Splitr — A Minimal Split Bill App
Mar 9, 2025
Unstruct
Simplifying shared expenses with manual input, flexibility, and privacy.
Introduction
As a designer passionate about user-centric solutions, I identified a gap in the market for a bill-splitting app that prioritizes simplicity, privacy, and flexibility. Splitting bills with friends, travelers, or roommates often becomes a chore due to complex apps, privacy concerns, and missing features like multi-currency support. This case study details the development of Splitr, a local, no-storage app designed to make bill splitting effortless and secure.
The Problem
Splitting bills is a common pain point, especially for travelers and groups. Existing apps like Splitwise and Venmo are often overly complex, require accounts, store transaction data, or lack essential features. Key issues include:
Manual Calculation Errors: Mental math or handwritten notes lead to mistakes.
Currency Barriers: International groups struggle with currency conversions.
Hidden Costs: Fees, taxes, or tips are frequently overlooked.
No Export Option: Users can’t easily share or save summaries.
Privacy Concerns: Many dislike apps storing their financial data.
The goal was to create a simple, local app that allows manual bill splitting, supports multiple currencies, handles extras, and provides instant export options without storing data.
Research
To understand user needs, I conducted interviews with travelers, students, and frequent diners. Key insights included:
Users value speed and transparency over social or debt-tracking features.
Currency flexibility is critical for international groups.
Handling “extras” like tips or fees is often an afterthought but essential.
A competitive analysis of apps like Splitwise, Tricount, and Venmo revealed gaps, including reliance on cloud storage and cluttered interfaces with unnecessary features, which frustrated users seeking quick, private solutions.
Design Goals
Based on the research, I established clear design objectives for Splitr:
Simplicity: Zero onboarding, minimal steps.
Flexibility: Full manual control over inputs.
Privacy: No data storage; sessions reset on exit.
Clarity: Visual summaries and easy export options.
Development Process
Using Figma, I designed Splitr, leveraging its collaborative features to iterate rapidly based on user feedback. I began with a low-fidelity prototype to test the core flow: input items, assign people, add fees, and split. Early feedback highlighted the need for a more prominent currency selector and flexible fee handling.
Key iterations included:
Currency Selector Placement: Moved to the top bar for immediate visibility.
Extras & Fees: Added a toggle to distribute fees evenly or assign selectively.
Summary Page: Introduced color-coded avatars and a pie chart for quick comprehension.
Export Flow: Simplified to a single tap, generating a PDF or image with auto-delete after export.
This iterative approach ensured Splitr was intuitive and aligned with user needs.
Key Features
Splitr’s features directly address the identified pain points:
Currency Selector: Supports 50+ currencies with symbol-only selection, allowing users to input amounts in their preferred currency without live exchange rates, ideal for international groups.
Split Bill Interface: Enables manual entry of items, costs, and assignees in a clean list format, reducing calculation errors common with mental math or notes.
Extras & Adjustments: Allows users to add fees or tips post-items, with options to split evenly or assign individually, ensuring no hidden costs are missed.
Detailed Summary & Export: Provides a visual breakdown of each person’s share, including items, adjustments, and totals, with color-coded avatars for clarity. A one-tap export to PDF or image facilitates sharing via messaging apps.
These features make Splitr both functional and user-friendly.
UI Principles
Splitr’s design adheres to the following principles:
Minimalist Layout: Neutral colors, ample white space, and clear typography create an uncluttered interface, allowing users to focus on bill splitting.
Local & Ephemeral: No accounts or data storage ensures privacy, with sessions resetting upon app closure.
Error Prevention: Inline validation for inputs prevents mistakes, such as currency mismatches or incorrect costs.
These principles enhance usability while aligning with Splitr’s core values of simplicity and privacy.
Results
User testing yielded positive feedback:
“Finally, an app that doesn’t make splitting bills feel like accounting.” – Traveler user
“Love that I can use it once and forget about it.” – College student
Metric | Outcome |
|---|---|
Bill-Splitting Time | Reduced by 70% |
User Satisfaction | 100% appreciated no-storage approach |
Users reported a 70% reduction in bill-splitting time, and all testers valued the privacy-first approach, making Splitr ideal for one-time use by diverse groups.
Future Plans
To enhance Splitr, I plan to introduce:
An optional tip calculator for added convenience.
OCR receipt scanning (without data storage) for faster input.
Dark mode to improve accessibility.
Conclusion
Splitr stands out in the crowded bill-splitting market by offering a simple, private, and flexible solution. By eliminating accounts and data storage, it addresses privacy concerns while providing essential features like multi-currency support and easy exports. The iterative design process, driven by real user feedback, ensured an intuitive and powerful app. As I continue to develop Splitr, I aim to further enhance its usability and accessibility, making bill splitting a seamless experience for all.
Try Splitr for Free
Experience Splitr’s simplicity and privacy at Splitrs.
No signup, no tracking—just effortless bill splitting.
