Potluck vs Splid
Splid and Potluck both skip the sign-up. The difference is the app: Splid is a phone app your friends join with a code, and Potluck is a link that opens in the browser they already have. Here’s the rest, including where Splid is ahead.
What this page says about Splid is from its own website and app store listings, checked October 28, 2026. Apps change.
| Side by side | Potluck | Splid |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, no limits | Free, with in-app purchases |
| Account needed | No one needs one | No sign-up, it says |
| Friends join by | Tapping a link: it opens in their browser | A code, in its app |
| Where it runs | Any phone or computer browser | Apps for iPhone and Android |
| Who pays whom | The fewest payments | As few payments as possible, it says |
| Expenses in other currencies | Not yet: one currency per potluck | Over 150, converted for you |
| Works offline | Read-only, for now | Yes, and groups can be offline only |
| Export | CSV | PDF; Excel with an in-app purchase |
The difference: the app
Splid’s website says “there’s no sign-up required”, which is rare, and it offers apps for iPhone and Android. You can keep a group offline, or “activate the sync to enter expenses together”, and friends join a shared group with a code, in the app.
Potluck is a web page. Your friends tap the link in the group chat and they’re in, in the browser they already have, with no app to download and no account: they pick their name from the list. It matters most with the friend who never installs anything, the cousin who joins for one weekend, or a group of twelve where somebody’s phone is always full. You can add Potluck to your home screen if you like, but nobody has to.
Where Splid is ahead
- Other currencies. More than 150, and Splid converts the amount for you. Potluck has one currency per potluck and doesn’t convert yet.
- Offline. Splid works on and offline, and a group can be offline only. Potluck needs a connection to add an expense, for now.
- A summary to send. Splid downloads a summary as a PDF, or as an Excel file with an in-app purchase. Potluck exports to CSV.
- A real phone app. If your whole group already has Splid installed, the code isn’t an obstacle, and a native app feels at home on a phone.
If those matter to your group, Splid is a good choice, and it’s free to start.
Where Potluck is different
- No app. One link in the group chat, and everyone’s in from their browser, on a phone or a computer.
- Free, with nothing held back. No in-app purchases: what Potluck does, it does for everyone.
- Everyone can fix anything. Anyone in a potluck can change a mistake, like a shared doc, and every change is in the activity with who made it and an undo.
- The fewest payments. At the end, Potluck works out who pays whom in as few payments as possible. Splid says it does too.
What Potluck doesn’t do yet
Expenses in more than one currency, adding expenses offline, receipt photos and recurring bills like rent aren’t here yet. If you need one of these every day, Splid or another app may suit you better for now.
Questions
Is Splid free?
Its website says “Splid is free!”. Its app store listings have in-app purchases, among them “Splid Plus” and “2 Groups”, and its Google Play listing says the Excel export is an in-app purchase. Potluck is free, with everything in it.
Do you need an account for Splid?
No: its website says there’s no sign-up required. Potluck has no accounts either: you pick your name.
Do my friends need the Splid app?
Splid’s website offers apps for iPhone and Android, and none of its pages mention a browser version. Friends join a shared group with a code. In Potluck, friends tap the link and it opens in the browser they already have: nothing to install.
Can Splid handle different currencies?
Yes. Its website says you can choose from more than 150 currencies and Splid converts the amount. Potluck has one currency per potluck and doesn’t convert yet.
Can I move a Splid group to Potluck?
There’s no import. The simplest way is to settle up the group and start fresh. Or carry what’s owed over: for each “Ben owes Ana $40”, add one expense in Potluck paid by Ana, $40, split only to Ben.