Splitwise alternatives: 5 open-source picks
Splitwise costs $5/mo — $60 a year. These 5 alternatives replace it for $0, led by Spliit, IHateMoney and Cospend. All 5 are open source. License, stars and last commit checked by hand on 2026-08-29. No trials, no crippled tiers.
Share a link, split, settle. No accounts, no ads. Use their instance or run your own.
Around since 2011, proudly boring, in declared maintenance mode; use their free instance or one docker run.
Splitwise for people who already run Nextcloud; pairs with the MoneyBuster Android app.
Personal finance manager with budgets, rules, and reports — your money data stays home.
licenseAGPL-3.0
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
Local-first envelope budgeting with multi-device sync and bank import.
licenseMIT
runsyour server
setupnot verified by us yet — check the repo README
facts verified 2026-08-29
What each one is, in full: Firefly III · Actual Budget
last updated 2026-08-29 · no votes, no pay-to-list · just what's real
the usual suspects · recommended everywhere, rejected here
SplidOffline, account-free and genuinely nice, but the free tier caps your groups and locks exports behind a one-time 4.99 USD unlock.
how to choose a Splitwise alternative
Easiest to get running
Firefly III — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
Most proven
Firefly III, with 20,000 GitHub stars — the largest community of the 5, which usually means more answers when something breaks.
Needs real ops to self-host
Cospend is capable but expects someone to run a server, updates and backups. Budget for that before choosing it.
what you give up by leaving Splitwise
- native iOS and Android apps, push reminders included
- your friends' existing accounts and muscle memory
- receipt scanning and itemized splits
- automatic currency conversion at live rates
- settle-up integrations with payment apps
None of the picks above covers all of it. The full verdict says which gaps matter.
Splitwise alternatives at a glance
| tool | license | running it | platforms | stars | active |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spliit | open source | they host it | web, self-hosted | 2,700 | 2025-12 |
| IHateMoney | open source | they host it | web, self-hosted | 1,400 | 2026-05 |
| Cospend | open source | self-host, real ops | web, self-hosted | 283 | 2026-06 |
| Firefly III | AGPL-3.0 | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 20,000 | 2026-08 |
| Actual Budget | MIT | one-click install | self-hosted, web | 20,000 | 2026-08 |
why people still pay for Splitwise
Splitwise sits where the friction is lowest: everyone already has an account, the apps are polished, and the balance quietly nags people so you do not have to. Pro mostly sells relief from the free tier's daily expense cap and the ads, plus receipt scanning and automatic currency conversion for trips. The subscription monetizes the fact that the group, not you, picks the tool. If none of that applies to you, any pick above saves $60 a year.
questions about switching from Splitwise
Is there an open-source alternative to Splitwise?
Yes: Spliit, IHateMoney, Cospend and 2 more. Every tool on this page is open source: no trials, no crippled tiers.
Can open source really replace Splitwise?
Our verdict is YES. Firefly III (20k stars), Actual Budget (20k stars), Spliit (3k stars) are mature open-source replacements for Splitwise — self-host in one command and stop paying $5/mo. The full verdict, and what you give up by switching, is at caniopensourceit.online/splitwise.
What is the easiest open-source Splitwise alternative to set up?
Firefly III — a one-click install, no server to maintain.
What is the most popular open-source Splitwise alternative?
By GitHub stars, Firefly III (20,000). Actual Budget is next with 20,000.
