Paytm Split Bills vs Splitwise vs Lekhhaa: The Honest 2026 Comparison
Paytm now has a built-in bill splitter. How does it compare with Splitwise and Lekhhaa on limits, split types, friends who don’t use Paytm, and keeping a record? A straight comparison with a verdict.
Looking for the app itself? Lekhhaa: the free Splitwise alternative for India — free on Android, iOS and web.
Short answer: Paytm Split Bills is good if your whole group already pays with Paytm — at launch it offered unlimited entries, four split types, reminders and UPI settlement. Splitwise suits groups already on it but limits its free plan. Lekhhaa is the free pick when friends use different UPI apps or won’t install anything.
What is Paytm Split Bills?
Paytm launched Split Bills on Friendship Day in August 2026. As reported at launch and documented on Paytm’s own blog, it lets you create shared expenses inside the Paytm app with unlimited entries, split them equally, by exact amounts, by shares or by percentage, send payment reminders, and settle over UPI. Hindi outlets including Jagran and Prabhat Khabar covered the launch.
That is a real feature set, and it is free. The interesting question is not whether it works — it does — but where it fits, because it lives inside a payments app, and that shapes everything about it.
The comparison
| Paytm Split Bills | Splitwise | Lekhhaa | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (as of Oct 2026) | Free plan with limits; Pro is paid | Free |
| Expense entries | Unlimited at launch | Free plan has a daily expense limit | Unlimited |
| Split types | Equal, exact, shares, percentage | Equal, exact, shares, percentage, itemised | Equal, exact, percentage, item-wise |
| Friends on other UPI apps | Built around Paytm | Any app — Splitwise records, you pay however | Any app — settle over GPay, PhonePe, Paytm |
| Friends who won’t install anything | Need Paytm | Need Splitwise (Itemize guests can join via QR) | Add them by name; share a private balance link that opens in a browser |
| Reminders | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Personal expense tracker | Payment history, not a budget tool | No | Yes — income, expenses, budgets, reports |
| Languages | Paytm app languages | English-first | 8 Indian languages |
| Moves money | Yes — it is a payments app | No | No — tracks and splits; you pay over UPI |
Where Paytm Split Bills wins
Settling is one tap. Because the splitter sits inside the payments app, the step from “you owe ₹640” to “paid” is the shortest of the three. With Splitwise and Lekhhaa you see the balance and then pay through your UPI app of choice.
No limits on entries. At launch Paytm said entries are unlimited, which matters for trips where twenty small expenses go in a day.
Your group probably already has it. Paytm is installed on a lot of Indian phones. If everyone in the group uses it, there is nothing new to download.
Where it falls short
It is locked to Paytm. The moment one friend uses only Google Pay or PhonePe, the group either has to adopt Paytm or keep part of the record somewhere else. Group expense tools work best when the record is neutral about how people pay.
Your split history lives in a payments app. Some people are perfectly happy with that. Others would rather not mix a record of who had the extra drinks with their wallet and bank-linked app. It is a personal call, but it is worth making deliberately.
It is a splitter, not a tracker. Paytm shows what you paid. It is not designed to show what you spent on food this month across cash, card and every UPI app, or to hold a budget. If you want both, you end up with two apps anyway.
Where Splitwise fits
Splitwise is still the most familiar name, its debt simplification is genuinely good, and its new free Itemize receipt-splitting (announced October 2026) is a strong feature — we covered it in Splitwise Itemize and free alternatives. The friction for Indian groups is the free plan’s daily expense limit, which pushes busy trips toward Pro. See what Splitwise Pro costs in India for the group maths.
Where Lekhhaa fits
Lekhhaa is free, works in any browser with nothing to install (and as an app on the Play Store), and is available in eight Indian languages. You can add a friend to a group by name only — no email, no account — and send them a private balance link they open in a browser to see what they owe, with UPI pay buttons. Groups get debt simplification, so a trip settles in the fewest payments. And because it is also a personal expense tracker, the dinner you split shows up in your own monthly spending.
It does not move money — you settle through whatever UPI app you like — and it does not scan receipts.
A worked ₹ example: one weekend, three payment apps
Rahul (Paytm), Priya (Google Pay) and Aman (PhonePe) go to Lonavala. Rahul pays the ₹6,000 villa, Priya pays ₹1,500 for fuel, Aman pays ₹2,100 for food. Total ₹9,600, so each person’s share is ₹3,200.
| Person | Paid | Share | Balance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rahul | ₹6,000 | ₹3,200 | Gets back ₹2,800 |
| Priya | ₹1,500 | ₹3,200 | Owes ₹1,700 |
| Aman | ₹2,100 | ₹3,200 | Owes ₹1,100 |
Two payments clear it: Priya pays Rahul ₹1,700 and Aman pays Rahul ₹1,100. In Paytm Split Bills that works smoothly only if Priya and Aman are willing to use Paytm. In Splitwise or Lekhhaa the record is the same for everyone and each person pays from their own UPI app. You can check any group like this in the free who owes whom calculator — no signup.
The verdict
Whole group on Paytm, mostly one-off splits: use Paytm Split Bills. It is free and settling is quickest.
Group already on Splitwise and under the free limits: stay — switching has a cost, and Itemize just made it better.
Mixed UPI apps, friends who won’t install anything, or you want a personal tracker too: use Lekhhaa. It is free, neutral about how people pay, and the friend who never downloads anything can still see their balance from a link. If you are leaving Splitwise, here is how to export your data and switch without losing balances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Paytm Split Bills free?
Yes. As launched in August 2026, Paytm Split Bills is free inside the Paytm app, with unlimited entries, equal, exact, shares and percentage splits, payment reminders and UPI settlement.
Can I use Paytm Split Bills with friends who use Google Pay or PhonePe?
The feature is built into Paytm, so it works best when everyone in the group uses Paytm. For mixed groups, a neutral splitter like Splitwise or Lekhhaa keeps one record while each person settles from their own UPI app.
Is Paytm Split Bills better than Splitwise?
For a group that all uses Paytm, it is simpler and has no entry limits at launch. Splitwise is better if your group is already on it, uses mixed payment apps, or wants features like receipt-based item splitting. Neither includes a full personal budget tracker.
What is the best free bill splitting app in India in 2026?
It depends on the group. Paytm Split Bills suits all-Paytm groups; Splitwise suits groups already using it within its free limits; Lekhhaa is free, works in a browser with no install, supports 8 Indian languages, and lets you add friends by name only.
Does Lekhhaa transfer money like Paytm?
No. Lekhhaa tracks and splits expenses and shows who owes whom; you pay through any UPI app such as Google Pay, PhonePe or Paytm.