Itemized Bill Splitter
Split fairly by what everyone actually ordered — not just evenly
Add each person, assign items to who ordered them (or mark them as shared), and this calculator splits tax and tip proportionally based on what each person actually spent — instead of dividing the whole bill evenly.
People
Item
Price ($)
Ordered By
$
Subtotal
$0
Tax
$0
Tip
$0
Grand Total
$0
Per-Person Breakdown
📖 Why Itemized Splitting Beats Even Splitting
Splitting a bill evenly is easy, which is exactly why it's the default — and exactly why it's often unfair. When order sizes differ meaningfully, an even split quietly overcharges the person who ordered a side salad and undercharges the person who ordered the ribeye and two cocktails.
How the Proportional Split Works
Person's Share = Person's Items Total / Bill Subtotal
Once every item is assigned — either to one person or marked as shared — each person's share of the subtotal determines their share of tax and tip too. Someone who ordered 40% of the bill's food cost pays 40% of the tax and 40% of the tip, not an even split of either.
Handling Shared Items
Appetizers, shared bottles of wine, and other items nobody individually "owns" are marked as shared and divided evenly across everyone in the group, then added to each person's individual items to get their full subtotal. This keeps genuinely shared costs fair without forcing every single item to be assigned to one person.
Tipping on Subtotal vs. Total
There's no single right answer here — tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is the more traditional convention, since tax isn't something the server or kitchen controls, while tipping on the post-tax total is common simply because it's what the receipt totals to. The dollar difference is usually small, but on a large bill it can add up, so this calculator lets you pick either basis explicitly rather than assuming one.
💡 For a shared appetizer everyone had a bite of, marking it "shared" is fairer than assigning it to whoever happened to order it out loud.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
How does itemized bill splitting work?
Each item is assigned to the person who ordered it, or marked as shared. Tax and tip are then split proportionally based on how much each person's items cost relative to the total bill, rather than dividing everything evenly.
Should tip be calculated on the pre-tax or post-tax total?
Both are common. Tipping on the pre-tax subtotal is more traditional, while some people tip on the post-tax total for simplicity. This calculator lets you choose either basis.
Why not just split the bill evenly?
An even split is simpler but can be unfair when order sizes differ significantly, such as one person ordering an expensive entree and another ordering a side salad. Itemized splitting charges each person closer to what they actually consumed.
How are shared items split?
Items marked as shared (like a shared appetizer) are divided evenly across everyone in the group, while individually-ordered items are charged fully to the person who ordered them.