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The short answer: Switch from Splitwise to the Pocket Pals travel expense app if getting friends to sign up is your problem on group trips. Pocket Pals lets you add pals by name, with no download or account on their end, and has no ads on any plan. Stay with Splitwise if you need Android or the cheapest paid plan.
For rent and everyday bills, Splitwise is still the better tool. This one's about trips.
You're planning a group trip. You add everyone to Splitwise, and three friends never accept the invite.
Now you're the only one who can see the balances. Very collaborative.
That's the gap Pocket Pals was built for. Below is where it's better, where it isn't, and how to switch if it fits.
What's the main reason to switch to Pocket Pals?
Your friends. Specifically, the ones who will never download Splitwise.
Splitwise works best when everyone has an account. In the phone app, adding a friend asks for their email or phone number.
Splitwise does offer name-only "placeholder" friends. Its help center says you add those from the web app, not your phone.
On every group trip, one person tracks everything anyway. If that's you, the Pocket Pals travel expense app is built for you.
You open a trip, add your pals by name and start logging. Nobody else downloads anything, and nobody "does it later."
Do my friends need the Pocket Pals app?
No. Pals are added by name, and they don't need the app or an account to be part of a trip.
On the Free plan, one person logs expenses for the group. Settle Up then shows exactly who owes whom.
Want everyone adding their own expenses? Pocket Pals Pro includes the Bestie Bond Pass: You invite pals by email, and they add and manage expenses with you in real time.
Is Pocket Pals really ad-free?
Yes. No ads on Free, no ads on Pro.
Splitwise's free app shows ads, and Pro removes them. That's a fair business model, just a rough moment to see one while you're checking whether the tuk-tuk was already logged.
How is Pocket Pals built differently for trips?
Splitwise is a general expense app for rent, bills and trips alike. Pocket Pals only does trips.
- Trip currency. Every trip has a destination, dates and a currency, so your Osaka trip lives in yen from the start. Free converts manually; Pro adds live exchange rates.
- Flexible splits. Split equally, or by percentage when someone ordered the wagyu and everyone else had ramen.
- Running balances. Group Overview shows where things stand mid-trip, not just at the end.
- Offline logging. Log the ferry fare in a dead zone, and it syncs when you're back online.
- Exact rounding. Balances always add up, so there's no stray yen nobody can account for.
How do Splitwise and Pocket Pals compare?
Here's how the free and paid plans stack up for a group trip:
| Feature | Splitwise Free | Splitwise Pro | Pocket Pals Free | Pocket Pals Pro |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main limit | 4 expenses per day | No daily expense cap | 5 expenses and 4 people per trip, 2 active trips | Up to 5 active trips |
| Ads | Yes | No | No | No |
| Add a friend by name in the phone app | No (web app only) | No (web app only) | Yes | Yes |
| Friends need an account to take part | Yes, to view or add | Yes, to view or add | No | Only invited pals who add expenses |
| Who adds expenses | Any member | Any member | Trip owner | Owner and invited pals |
| Currency conversion | Not included | Included | Manual | Live exchange rates |
| Offline entry | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Built around trips | Groups for anything | Groups for anything | Yes | Yes |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, web | iOS, Android, web | iPhone | iPhone |
| Price (US) | Free | $4.99/mo or $39.99/yr | Free | $16.90/mo or $112.98/yr |
How does settling up work in Pocket Pals?
Here's a worked example: four friends, three nights in Osaka. Mia does the tracking, and nobody else installs anything.
| Expense | Paid by | Amount | Split |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apartment, 3 nights | Mia | ¥96,000 | Equal (¥24,000 each) |
| Wagyu dinner | Jo | ¥24,000 | Ken 40%, others 20% each |
| Transit passes | Ken | ¥12,000 | Equal (¥3,000 each) |
| Drinks | Lea | ¥8,000 | Equal (¥2,000 each) |
| Konbini snacks | Jo | ¥4,000 | Equal (¥1,000 each) |
| Total | ¥144,000 |
Illustrative prices for a short Osaka trip, created September 2026.
Ken's share comes to ¥39,600 because of the wagyu. Everyone else's share is ¥34,800.
Mia paid ¥96,000 up front, so Settle Up turns it all into three payments to her:
- Ken pays Mia ¥27,600
- Lea pays Mia ¥26,800
- Jo pays Mia ¥6,800
As each one comes in, Mia marks it as paid and adds a note like "GCash, Sunday." Nobody has to send a "hey, you still owe me" text.
Watch out for: This trip is five expenses and four people, which is exactly the Free plan's limit. A longer trip or a bigger group needs Pocket Pals Pro.
To be fair, Splitwise Free handles this trip fine too, as long as all four people sign up. That's the whole difference.
Is Pocket Pals more fun to use than Splitwise?
We think so. Money apps usually look like tax software, while Pocket Pals has avatars and stickers.
Pro adds exclusive sticker and avatar packs, plus dark mode for the 1 a.m. "wait, who paid for the Grab?" check.
What are the catches with Pocket Pals?
We'd rather you hear them from us.
It costs more. Pocket Pals Pro is US$16.90 a month or US$112.98 a year (₱299 a month or ₱1,999 a year in the Philippines).
Splitwise Pro is US$4.99 a month on the US App Store, and its yearly plans include a Trip Pass that gives one trip group Pro features for 30 days. If price decides it, Splitwise wins.
Free is small. Two active trips, up to five expenses and four people per trip. It's a test drive, not a full barkada week.
It's iPhone-only. If your group is mostly on Android and everyone wants to add expenses, Splitwise covers them.
Group editing is a Pro feature. On Free, one person tracks for the group. On Splitwise Free, any member with an account can add expenses.
It's for trips, not rent. Splitwise's recurring expenses make it the better fit for flatmates splitting monthly bills.
Your next trip, minus the chasing
Add pals by name, skip the ads and let Settle Up do the awkward part. Your friends don't need to download anything.
Get it on the App Store Free to start. Currently available on iPhone.Should you switch from Splitwise to Pocket Pals?
| Your situation | Better fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You track money on every trip, and friends won't sign up | Pocket Pals | Pals added by name, no app needed |
| You want no ads on any plan | Pocket Pals | Ad-free on Free and Pro |
| You split mostly on trips, and you use an iPhone | Pocket Pals | Built around trip currency, dates and settle-up |
| Your group already uses Splitwise happily | Splitwise | No reason to move everyone |
| You mainly split rent and recurring bills | Splitwise | Recurring expenses, built for households |
| Part of your group needs Android or web | Splitwise | Pocket Pals is iPhone-only for now |
| Price is the deciding factor | Splitwise | Pro costs less, and yearly plans include a Trip Pass |
Honest take: If your friends already live in Splitwise, stay. If you're the one tracking for people who won't sign up, Pocket Pals removes that friction.
How do you switch from Splitwise to Pocket Pals?
- Settle up in Splitwise. Get every balance to zero first.
- Save a record if you want one. Check the export options on Splitwise's website.
- Download Pocket Pals. Sign in with Google, Apple or email.
- Create your next trip. Add the destination, dates and trip currency.
- Add your pals by name. No emails or downloads needed on their end.
- Log expenses and settle up. Add each expense as it happens, then use Settle Up at the end and mark payments as paid.
FAQ
Why switch from Splitwise to Pocket Pals?
Mostly for group trips. With Pocket Pals, friends are added by name and don't need the app or an account, there are no ads on any plan, and every trip has its own currency, dates and Settle Up screen.
Is Pocket Pals better than Splitwise?
For group trips where friends won't sign up, we think so: Pocket Pals lets you add pals by name and has no ads on any plan. Splitwise is better for Android users, recurring bills and anyone who wants the cheapest paid plan.
Do my friends need to download Pocket Pals?
No. You add pals by name, and they don't need the app or an account. With Pocket Pals Pro, you can also invite pals by email so they can add expenses with you in real time.
How much does Pocket Pals cost?
Pocket Pals has a free plan with 2 active trips and up to 5 expenses and 4 people per trip. Pocket Pals Pro costs US$16.90 a month or US$112.98 a year, or ₱299 a month or ₱1,999 a year in the Philippines.
Does Pocket Pals work offline?
Yes. You can log expenses without a connection, and Pocket Pals syncs them when you're back online.
Is Pocket Pals available on Android?
Not yet. Pocket Pals is available on iPhone through the App Store.
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