Best Free Splitwise Alternative 2026 (AI Scan Included)

Searching for a free Splitwise alternative in 2026? You are not alone. Splitwise's free tier is increasingly squeezed: daily expense limits, ads on every screen, and receipt scanning locked behind Pro at $49.99/year. Here is how Partly compares as a modern, more generous option.

What Splitwise Free still includes

Splitwise Free still covers groups, manual expense entry and balance tracking. The main trade-offs are ads, limits that can interrupt busy group use, and no itemized receipt scan. That gap matters most at restaurants and during grocery runs, where typing every line is unrealistic.

Why Partly is different

Partly was built with a different philosophy: AI receipt scanning is available in the free plan, not behind a paywall. The free tier covers 5 scans/month, 5 payment links/month, 3 groups and all splitting modes, equal, by amount, by percentage, by share, by item. There are ads in the free plan, but the scanning workflow is fully accessible from day one.

The line-item scanning is the practical breakthrough. Aim your phone at any receipt, restaurant, supermarket, bar, and within seconds every item is parsed. Assign each item to a person, share the appetizers, split equally what was shared. No more 'just split equally' compromises that overcharge the salad-eater.

Built-in payments make settlement effortless. After a split, one tap sends a payment request via IBAN bank transfer, PayPal, Revolut, Bizum, Wise, Lydia or card. No exchanging bank details on WhatsApp, no 'I'll send it later'.

Free and paid plans at a glance

Splitwise Pro costs about $49.99/year and unlocks receipt scan while removing ads, but settlement still relies on third-party payment apps. Partly Free includes 5 AI scans, 5 payment links and 3 groups per month. Partly Premium costs €19.99/year and removes ads while making scans, groups and payment links unlimited. Store prices can vary by country.

If you want unlimited scans, unlimited groups, 70+ currencies with live rates, advanced analytics, B2B exports and an ad-free experience, Partly Premium is €19.99/year, about 40% less than Splitwise Pro at $49.99/year (pricing varies by store region) while offering more. Next reads: our Splitwise Pro vs Free pricing breakdown, the Partly vs Splitwise comparison, and the full best bill splitting apps ranking for 2026.

Switching without disrupting your group

The migration is straightforward: start using Partly for new expenses, let your group experience the AI scan and the in-app payment, and the upgrade decision will make itself. Keep Splitwise open only until old balances are settled — no bulk import is required for most friend groups.

Does a free Splitwise alternative need receipt scanning? In 2026, yes for restaurant and grocery groups: typing every line is the main reason people abandon shared ledgers. Partly keeps itemized AI scan on Free so that friction disappears on day one.

What is the best free Splitwise alternative in 2026? Partly is the strongest option when your group needs itemized receipt scanning and payment requests on a free plan. Splitwise remains useful for manual tracking when your group already uses its workflow.