Splitt
← Try the app
Splitt
← Try the app
Short answer: When you move in together, agree on one way to split shared costs before the first bill arrives. The three fair options are 50/50 (simple), proportional to income (fairest when you earn different amounts), or a shared pot plus personal money. Decide what counts as "shared" versus "personal", then track every joint expense so nobody has to keep a mental tally. Most couples do this with a free app like Splitt rather than a spreadsheet.
Moving in together is exciting - and it's the moment money suddenly becomes a shared, daily thing. Rent, the electricity bill, the weekly shop, the new sofa. The couples who avoid arguments aren't the ones who earn the most; they're the ones who agreed on a clear system early. Here's how to set yours up.
Most money tension between partners doesn't come from how much you spend. It comes from not having a shared reference. One person pays the rent, the other does the big shop, someone covers the internet - and three weeks later nobody actually knows who's ahead. It feels small, so no one says anything. Then it builds up, and it comes out at the worst possible moment.
The fix is simple: one agreed method, written down, and a single place where both of you can see the running balance. That's it.
Every shared expense is divided equally. It's the simplest method and works best when both partners earn roughly the same. The downside: if one of you earns significantly more, a 50/50 split can quietly strain the lower earner.
Each partner contributes the same percentage of their income to shared costs. If one earns 60% of your combined income and the other 40%, they cover 60% and 40% of the joint bills respectively. This is the fairest option when incomes differ, and it's increasingly the default for couples moving in together in 2026.
You both put an agreed amount into a common fund (a joint account, or just a tracked balance) that covers rent, bills and groceries. Everything else - your gym, their guitar lessons, solo coffees - stays personal. This keeps financial independence while sharing the household load.
Log a shared expense in 10 seconds and see who owes what, live. Free, no install.
Start with Splitt free →Before you move in, run through this list together and label each one "shared" or "personal". Ten minutes now prevents months of friction.
| Expense | Usually... |
|---|---|
| Rent / mortgage | Shared |
| Utilities (power, gas, water, internet) | Shared |
| Groceries | Shared |
| Furniture & household items | Shared |
| Shared subscriptions (Netflix, etc.) | Shared |
| Home insurance | Shared |
| Phone bill, clothes, hobbies | Personal |
| Solo nights out, individual gifts | Personal |
There's no universally "correct" answer - some couples share everything, others keep more separate. What matters is that you both agree and write it down.
No - a joint account is optional, not required. Plenty of couples keep separate accounts and simply track their shared expenses, then settle the balance once a month. This preserves financial independence while still splitting household costs fairly. Others open a joint account purely for bills. Both work; the system matters more than the plumbing.
Splitt is a free app built specifically for two people sharing expenses - not group trips. You each get an account, log shared costs in seconds, and see a live balance of who owes what. No spreadsheet, no App Store download, no bank connection required.
Open splitt-app.com in any browser, create your account, and invite your partner with a link. Add expenses - amount, category, who paid - and the balance updates live for both of you. Settle up whenever you like.
Pick one of three fair methods: 50/50 (simple, for similar incomes), proportional to income (fairest when incomes differ), or a shared pot plus personal money. Agree on it, write it down, and track every shared expense so the balance stays clear.
Usually rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries, furniture, shared subscriptions and home insurance. Personal costs - hobbies, clothes, phone bills, solo outings - typically stay separate. Agree on which is which before you move in.
No. A joint account is optional. Many couples keep separate accounts and track shared expenses in an app, settling monthly. What matters is a clear, agreed system - not where the money sits.
Splitt is a free, no-install app built for two people sharing ongoing household expenses. It shows a live balance and works in any browser on iOS and Android - ideal for a first shared home.