Six people, ten days in Tokyo, three currencies, one dinner where "only some ate" — the wrong app destroys friendships. We tested Splitwise, Tricount, Settle Up, Google Sheets and Notion in real life.
Six people, ten days in Tokyo, three currencies, one dinner where "only some ate" — the wrong app destroys friendships. We tested Splitwise, Tricount, Settle Up, Google Sheets and Notion in real life.
**Splitwise**: global standard, best UX for beginners. Free tier limits 3 expenses/day since 2024 and charges US$ 4/month for automatic multi-currency. Still wins when the group is mixed (some with the app, some without).
**Tricount**: 100% free, native multi-currency, no expense limit. Simple European UX, but weak exports and a settlement algorithm less clean than Settle Up.
**Settle Up**: the best mathematical algorithm to minimize transfers. Free with ads, premium US$ 15/year. Steeper learning curve, wins for large groups (8+).
**Google Sheets**: wins when the group has someone willing to maintain it. Open template, real-time FX integration via `GOOGLEFINANCE`, zero limit. Fails when no one opens it.
**Notion**: pretty, but a project no one types in. Use only for groups already addicted to Notion.
Six people, ten days in Tokyo, three currencies, one dinner where "only some ate" — the wrong app destroys friendships. We tested Splitwise, Tricount, Settle Up, Google Sheets and Notion in real life.
