How the split bill calculator works
There are two ways to split a bill. Evenly divides the total by the number of people, which is quick and works well when everyone ate and drank roughly the same. By what each person had lets each person pay for their own order, with any shared dishes divided equally on top. In both modes you can add a tip or service charge as a percentage, and it's shared in proportion to what each person spent.
Splitting a bill evenly
Four friends with a £150 bill pay £150 ÷ 4 = £37.50 each. Add a 12.5% service charge and the bill becomes £168.75, or £42.1875 each. That rounds to £42.19, so four shares come to £168.76, a penny more than the bill. The calculator flags when the pennies don't divide exactly, so you can decide who covers the odd penny.
Splitting a bill by what each person had
When one person had a steak and a cocktail and another had a salad and tap water, an even split isn't fair. Enter what each person ordered, plus the total of anything shared. The calculator divides the shared items equally, adds them to each person's own order, then adds the tip:
Example: three friends order £32, £24.50 and £18 of food and drink, plus £15 of shared starters, with a 10% tip.
| Person | Own items | Shared (£15 ÷ 3) | 10% tip | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Person 1 | £32.00 | £5.00 | £3.70 | £40.70 |
| Person 2 | £24.50 | £5.00 | £2.95 | £32.45 |
| Person 3 | £18.00 | £5.00 | £2.30 | £25.30 |
| Total | £74.50 | £15.00 | £8.95 | £98.45 |
An even split of the same £98.45 bill would be £32.82 each, so the person who spent least would pay £7.52 more than their fair share.
Service charge and tips when splitting
Check the bill first. Many UK restaurants add a discretionary service charge, often 12.5%, and that's already a tip. If it's on the bill, leave the tip box at 0% and enter the total including service. If there's no service charge, 10% to 15% is the usual tip for table service in the UK. Our tip calculator has more on UK tipping customs and the rules on how restaurants must pass tips to staff.
Tips for splitting bills without arguments
- Agree before ordering: say at the start whether you're splitting evenly or by items, especially if some people aren't drinking.
- Ask for a split bill: many restaurants can split the payment on the card machine by amount, so each person pays their share directly.
- Use bank transfers: if one person pays, the others can send their share straight away using the per-person figures.
- Household bills: the even split works for rent, broadband or energy bills too. For running costs of individual appliances, try the energy cost calculator.
For other quick sums, the percentage calculator works out any percentage of a total.
Frequently asked questions
How do I split a bill evenly?
Divide the total by the number of people. A £90 bill between four is £22.50 each. If you're adding a tip, multiply the bill by 1 plus the tip percentage first, so a 10% tip makes it £99, or £24.75 each.
How do you split a bill fairly when people ordered different amounts?
Add up what each person ordered, divide any shared dishes equally between everyone, and add the two together. Then add the same tip percentage to each share, so those who spent more also tip more.
Should the service charge be split evenly?
The fairest way is in proportion to what each person spent, which is what this calculator does. If everyone spent about the same, an even split gives almost the same answer.
Do I need to tip if there's a service charge?
No. A service charge is a tip that's already been added to the bill, so you don't need to leave more. It's discretionary, so you can ask for it to be removed if the service was poor.
What if the bill doesn't divide exactly?
Round each share to the nearest penny and one person covers the odd penny or two. For example, £100 between three is £33.33 each, which comes to £99.99.
Last reviewed October 2026 using 2026/27 figures. This calculator gives an estimate for guidance only.