Split Bill Calculator

Even split, and the missing cent problem

Dividing a total equally sounds trivial until the cents refuse to cooperate: $100 between three people is not $33.33 each, because that sums to $99.99. This calculator splits penny-exact — the leftover cents go one each to the first shares, so one person pays $33.34 and the shares always add back up to the total. Whoever gets the extra cent can get the smaller coffee next time.

Split by shares, and the largest-remainder method

In shares mode you decide how many parts each person accounts for, and each pays total × their shares ÷ total shares. The rounding is done by the largest-remainder method: every amount is first rounded down to the cent, then the remaining cents are handed out one at a time to the amounts whose exact value was furthest above their rounded-down value. It is the fairest cent-level rounding there is — the same method used to apportion seats in some parliaments — and it guarantees the parts sum to the total exactly.

Which mode should you use?

Even splits keep friendships simple when orders were similar. Shares are worth the small effort when one end of the table ordered noticeably more — a rough share count (2 for a big order, 1 for a light one, 0 for the guest you are treating) gets much closer to fair than pretending a salad costs the same as a tasting menu. For a really detailed reckoning, each person can also run their own subtotal through the tip calculator and pay their own bill + tax + tip.

Frequently asked questions

Should tax and tip be split too, or just the food?

Split the whole thing. Tax and tip are caused by everyone's orders together, so dividing only the subtotal and leaving tax and tip to one person quietly undercharges the rest of the table.

Someone only had drinks. How many shares is that?

Shares are proportions, not prices. If the big orders are "2 shares", a drinks-only person might be half a share — the field accepts decimals like 0.5. Exact item-by-item fairness needs each person's subtotal; shares are the quick approximation.

Can I cover someone's share entirely?

Yes — set their shares to 0 and they pay $0.00; the total is redistributed across everyone with shares above zero.

Why does one person pay a cent more in an even split?

Because the total does not divide evenly, and the shares must sum to the total. One cent has to land somewhere; this calculator gives leftover cents to the first shares and says so openly.