quick side-by-side comparison Β· $0/mo vs $5/mo

AlternativeTypeLicenseWhere It RunsStarsHead-to-Head
Spliitopen sourceβ€”β€”β˜… 2.7kSplitwise vs Spliit β†’
IHateMoneyopen sourceβ€”β€”β˜… 1.4kSplitwise vs IHateMoney β†’
Cospendopen sourceβ€”β€”β˜… 283Splitwise vs Cospend β†’
Tricountfreeβ€”β€”β˜… $0 foreverSplitwise vs Tricount β†’

The picks

3 open source Β· 1 free to use Β· ranked by fit

  1. 01

    Spliit

    open source
    2.7kdec 2025

    Share a link, split, settle. No accounts, no ads. Use their instance or run your own.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hostedthey host it
  2. 02

    IHateMoney

    open source
    1.4kmay 2026

    Around since 2011, proudly boring, in declared maintenance mode; use their free instance or one docker run.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hostedthey host it
  3. 03

    Cospend

    open source
    283jun 2026

    Splitwise for people who already run Nextcloud; pairs with the MoneyBuster Android app.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    webself-hostedself-host, real ops
  4. 04

    Free and huge in Europe; closed source and bunq-owned, new signups get a bunq account, and CSV export left with the old Premium.

    Install, platforms & data +
    platforms
    mobilethey host it

Frequently Asked Questions

Direct answers Β· Splitwise open-source replacements

What is the best free alternative to Splitwise?+

The top free alternative to Splitwise is Spliit (open source). Share a link, split, settle. No accounts, no ads. Use their instance or run your own. Other popular Splitwise replacements include IHateMoney, Cospend, Tricount.

Can I self-host a free replacement for Splitwise?+

Yes. Of the 4 free alternatives to Splitwise, 3 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Spliit (free), IHateMoney (free), Cospend (free).

How much does switching from Splitwise to a free alternative save?+

Splitwise starts at $5/month per seat ($60/year). Switching a 5-person team to a free alternative like Spliit saves $300 per year in software subscription fees.

Should I vibe-code or build my own Splitwise clone from scratch?+

Our build verdict for Splitwise is KINDA (the core, yes. the polish, no). The ledger and the debt math are a solved problem; a link-shared DIY version covers a household or one trip in a single sitting, no accounts needed. The gap is not code, it is adoption: Splitwise works because the whole group already has it installed, and nobody downloads your homebrew app for one weekend away. Build it for the people who share your fridge; for everyone else, the moat is other people's phones.