Splitwise vs. Tricount: Honest Comparison Guide 2024

Here’s my honest Splitwise vs. Tricount comparison guide.

If you’re looking to make sharing expenses quick and convenient, then you need an app specifically designed to handle such tasks — Splitwise or Tricount.

All you have to do is fill in the costs, and let the app calculate and split the payments. There’s no hidden fee, and everyone can see all logged expenses, making it pretty easy for anyone to add their own.

Here’s the difference between Splitwise and Tricount:

The main difference is that Splitwise focuses on simplifying group expenses and splitting bills, ideal for friends, roommates, or colleagues sharing costs, while Tricount caters to tracking and settling group expenses while emphasizing travel-related expenses like trips, vacations, or events.

Now, let’s delve into a detailed comparison of key features, pros and cons, pricing, and other factors to help you decide between Splitwise and Tricount.

Splitwise vs. Tricount: Key Features Comparison Overview

Here’s an overview of the primary features of these payment solutions.

What is Splitwise and How Does it Work?

Splitwise is a user-friendly expense-sharing platform designed to simplify the process of splitting bills and tracking shared expenses. Users can input general expenses, bills, or IOUs, and the platform calculates each person’s share.

It’s particularly useful for groups of friends, roommates, or colleagues who want a straightforward way to manage shared costs without the hassle of complex calculations.

Pros of Splitwise:

• Simplifies bill splitting and expense tracking.
• User-friendly interface for ease of use.
• Real-time updates for shared expenses.

Cons:

• Limited integration capabilities.
• Focused on simplicity, may lack advanced features.

What is Tricount and How Does it Work?

Tricount is an intuitive platform that goes beyond simple expense tracking, emphasizing travel-related expenses and costs.

It’s particularly geared towards groups involved in trips, vacations, or events where various expenses need to be tracked and settled.

Tricount enables users to input expenses, indicate who paid, and calculates each participant’s share, making it efficient for collaborative expense management.

Pros of Tricount:

• Specialized in tracking travel-related expenses.
• Multi-currency support for diverse travel groups.
• Intuitive design with an emphasis on travel functionalities.

Cons of Tricount:

• May have more features than needed for basic expense splitting.
• Focus on travel may limit its applicability to general shared expenses.

In-Depth Comparison Guide: Splitwise vs. Tricount

Let’s compare the key features highlighted in the table above.

1. Focus

Splitwise excels in simplifying the process of managing group expenses and splitting bills. Whether it’s shared living expenses, a group dinner, or collaborative project costs,

Splitwise focuses on providing a straightforward platform for users to input various expenses, calculate each person’s share, and settle debts. Its emphasis on simplicity makes it an ideal choice for groups with diverse expense-sharing needs.

Tricount specializes in tracking and settling group expenses, with a particular focus on travel-related costs.

Whether you’re planning a vacation with friends or organizing a group event, Tricount stands out in handling expenses associated with trips.

Its features are designed to cater to the nuances of collaborative expense management during travel, making it the go-to platform for groups seeking efficient ways to track and settle travel-related costs.

Verdict: Splitwise is the winner for general group expenses and bill splitting, while Tricount excels in managing travel-related expenses. The choice depends on the nature of the expenses you’re primarily dealing with.

2. Expense Types

Splitwise covers a broad spectrum of expense types, including general expenses, bills, and IOUs. It offers versatility for users dealing with different kinds of shared costs, making it a comprehensive solution for various scenarios.

Tricount is specialized in tracking and settling travel-related expenses. While it may handle general expenses, its strength lies in efficiently managing costs associated with trips, vacations, or events.

Verdict: Splitwise is the winner for versatility, accommodating a wide range of expense types. Tricount is specifically tailored for travel-related expenses. The choice depends on your primary expense management needs.

3. User Interface

Splitwise boasts a user-friendly interface, emphasizing simplicity in its design.

The platform ensures that users can easily navigate and input expenses without encountering unnecessary complexities, making it accessible to a broad user base.

Tricount features an intuitive design with a particular focus on travel functionalities. Its interface is optimized for collaborative tracking during trips or events, providing users with a seamless and efficient experience.

Verdict: Both Splitwise and Tricount offer user-friendly interfaces, each tailored to their specific focus. The choice depends on whether you prioritize simplicity for general expenses or travel-specific functionalities.

4. Real-time Sync

Splitwise provides real-time updates for shared expenses, ensuring that users have the latest information on who paid what and who owes whom.

This feature enhances transparency and keeps all participants informed about the current status of shared costs.

Tricount syncs in real-time, allowing collaborative tracking and updates on expenses as they occur.

This ensures that everyone involved in a trip or event has instant access to the most recent information regarding expenses.

Verdict: Both Splitwise and Tricount offer real-time sync capabilities, contributing to transparent and up-to-date expense management. It’s a tie in this category.

5. Currencies

Splitwise supports multiple currencies, making it suitable for users with global expense-sharing scenarios. The platform ensures that users can input and track expenses in different currencies seamlessly.

Tricount offers multi-currency support, catering to diverse travel groups where participants may be using different currencies. This feature enhances its applicability for international trips.

Verdict: Both Splitwise and Tricount provide support for multiple currencies, accommodating users with diverse global expense-sharing needs. It’s a tie in this category.

6. Notifications

Splitwise sends reminders and notifications for pending expenses, ensuring that users are alerted about outstanding payments and upcoming bills.

This feature contributes to proactive debt settlement and expense tracking.

Tricount provides alerts for expense updates and settlements, keeping all participants informed about changes in the expense status.

Notifications contribute to a transparent and collaborative expense management process.

Verdict: Both Splitwise and Tricount offer notification features, ensuring that users stay informed about pending expenses and settlements. It’s a tie in this category.

7. Integration

Splitwise has limited integration capabilities, prioritizing simplicity in its design. While it may not offer extensive integrations, its focus on straightforward expense management makes it accessible to a wide range of users.

Tricount connects with various payment platforms and services, enhancing its integration capabilities. This feature allows users to link their Tricount accounts with different payment methods for seamless expense settlement.

Verdict: Tricount is the winner for integration capabilities, offering users the option to connect with various payment platforms. Splitwise, while focused on simplicity, may have limitations in this aspect. The choice depends on your preference for integration functionalities.

Splitwise Real World Use Cases:

1. Shared Living Expenses for Roommates: In a bustling city, a group of roommates residing together in a shared apartment relies on Splitwise to manage their living expenses efficiently.

Each month, they input rent, utilities, and shared groceries into the platform. Splitwise calculates each person’s share, eliminating the need for complex spreadsheets or manual calculations.

With real-time updates and notifications, the roommates easily track who owes what, streamlining the process of settling bills. This use case showcases how Splitwise simplifies shared expense management in a residential setting.

2. Group Dinner Expenses for Friends: A group of friends regularly enjoys dining out together. Instead of grappling with separate checks and awkward calculations at the restaurant, they turn to Splitwise.

After each dinner, one person inputs the total bill and itemized expenses into the platform.

Splitwise divides the costs equally among friends, considering shared appetizers, main courses, and beverages. This use case highlights how Splitwise transforms group dining experiences by providing a fair and hassle-free way to split bills.

Tricount Real World Use Cases:

1. Collaborative Travel Expenses for Vacationers: A group of friends embarks on an international vacation, and they leverage Tricount to manage their travel expenses seamlessly.

From flights and accommodation to daily meals and excursions, participants input all expenses into Tricount.

The platform’s multi-currency support accommodates diverse spending, ensuring accurate calculations.

With real-time syncing, everyone stays informed about expense updates, simplifying the settlement process. Tricount’s travel-centric features make it an invaluable tool for collaborative expense management during vacations.

2. Event Planning Costs for Organizers: A team of event organizers uses Tricount to handle expenses for a large-scale event.

From venue rentals and catering to promotional materials and staff payments, Tricount becomes the central hub for tracking and splitting costs.

The platform’s intuitive design facilitates collaboration among organizers, ensuring that everyone has visibility into the budget.

Tricount’s emphasis on travel-related functionalities extends seamlessly to event planning, making it an effective tool for managing diverse expenses associated with organizing events.

Splitwise Pricing:

Here, we break down and summarize the pricing for Splitwise and Tricount:

Tricount Pricing:

Summary:

Splitwise:

• Freemium model with a free basic plan.
• Pro plan offers advanced features and removes ads.
• Subscription-based pricing with reasonable costs.
• Limited integration capabilities.
• No transaction fees, relies on subscriptions.
• Basic customer support for all users.
• Group expenses feature available in both plans.

Tricount:

• Freemium model with a free basic plan.
• Premium plan offers enhanced features and no ads.
• Subscription-based pricing with competitive costs.
• Payment integration available for premium users.
• Multi-currency support critical for travel expenses.
• Enhanced customer support for premium users.
• Advanced features included in the premium plan.

Verdict:

Both Splitwise and Tricount follow a freemium model, offering free basic plans with additional features in premium plans.

Splitwise focuses on simplicity and general shared expenses, while Tricount’s premium plan is tailored for travel-centric needs, including multi-currency support and payment integration.

Splitwise vs. Tricount: Factors to Consider When Choosing a Payment Splitting App

Focus:

• Splitwise: Ideal for general group expenses and bill splitting.
• Tricount: Tailored for tracking and settling travel-related expenses.

Expense Types:

• Splitwise: Handles general expenses, bills, and IOUs.
• Tricount: Specializes in travel-related costs associated with trips or events.

User Interface:

• Splitwise: User-friendly with simplicity in mind.
• Tricount: Intuitive design with a focus on travel functionalities.

Currencies:

• Splitwise: Supports multiple currencies for global usability.
• Tricount: Offers multi-currency support for diverse travel groups.

Integration:

• Splitwise: Limited integrations, prioritizing simplicity.
• Tricount: Connects with various payment platforms and services.

FAQs

Let’s answer common questions about Splitwise and Tricount:

Is Splitwise suitable for personal use, or is it more geared towards business expenses?

• Splitwise is versatile and caters to both personal and business expense-sharing scenarios. It excels in simplifying the process of splitting bills and managing shared costs in various settings, making it suitable for individuals, roommates, friends, and small businesses.

Does Tricount work well for tracking expenses during international trips, considering different currencies?

• Yes, Tricount is well-suited for collaborative expense management during international travel. Its premium plan includes multi-currency support, allowing users to input and track expenses in different currencies seamlessly, making it an excellent choice for diverse travel groups.

Can I use Splitwise or Tricount for event planning expenses?

• While Splitwise is versatile for general expense sharing, Tricount’s features make it particularly effective for event planning costs. Its emphasis on travel-related functionalities extends seamlessly to organizing and tracking expenses for events.

Do these tools integrate with popular payment platforms for settling debts?

• Tricount’s premium plan supports payment integration, allowing users to settle debts directly within the platform. In contrast, Splitwise has limited integration capabilities, primarily focusing on simplicity in expense management.

Are there any transaction fees associated with using Splitwise or Tricount?

• Splitwise primarily relies on its subscription-based model and does not charge transaction fees. Tricount, following a freemium model, charges subscription fees for premium features but does not impose transaction fees.

Is Splitwise Better Than Tricount: Takeaway

To summarize this comparison guide, keep in mind that your decision between Splitwise and Tricount will depend on your specific payment needs.

For example, if you’re primarily looking for a straightforward platform to split bills and manage shared expenses in various settings, Splitwise is an excellent choice.

However, choose Tricount if you’re focused on travel-related expenses and want a platform optimized for collaborative tracking during trips or events.

Tricount’s emphasis on travel functionalities may better suit your requirements.