Split Bill Calculator
Split a restaurant or group bill with tip, tax, service charge, and optional custom amounts so you can see the grand total, average share, and person-by-person breakdown before sending a share link to the group.
Split Bill Inputs
Split Summary
Grand total to collect
$151.80
4 people | Equal split | 18% tip | 8.5% tax
Average share
$37.95
Tip total
$21.60
Tax total
$10.20
Lowest share
$37.95
Adjustments and spread
Service charge $0.00 | Discount $0.00 | Shares range from $37.95 to $37.95
Current Calculation
Tax = subtotal x tax rate
Tax = $120.00 x 8.5% = $10.20
Tip = subtotal x tip rate
Tip = $120.00 x 18% = $21.60
Grand total = subtotal + tax + tip + service charge - discount
$120.00 + $10.20 + $21.60 + $0.00 - $0.00 = $151.80
Per person = grand total / number of people
$151.80 / 4 = $37.95
Person-by-Person Breakdown
Base $30.00 + Tip $5.40 + Tax $2.55 + Service $0.00 - Discount $0.00
Base $30.00 + Tip $5.40 + Tax $2.55 + Service $0.00 - Discount $0.00
Base $30.00 + Tip $5.40 + Tax $2.55 + Service $0.00 - Discount $0.00
Base $30.00 + Tip $5.40 + Tax $2.55 + Service $0.00 - Discount $0.00
Use Scenarios
Restaurant table with one shared check
Use the page when one receipt includes the meal subtotal, a tip decision, and local sales tax, and the group wants a fast equal-share number before everyone sends a payment.
Uneven orders with alcohol or add-ons
Switch to custom amounts when one person ordered significantly more, when appetizers were shared unevenly, or when the group wants tip and tax spread according to what each person actually consumed.
Quick gratuity-only check first
If the bill is staying equal and the only question is what tip amount to add, the Tip Calculator can be a faster first pass before you return here for a full split with tax and flat adjustments.
Formula Explanation
1) Tax amount
Tax = subtotal x tax rate
Use the pre-tip subtotal from the receipt and multiply it by the tax rate you want the group to use. If tax is already embedded in the number you entered, leave the tax toggle off instead of charging it twice.
2) Tip amount
Tip = chosen tip base x tip rate
The tip base can stay on subtotal or move to subtotal plus tax. The calculator applies the selected rule once and then carries that same tip amount into either the equal split or the custom weighted split.
3) Grand total
Grand total = subtotal + tax + tip + service charge - discount
Service charge and discount are treated as flat dollar adjustments. That makes the total transparent when the receipt has an automatic gratuity, event fee, coupon, or manual reduction.
4) Custom weighting
Person weight = person subtotal / group subtotal
In custom mode, each person keeps their own base amount. Tip, tax, service charge, and discount are then distributed in the same proportion so the final totals still reconcile exactly.
How to Read the Result
Grand total to collect
This is the full amount the group needs to cover after tax, tip, service charge, and discount are all applied in the order shown by the formula card.
Average share vs. actual shares
Average share is the quick planning number. In custom mode, the highest and lowest shares may be meaningfully different because the base subtotals are different before add-ons are allocated.
Tip base and flat adjustments
The tip base setting changes only the tip calculation. Service charge and discount remain flat-dollar adjustments, which is useful for receipts that already spell out those numbers directly.
Example Cases
Case 1: Equal dinner split with tip and tax
Inputs
- Subtotal: $124.80
- People: 4
- Tip: 18%
- Tax: 8.25%
Computed Results
- Grand total: $157.56
- Average share: $39.39
- Highest share: $39.40
- Lowest share: $39.38
Interpretation
This is the default restaurant use case: one shared subtotal, one agreed tip rate, and a standard equal split after tax.
Decision Hint
Use this pattern when everyone is comfortable paying the same amount and the receipt does not need item-by-item tracing.
Case 2: Custom split for uneven orders
Inputs
- Subtotal: $96.00
- People: 3
- Tip: 20%
- Tax: 7.5%
Computed Results
- Grand total: $122.40
- Average share: $40.80
- Highest share: $54.83
- Lowest share: $28.05
Interpretation
The larger eater ends up carrying more of the tip and tax because both add-ons follow the custom subtotal weights rather than being forced into equal dollar shares.
Decision Hint
Choose this path whenever alcohol, desserts, or add-on items were concentrated with one or two people and an equal split would feel off.
Case 3: Service charge already included
Inputs
- Subtotal: $210.00
- People: 5
- Tip: 0%
- Tax: 8.5%
Computed Results
- Grand total: $248.85
- Average share: $49.77
- Highest share: $49.77
- Lowest share: $49.77
Interpretation
This case shows a receipt where the group is relying on the service charge instead of adding another voluntary tip, while still accounting for tax and a flat discount.
Decision Hint
Model the receipt this way when the venue has already added an automatic gratuity or event fee and the group wants to avoid double tipping.
Boundary Conditions
Sources & References
- Internal Revenue Service - Topic no. 761, TipsUsed for the distinction between voluntary tips and mandatory service charges, which supports the page guidance on when to enter an added service charge separately instead of stacking another default tip by accident.
- Bankrate - How Much to TipUsed for the page’s consumer-facing U.S. tipping context, especially the practical 15% to 20% restaurant range referenced in the scenarios and FAQ.
- NerdWallet - Tip CalculatorKept as a supplementary consumer explainer for bill-plus-tip math and per-person split reasoning, which helps anchor the page’s equal-share workflow without relying on competitor calculator pages as the full source set.