Splitwise vs Rafin 2026: Which Expense Splitting App Is Right for You?

Looking for a Splitwise alternative? You're not alone. While Splitwise has been the go-to expense splitting app for years, newer apps like Rafin are offering more comprehensive features. In this comparison, we'll break down both apps to help you decide which one fits your needs.

Quick Comparison

Splitwise Overview

Splitwise has been around since 2011 and has built a solid reputation for expense splitting. It's simple, reliable, and widely used. If all you need is to split bills with roommates or track shared trip expenses, Splitwise does the job well.

Splitwise Strengths:

• Large user base (easier to find friends already on the app)
• Simple, focused interface
• Established track record
• Payment reminders and notifications

Splitwise Limitations:

• Free tier limited to 4 expenses per day (10-second wait required for 3rd and 4th expense)
• Cannot attach receipts in free tier
• Ads in free version
• No budget tracking features
• No savings goals
• No bank account connection
• Multi-currency and itemization require Pro subscription

Rafin Overview

Rafin is a newer, more comprehensive expense management app. While it includes everything Splitwise offers for expense splitting, it goes further by adding budget tracking, savings goals, AI-powered features, and bank integration.

Rafin Strengths:

• 10 expenses per day free (vs Splitwise's 4)
• No cooldown between adding expenses
• Attach receipts to expenses in free tier
• No ads ever
• 5 flexible split types including itemized (all free)
• Multi-currency support (free)
• Budget tracking with monthly limits (free)
• Savings goals with progress tracking (free)
• AI-powered receipt scanning (Pro)
• Unique bill import via email feature (Pro)
• Bank sync for automatic transaction import (Ultimate)
• Subscription detection and tracking (Ultimate)

Rafin Limitations:

• Newer app (smaller user base)
• Some advanced features require subscription

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Expense Splitting

Both apps handle expense splitting well. Splitwise provides equal splits, exact amounts, percentages, and itemization (Pro). Rafin offers those plus shares (for weighted splits like 2:1 ratios) in its free tier.

The key difference is that Rafin includes all 5 split types free, while Splitwise reserves itemization for Pro subscribers.

Budget Tracking

Splitwise: Not available. Splitwise focuses solely on expense splitting.

Rafin: Full budget tracking is available in the free tier. Set monthly spending limits per category, track your progress, and get alerts when you're close to your budget.

This is a significant advantage for users who want to manage their overall finances, not just shared expenses. With Rafin, you can track both personal spending and group expenses in one app.

Savings Goals

Splitwise: Not available.

Rafin: Create savings goals with target amounts and deadlines. Track your progress visually and stay motivated to reach your financial goals. This feature is free.

Receipt Scanning

Splitwise: Offers receipt scanning in their Pro tier. You can attach images and PDFs to expenses.

Rafin: Uses AI-powered scanning that extracts totals, identifies individual items, categorizes expenses automatically, and detects merchant names. Available in the Pro tier.

Bill Import via Email

Splitwise: Not available.

Rafin: This unique feature lets you forward bills and invoices to Rafin. The AI extracts all relevant information and creates an expense automatically. Perfect for utility bills, subscriptions, and online purchases.

Bank Account Sync

Splitwise: Not available.

Rafin: Connect your bank accounts via Plaid (secure, industry-standard connection). Transactions are automatically imported and categorized. See your complete financial picture in one place. Available in the Ultimate tier.

Subscription Tracking

Splitwise: Not available.

Rafin: Automatically detects recurring subscriptions from your connected bank accounts. See all your subscriptions in one place, track how much you're spending on them monthly, and identify ones you might want to cancel. Available in the Ultimate tier.

Pricing Comparison

Splitwise Pricing

• Free: 4 expenses/day (10s wait for 3rd & 4th), basic splitting, ads, no receipt attachments
• Pro ($3.99/month or $39.99/year): Unlimited expenses, receipt scanning, currency conversion, itemization, charts, expense search, no ads

Rafin Pricing

• Free: 10 expenses/day, no cooldown, no ads, receipt attachments, 5 split types, budget tracking, savings goals, multi-currency
• Pro ($5.99/month or $49.99/year): Unlimited groups, AI receipt scanning, bill import via email, spending insights, recurring expenses, data export
• Ultimate ($14.99/month or $119.99/year): Everything in Pro, plus bank sync, automatic transaction import, and subscription tracking

Rafin's free tier is notably more generous, including budget tracking and savings goals that many users would consider essential features.

Who Should Use Which?

Choose Splitwise if:

• You only need simple expense splitting
• Your friends are already using it
• You prefer an established app with a proven track record
• You don't need budget tracking or savings features

Choose Rafin if:

• You want a complete personal finance app
• You need budget tracking alongside expense splitting
• You want to set and track savings goals
• You'd benefit from AI features like smart receipt scanning
• You want to connect your bank accounts for automatic tracking
• You need to track subscriptions
• You receive bills via email that you want to track easily

The Bottom Line

Splitwise is a well-known app, but its free tier has become increasingly restrictive—only 4 expenses per day (with a 10-second wait for the 3rd and 4th), plus ads and no receipt attachments.

Rafin's free tier is significantly more generous: 10 expenses per day, no cooldowns, no ads, receipt attachments, plus features Splitwise doesn't have at any price (budget tracking, savings goals). You essentially get more than Splitwise Pro offers, completely free.