Nobody wants to be the person who says "everyone needs to download this app."
One person's phone is full. Someone doesn't want another account. Someone else just won't bother. And now you're the organiser negotiating app installs instead of enjoying the trip.
Why most expense apps make this harder than it needs to be
Most group expense apps like Splitwise, Splid and Tricount are built around the assumption that everyone will install. You send the invite, they download the app, maybe create an account, confirm their email, and three days later add their first expense.
That works fine for regular flat-mates or close friend groups who'll use the app long-term. It falls apart for a one-off trip, a dinner with people you see twice a year, or any group with one person who just won't.
What "no install" actually means
A browser-based expense splitter runs at a web address. Anyone in the group opens a link on their phone or laptop, in Safari, Chrome, or whatever they already have, and the app loads directly. Nothing to install. Nothing to update.
The key question is how much it actually lets you do without the install. Some web versions are read-only. Some require an account even to add an expense. The limitation is usually hidden until you try.
A genuinely no-install experience means:
- joining without creating an account
- adding and editing expenses immediately
- viewing who owes what in real time
How this works with Settlify
With Settlify, nobody in the group needs to install anything.
The person organising the trip opens settlify.app in their browser, creates the group, and shares a link in the group chat. No download. No App Store.
Everyone else taps the link, enters their name, and starts adding expenses immediately. No email address. No account. No friction.
This is what the group sees when they open the link:
What you can do without installing anything
In the browser, without any account:
- Add, edit, and delete expenses
- Split costs equally, by custom shares, or by exact amount
- Include or exclude specific people from individual expenses
- View the settlement: who owes what, and how many payments it takes to settle everything
- Handle expenses in different currencies
The only thing that requires a free account is recording final payments once everyone has settled up.
And if someone in the group truly won't engage with any device at all, you can add them by name and track their share on their behalf. They don't need to do anything.
When the native app is worth having
The iOS and Android apps add things that browsers don't do as well: one-tap payment integration with Revolut or Twint, push notifications, and a home screen with all your groups in one place.
If you organise trips regularly or manage shared household expenses month to month, the app makes that easier. But for a single trip or a one-off group dinner, the browser version handles everything. See how the web version works in detail.
What you don't need
- No App Store or Google Play
- No account for group members
- No email address
- No subscription to try it
Just a link. Share it. Start adding expenses.
