Settle UpThe most complete one, yet ad-supported with key features behind a paywall.
- Price
- ≈ €22/yr (Premium)
- Platforms
- iOSAndroidWeb
Free with ads; Premium at €3.99/mo or €21.99/yr, plus a one-off “Group Premium” paid for the whole group.
Comparison
Settle Up vs CountClub: the full comparison (2026)
The most complete competitor against the 100% free app. We compared 45 features, ads, the Premium tier and where the data is hosted.
Settle Up6.3/10
vs
CountClub9.0/10
In short
Settle Up is the most complete competitor on the market: a web app alongside the mobile apps, balances viewable in a browser without installing anything, 24 languages, real-time exchange rates, a kitty and read-only access. Its free version does show ads, though, and most of the comfort is paid: receipt photos, custom categories, recurring expenses, Excel export, statistics and payment reminders, with Premium at €3.99 per month or €21.99 per year. Its data is hosted in the United States. CountClub gives all of that away for free and ad-free, but has no web version yet.
The facts
- Settle Up is published by Czech studio Step Up Labs and claims more than 2.5 million users.
- Settle Up's free version shows ads; its Premium subscription costs €3.99 per month or €21.99 per year on the French App Store.
- Settle Up reserves receipt photos, custom categories, recurring expenses, Excel export and statistics charts for its paid tier.
- Settle Up also offers a one-off “Group Premium” purchase, paid by one person for the whole group.
- Settle Up offers a web app at settleup.app, in addition to its iOS and Android apps.
- Settle Up lets you view a group's balances in a browser, without installing the app.
- Settle Up is translated into 24 languages.
- According to its privacy policy, Settle Up hosts its data on Google Cloud in the United States.
- CountClub includes automatic payment reminders, receipt photos, statistics and export for free, all of which Settle Up charges for.
- CountClub has no web app: it is available on iOS and Android.
Both apps at a glance
Settle Up
CountClub100% free expense splitting, no ads.
- Price
- Free
- Platforms
- iOSAndroid
All features unlocked, no ads, no limits.
Full feature comparison
45 features compared, weighted by importance. Verified, dated data.
LegendIncluded, free€PaidNot available
| Feature | Settle Up | CountClub |
|---|---|---|
| Balances & settle-up planWho owes what, and who pays whom: it's all worked out for you, no math by hand | Included, free | Included, free |
| Debt simplificationThe fewest transfers to settle up: less back-and-forth, everyone squares up fast | Included, free | Included, free |
| Multi-currency conversionEveryone pays in their currency, balances land right in one, zero hassle abroad | Included, free | Included, free |
| Expense searchFind any expense by typing a word or two, even in a long list | Included, free | Included, free |
| Offline mode & syncAdd expenses even with no signal; everything syncs the moment you're back online | Included, free | Included, free |
| Automatic payment remindersStop chasing friends: the app sends the payment nudges for you | €Paid | Included, free |
| CSV / PDF exportGrab all your accounts as CSV or PDF, for your records or a spreadsheet: free here | €Paid | Included, free |
| Unlimited expensesLog as many expenses as you like, never hitting a paywall | Included, free | Included, free |
| Receipt photoSnap the receipt and keep the proof right where it belongs, never lost | €Paid | Included, free |
| Voice expensesDictate the expense and it pre-fills itself: amount, description, participants and payer | Not available | Included, free |
| Shared listsGroceries, planning, to-dos: shared lists in the group, ticked off in real time | Not available | Included, free |
| Per-group share linkSend one link and friends join the group in a tap, no account needed | Included, free | Included, free |
| Multilingual (FR / EN)The app speaks French and English: everyone uses it in their own language, mixed groups included | Included, free | Included, free |
| Full action historySee who added or changed what, and when: no more doubts about the group's numbers | Not available | Included, free |
| No adsNo ads, ever: a clean app where nothing gets in the way of your accounts | €Paid | Included, free |
| Show how to get paid (IBAN, PayPal…)Show your IBAN, Wero or PayPal so others can pay you back in seconds | Included, free | Included, free |
| Per-member balance detailA member's page: their detailed balance and every expense, so you grasp it all at a glance | Included, free | Included, free |
| Expense import (CSV)Start from a file you already have: import expenses from CSV without retyping | Included, free | Included, free |
| Fine-grained notificationsPick exactly what pings you: stay on top of the group without notification overload | Included, free | Included, free |
| Automatic expense emojiThe app picks the right emoji for each expense: an easier-to-read list, effortlessly | Not available | Included, free |
| Fun phrases & accountsPlayful touches and cheeky messages that make splitting expenses feel less like a chore | Not available | Included, free |
| Split by equal, shares, % and amountsSplit equally, by shares, by percentage or exact amounts: every situation has its rule | Included, free | Included, free |
| Share QR codeA QR code to scan and people next to you join the group on the spot, no link to type | Included, free | Included, free |
| Quick sign-in (Google, Apple, Face ID)Sign in with one tap via Google, Apple or Face ID: no password to remember | Included, free | Included, free |
| Scheduled group closingSet an end date and the group freezes on its own: the accounts are settled once and for all | Not available | Included, free |
| Regenerate the invite linkLink leaked? Generate a fresh one and stay in control of who can join | Not available | Included, free |
| Independent publisher (not a bank)An independent publisher, not a bank: no one's nudging you to open an account on the side | Included, free | Included, free |
| Coach Léon (AI assistant)Ask questions about the group (who owes what, who pays…) and the AI answers, still in beta | Not available | Included, free |
| Group usable without signing upFriends join the group without creating an account: nobody drops off at sign-up | Included, free | Not available |
| Web version in the browserPick up the accounts on a computer when typing on a phone gets tedious | Included, free | Not available |
| Custom categoriesCreate your own expense labels and file the group's accounts your way | €Paid | Included, free |
| Multiple payers on one expenseTwo people footed the same bill? Record who paid what, no need to split the expense in two | Included, free | Included, free |
| Receipt OCR scan (line items)Scan the receipt, the app reads the line items for you: free here, paid on Splitwise | Not available | Included, free |
| Stats & chartsClear charts to see where the group's money goes and spot the big spending | €Paid | Included, free |
| Recurring expensesRent, subscriptions, bills: the expenses that come back every month create themselves | €Paid | Not available |
| Emoji customisationSwap any expense emoji to your liking for a list that's yours and easy to skim | Not available | Included, free |
| Referral programmeInvite your friends and earn perks when they join the app too | Included, free | Included, free |
| Shared member (couple / joint account)A couple counts as one member: a shared balance, yet each person gets their own reminders | Not available | Included, free |
| Merge debts between membersSomeone covering another's debt? Move it onto them and keep the balances accurate | Not available | Included, free |
| Kitty and money coming back inA kitty everyone chips into, or a refund coming back: the group total stays accurate | Included, free | Not available |
| Balances visible without installing the appThe member in a hurry opens the link in their browser and sees the balances, nothing to install | Included, free | Not available |
| GDPR account deletionLeave whenever you want: delete your account and data in a few taps, as the law requires | Included, free | Included, free |
| Persistent friends across groupsA friends list that follows you from group to group, so you re-invite them without searching | Included, free | Not available |
| Loyalty programme“Le Club”: rack up points by referring friends and unlock perks along the way | Not available | Included, free |
| Light / dark themeA dark mode to spare your eyes at night and match your phone's theme | Included, free | Not available |
What it really costs
Settle Up≈ €22/yr (Premium)
Free with ads; Premium at €3.99/mo or €21.99/yr, plus a one-off “Group Premium” paid for the whole group.
CountClubFree
All features unlocked, no ads, no limits.
Settle Up and CountClub are both free to download, but they don't make money the same way. Settle Up shows ads in its free version and sells Premium at €3.99 per month or €21.99 per year, plus a one-off “Group Premium” that one person pays for the whole group. That Premium unlocks receipt photos, custom categories, recurring expenses, Excel export, statistics and ad removal. CountClub sells no subscription and shows no ads: the same features are open from install.
Strengths and limitations
Settle UpStrengths
- A web app in addition to the iOS and Android apps
- Balances viewable in a browser, with nothing to install
- 24 languages and real-time exchange rates
- Kitty, read-only access and recurring expenses
- Usable without signing up, plus a light/dark theme
Limitations
- Ads in the free version
- Receipt photos, categories, recurrences, export and statistics are paid
- Payment reminders reserved for the paid tier
- Complex pricing, split between an individual subscription and a group purchase
- Data hosted in the United States
- No AI receipt scanning, no action history and no shared lists
CountClubStrengths
- 100% free, ad-free and with no locked features
- Receipt photos, statistics, categories and export included, where Settle Up charges for them
- Free automatic payment reminders
- AI receipt scanning and voice expenses, absent from Settle Up
- Shared lists, count closing and a full action history
- Data hosted in Europe, independent French publisher
Limitations
- No web app and no browser-based viewing
- No recurring expenses and no kitty
- 2 languages versus 24 on Settle Up
- No light/dark theme
Which app for which use?
Group trips
CountClubOur pick
Multi-currency, receipt scanning, photos and reminders are included with no subscription, and nobody gets an ad between two expenses.
Flatshare
Settle UpOur pick
For rent and bills that come back every month, Settle Up's recurring expenses save real time, provided you pay for Premium.
Couples
CountClubOur pick
Shared members and debt merging pull a couple's accounts into a single balance, for free.
Nights out & dining
CountClubOur pick
A night out settles in two minutes: link or QR code, automatic splitting and payment methods on show, with no ad in the middle.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
The verdict
Running an international group, with members on desktop and expenses that repeat every month? Settle Up is the best-equipped on the market, as long as you accept the ads or pay for Premium.
Want the same features with no ads and no subscription, plus AI receipt scanning, voice expenses and shared lists? CountClub covers all of it for free, with European hosting.
Our recommendation: if the web app isn't essential, try CountClub on your next count. It's free with no commitment.
Methodology & sources
Each feature is scored by importance, from hands-on testing and dated public sources. Comparison edited by the CountClub team.
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