01
Where Splex fits well
- You want the app to run on your own server and want full control over your data.
- You care that the app code is public and that your data is not tied to a single hosted product.
- Not everyone in your group wants to create an account? Add unregistered members without an account.
- You do not want another paid subscription that costs money every month.
02
Where Splitwise may still be the better fit
- You want a finished consumer service where nobody has to care about hosting, email settings, backups, or updates.
- You need a native iPhone app from the App Store. Splex works as an installable web app on iOS, but there is no iOS app yet.
- You want to send money or use banking features directly inside the app. Splex remembers who owes whom, and you can store PayPal or bank information, but it does not transfer money itself.
- You expect receipt OCR or automatic item extraction. Splex can attach receipts, but it does not read the receipt for you.
03
Switching from Splitwise
Splex can import data from Splitwise. You create a Splitwise API key, paste it into Splex, and Splex pulls over groups, members, expenses, and payments where they can be mapped cleanly.
Side-by-side comparison
| Topic | Splex | Splitwise |
|---|---|---|
| Source code | Open source and hosted from the same public repository. | Closed source product. |
| Hosting | Can run in one container on your server. There is also a public instance. | Hosted service. |
| Apps | Installable web app and Android. No native iPhone app yet. | Native apps and web app. |
| Splitting payments | Supports the common ways to split payments. | Supports the common ways to split payments. |
| Cost | Free, without ads or feature limits. | Paid, or ads and limits in the basic version, such as an expense limit. |
| Currencies | Enter expenses in another currency. There is also a small offline currency converter because the rates are already available. | Enter expenses in another currency. |
| Offline | New expenses can be queued offline and synced later. | Offline-capable. |
| Payments | Records expenses and payments, but does not transfer money. | Can integrate with payment options in some regions. |
Common questions
Is Splex a drop-in replacement for Splitwise?
Not exactly. Splex covers the core workflow and can be self-hosted, but it does not copy every Splitwise feature. On the other hand, Splex also has features that do not exist in Splitwise.
Can I try Splex?
Yes. You can use the public instance. There is also a demo mode that runs in the browser with sample data.
Is Splex free?
The source code is open source and can be used for free. If you self-host Splex, you only pay your own server costs.
Read next
Self-hosting
Self-hosted expense sharing with Splex
How to self-host Splex: one container, SQLite or PostgreSQL, backups, email setup, and the parts you still have to maintain yourself.
Use case
Group travel expense tracking
How Splex helps groups track travel expenses with multiple currencies, offline entry, receipts, balances, and settlements.
Use case
Shared household expense tracking
How Splex helps shared households track groceries, rent, utilities, exact splits, balances, receipts, and settlements.