Software · head to head
Splitwise vs Goodbudget
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Splitwise the free tier limits how many expenses can be added in a day and shows adverts; Goodbudget free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history
- They diverge on capability: Splitwise covers Bill splitting, Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Splitwise and Goodbudget actually diverge.
| Attribute | Splitwise | Goodbudget |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2011 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, IOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Splitwise
- Bill splitting
- Group management
- Settlement tracking
- Venmo
- PayPal
Only in Goodbudget
- Envelope budgeting
- Shared budgets
- Receipt scanning
- Bank accounts
Both cover
- Expense tracking
- Web support
- IOS support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Splitwise
- Splitting shared household bills between flatmatesnot Goodbudget
- Tracking who owes what on a group tripnot Goodbudget
- Settling up across currencies on the Pro plannot Goodbudget
- Recording IOUs between friends over timenot Goodbudget
Goodbudget
- Envelope method budgetingnot Splitwise
- Sharing a household budget across a couple's devicesnot Splitwise
- Tracking debt payoff alongside envelopesnot Splitwise
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Splitwise
- The free tier limits how many expenses can be added in a day and shows adverts
- Transaction import works in the United States only
- Currency conversion, receipt scanning, charts and expense search are all Pro features
- The Pro price is not shown on the product page
Goodbudget
- Free plan is capped at 10 regular envelopes, 10 more envelopes, 1 account, 2 devices and 1 year of history
- Automatic bank sync is Premium only and works with US banks only
- Premium is limited to 5 devices and 7 years of history
- Free plan gets community support only; email support requires Premium
- Premium costs $10 per month or $80 per year
Pricing, plan by plan
Splitwise
Free- FreeFree
- Bill splitting
- Group tracking
- Mobile app
- Splitwise Pro$4.99/month
- Receipt scanning
- Advanced analytics
- No ads
Goodbudget
Free- FreeFree
- 10 envelopes
- Basic tracking
- Plus$5.99/month
- Unlimited envelopes
- Advanced reports
- Receipt capture
Which should you pick?
Choose Splitwise if
- You need bill splitting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want group management.
Choose Goodbudget if
- You need envelope budgeting.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, IOS, Android.
- You also want shared budgets.
Questions people ask
- Is Splitwise or Goodbudget better?
- Neither clearly leads. Splitwise starts at Free and Goodbudget at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Splitwise or Goodbudget?
- Splitwise starts at Free and Goodbudget at Free.
- Does Splitwise or Goodbudget run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, IOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Splitwise for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Splitwise best used for?
- Splitwise is most often used for splitting shared household bills between flatmates, tracking who owes what on a group trip, settling up across currencies on the pro plan, recording ious between friends over time. Of those, splitting shared household bills between flatmates and tracking who owes what on a group trip are not what Goodbudget is typically brought in for.
- What can Splitwise do that Goodbudget cannot?
- Splitwise covers Bill splitting, Group management, Settlement tracking, Venmo. Goodbudget covers Envelope budgeting, Shared budgets, Receipt scanning, Bank accounts. Both handle Expense tracking, Web support, IOS support, Android support.