Split Airbnb costs with friends, without chasing the group chat
Someone books the Airbnb on their card, then spends weeks chasing transfers for the cleaning fee, service fee and everyone else's share. Tabby puts the full booking and the rest of the trip on one shared tab you open from a link. No app and no signup.
Why Airbnb splits get messy
- Airbnb usually only lets one or two people pay at checkout, so one person fronts the lot.
- The number on the booking isn't just the nightly rate: cleaning, service fees and taxes sit on top.
- Someone arrives a night late, or takes the nicer room, and the equal split feels unfair.
- The Airbnb is only half the trip. Fuel, the big shop and dinners still need tracking.
- Asking everyone to install another app for one weekend is how you end up back in a spreadsheet.
Start from what Airbnb actually charged
Use the total on the receipt
Add one expense for the full amount Airbnb took, including cleaning and service fees. Splitting the nightly rate and arguing about fees later is how groups recalculate twice.
Pay the booker back early
Once the booking is on the tab, everyone can see their share and transfer it before you go, so the person who booked isn't out of pocket for months.
Keep the rest of the trip on the same tab
Add taxis, groceries and dinners as you go. Choose who each cost is for, so non-drinkers stay off the bar tab.
How it works
-
1
Create a tab
Name it after the place, like "Cornwall Airbnb May", and pick £. You get a private link straight away.
-
2
Add the Airbnb charge
Whoever booked adds the full amount Airbnb charged and splits it between the people staying.
-
3
Share the link
Drop it in the group chat. Everyone opens it in their browser and picks their name. No accounts.
-
4
Settle up
Tabby shows who owes who. Send a bank transfer, then mark it settled. Keep adding trip costs on the same tab.
Fair splits when nights or rooms differ
Tabby splits each expense equally between the people you choose. For uneven rooms or nights, agree the Airbnb shares first, then log them.
| Situation | What to do | On Tabby |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone stays every night in similar rooms | Split the full Airbnb charge evenly | One expense, split between everyone |
| Someone arrives late or leaves early | Agree a smaller share for them before you book | Add them only to the expenses that cover their nights, or add a separate top-up expense |
| One couple gets the en-suite | Agree a bit more for that room up front | Add the Airbnb as equal shares, then a small extra expense just for that couple |
| Cleaning and service fees | Usually split evenly, like the rest of the booking | Keep them inside the one Airbnb expense |
| You want a night/room calculator | Work out the shares first, then track payments | Tabby records who paid and who owes, once you've agreed the numbers |
More ways to use Tabby
Questions
How do you split an Airbnb with friends? +
One person books and pays. Add the full Airbnb charge (including fees) to a shared tab, split it between whoever is staying, and have everyone pay the booker back. Keep the rest of the trip on the same tab.
Should we split the cleaning fee separately? +
Usually no. Use the total Airbnb charged. Splitting the nightly rate and the cleaning fee as two arguments is how groups end up recalculating.
Can Tabby split by nights stayed or by room? +
No. Each expense is split equally between the people you choose. Agree uneven shares first (or use a night/room calculator), then add those amounts on Tabby so everyone can pay the booker.
Does Airbnb let the whole group pay at checkout? +
Usually not for groups of three or more. One person pays, then everyone settles up afterwards. That's the job this page is for.
Does everyone need an app? +
No. Tabby runs in the browser from a private link. No download and no signup.
Is it free? +
Yes. No paid plan, no ads and no account.