Receipt attachment vs scanning vs itemizing
These terms describe three separate steps in a receipt workflow:
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| Action | What it does | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Attach | Saves the receipt photo with an expense | Keeps the original bill for reference |
| Scan | Reads the receipt and extracts its details | Reduces manual entry |
| Itemize | Assigns purchases to the people who shared them | Calculates each person’s share |
An attachment alone does not calculate who owes for each item.
How Splitwise handles these
Updated October 19, 2026: Splitwise launched Itemize on October 14, 2026. It is free in the US and UK, so the earlier “Pro only” answer no longer applies there.
Splitwise Itemize (US and UK, free): one person photographs a restaurant or bar receipt, and everyone claims their own and shared items, with tax and tip split proportionally. Others can join by scanning a QR code without downloading the app or creating an account. They can pay with Splitwise Pay, in cash, or add the total to an existing Splitwise balance. Source: Splitwise announcement.
Splitwise Pro (other countries): scans receipts in the mobile app, detects items, and lets the subscriber assign them to friends. Other group members can view the resulting expense without Pro. Splitwise also supports manual itemized entry on the web; see its split-method instructions.
Adding a receipt image is separate from scanning and itemizing. Splitwise’s Pro guide describes taking a picture; it does not clearly confirm scanning an existing gallery photo on every platform. Check your app version if gallery scanning is essential.
Splitwise vs Splitceipt: comparison
These details were checked against official product information on October 19, 2026.
Scroll sideways to compare.
| Feature | Splitwise | Splitceipt |
|---|---|---|
| Receipt scanning and itemizing | Free in the US and UK (Itemize); Pro elsewhere | 5 AI scans/month free in any country; unlimited with Pro |
| Attach and keep a receipt image | Supported; does not itemize the bill | Save the receipt image with Pro |
| Scan an existing gallery image | Not clearly documented for all platforms | Camera or gallery |
| Can friends join without the app? | Itemize: yes, by QR code; Pro scans: group members view in Splitwise | Yes, guests review their share and mark repayment through a browser link |
For plan details, see Splitwise Pro and Splitceipt pricing. Splitwise’s help center may still describe scanning as Pro only; the October 2026 announcement makes Itemize free in the US and UK. Splitceipt includes free monthly scans and unlimited free manual bills in every country.
Which app should you choose?
- Splitwise Itemize if you are in the US or UK and your group already keeps a Splitwise balance.
- Splitwise Pro for scanning receipts into a Splitwise ledger outside the US and UK.
- Splitceipt outside the US and UK without a subscription, for friends who would rather review a bill in a browser link, for scanning a receipt from your gallery, or for unlimited free manual bills.
For a simple equal split, entering one total is usually quicker than scanning.
See our item-by-item receipt guide or browser Guest link guide for more detail.
For itemized bills, verify the extracted total and shared items before saving; any scanner can misread faded text or discounts.
Splitwise is a trademark of Splitwise, Inc. Splitceipt is not affiliated with or endorsed by Splitwise.