From install to
first recharge log

What is SplitBill?

SplitBill is a free, open-source Android app for households that share a prepaid electricity meter. After each recharge you log the meter reading and amount paid. The app splits costs by usage, tracks prepaid balances per member, and shows who should top up next.

Multiple phones can share one meter room via a Room ID and optional cloud sync.

Install

Download the latest GitHub APK (arm64). Needs Android 10 or newer.

An F-Droid listing is planned but not available yet — use GitHub Releases for now.

First-run setup

1. Open SplitBill → Start fresh for a new room, or join with a Room ID.
2. Name the room (e.g. “Flat 3B meter”).
3. Add every member who shares the meter.
4. Pick which member you are on this phone.
5. Share the Room ID from Settings so others can join the same room.
6. Land on Home — prepaid balances and next top-up hint.

Already have a backup? Use Restore from file on the welcome screen.

Log a recharge

1. After topping up the prepaid meter, tap the log action on Home.
2. Enter the current meter reading (kWh) and recharge amount.
3. Confirm. Balances update for all members based on usage since the last log.
4. The member with the lowest balance is marked to recharge next.

Edit or soft-delete entries from the History tab if you made a mistake.

Cloud sync

Under Settings → Cloud sync, enable sync to pull and push room data across devices. Sync runs when you open the app and periodically in the background.

Cloud payloads are gzip-compressed JSON keyed by your Room ID (Support ID). They are not encrypted on the wire — see Privacy. Turn sync off if you only use one phone.

Backups

Export a local JSON backup anytime from Settings. Set an optional backup password to seal the file with AES-256-GCM before saving — details on the encryption page.

Import restores the full room on this device.

Home screen widget

Add the Meter balances widget from your launcher. It shows member balances without opening the app. Set up a room first — the widget reads local data.

Tips

• Log immediately after every recharge so usage deltas stay accurate.
• Share the Room ID, not your personal name — it’s the sync key for the room.
• Use the share action to send balance summaries or an invite with the download link.
• Enable cloud sync only if multiple people log from different phones.
• Crash reporting is optional and off by default — enable it in Settings if you want to help fix bugs.