Frequently asked questions
Browse by topic below for answers about splitting bills, scanning receipts, inviting friends, and using Tab.team in your browser. Or split a bill now.
Getting started
How is Tab.team different from other bill-splitting apps?
Many tools stop at equal splits or basic calculators. Tab.team combines our AI-powered receipt reading (line items, tax, tip, service charge, and discounts, with checks so things add up), a card-stack interface to claim or assign each item, and optional live guest claiming. All in the browser, with no app install for friends.
Do I need to download an app to split a bill?
No. Tab.team runs in your web browser. No app store visit. Add it to your home screen on your phone if you want a quick shortcut next time you're out.
Does Tab.team work in a browser?
Yes. Open Tab.team in Chrome, Safari, Firefox, or Edge on phone, tablet, or laptop. Scan your receipt with our in-app camera or upload from your gallery, then split. No install for you or anyone you invite.
Is Tab.team free?
Yes. Tab.team is free to use today for hosts and guests. If anything changes, we'll be upfront about it.
Is there an account or sign-up required?
No. Start or join a split in the browser and share a link or QR code. Guests only enter a name to join. Sign-in may come later for saved history; it is not required tonight.
Can I use Tab.team on my phone?
Yes. In your phone's browser, scan the receipt with our in-app camera (or upload from your gallery), work through the card stack, and share a link or QR. No native app required.
Can I use Tab.team on desktop too?
Yes. Many hosts scan or upload on a laptop, assign items on the card stack, then share results. Or invite guests to claim on their phones via link or QR.
Can I add Tab.team to my home screen?
Yes. Add Tab.team to your home screen or install it from your browser for a quick shortcut. It is still a web app, not an app-store install.
Steps vary by browser. On iPhone and iPad, Safari uses the Share menu; Chrome uses the menu (⋮). On Android, look for Install app or Add to Home screen in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Samsung Internet. On desktop, Chrome and Edge offer an install icon in the address bar; Safari on Mac can use File → Add to Dock.
Does Tab.team work on iPhone and Android?
Yes. The same link and QR flow works in the mobile browser on iOS and Android, which helps when everyone at the table has a different device.
Splitting the bill
Can I split a bill by item instead of splitting it evenly?
Yes. That is what Tab.team is for. After our AI reads your bill or check, each item appears on the card stack. Swipe or drag to claim or assign items so everyone pays for what they ordered. We do not offer a one-tap "split the entire bill or check equally" mode; if everyone owes the same share, you do not need itemised splitting.
Can I pay for only what I ordered?
Yes. Claim your items (or your share of a shared dish). Your total includes your portion of tax, service charge, tip, and discounts, shared fairly rather than as an equal slice of the whole bill or check.
Can I split a restaurant bill fairly?
Yes. Our AI extracts every line item; you assign or claim what each person had. Tax, service, tip, and discounts can follow what was ordered, an even share per payer, or custom percentages, so heavier eaters or drinkers are not subsidised.
Can I split drinks separately from food?
Yes. Each drink and dish is its own item on the stack. Claim them individually so teetotallers are not paying for rounds they skipped. Shared bottles can still be split between selected payers.
Can Tab.team work out who owes what?
Yes. Once items are claimed, the host reviews tax, tip, service charge, and discounts (with fractional split options), then releases the summary. Each person sees their exact total, ready to pay via bank, cash, or a message on WhatsApp or email.
Can I use Tab.team for restaurant bills and bar tabs?
Yes. Tab.team is built for meals and drinks out. Scan the bill or check, work through items on the card stack, and finish with clear per-person totals.
Can I split tax and service charge fairly?
Yes. Our AI picks up tax and service charge on the receipt. On the finish screen, split each charge by order (in proportion to what people ate), by payer (even share among payers), or custom %. You can set this separately for tax, service, tip, and discounts.
Can I split the tip separately?
Yes. If a tip is already on the receipt, we surface it; you can add or adjust one. Split the tip by order, by payer, or with custom percentages, with the same flexible controls as tax and service charge.
Can I split a discount fairly?
Yes. When our AI finds a receipt-level discount (or a promo on the bill or check), it is included in the total. On the finish screen, share that discount by order, by payer, or with custom percentages, just like tax, tip, and service charge.
Can I choose who pays for what?
Host: assign any item to any diner on the card stack. Guests: claim their own items on their phones. Both paths feed the same live session and final totals.
Friends & sharing
Do my friends need to download anything to join?
No. Share a link or QR. Friends open the split in their browser and join the same session. No app store and no sign-up wall.
Can everyone claim items live at the table?
Yes. Invite the group by link or QR. Multiple guests can be in the session at once. Each claims or splits items on their own phone while the stack and totals stay in sync.
Is there a limit to how many people can join?
Not in practice. We have run sessions with a dozen or more active guests claiming items at once.
Can I use Tab.team for a dinner with friends?
Yes. Choose host-only (you assign and share totals) or everyone claims live via link or QR, whichever suits your table.
Can I use Tab.team for a night out?
Yes. One scan for meals, drinks, or bar tabs, then assign items yourself or let the group claim before you move on.
Pricing & technical
How does Tab.team read my bill or check?
Our AI workflow analyses your scan: it works out what kind of document it is, pulls out every line item, handles tax (included in prices or added on top), tells tip and service charge apart, picks up discounts, and checks that the numbers on the receipt make sense. Dish names can be translated for your language. If anything looks uncertain, the host gets a quick review before you split on the card stack.
Can I scan a receipt to split a bill?
Yes. Scan your bill or check with our in-app camera or upload from your photo gallery. Our AI builds your item stack so you assign or claim without typing each dish by hand.
Can I upload a photo of my bill or check?
Yes. Use our in-app camera or pick an image from your gallery. The same AI-powered read runs: our AI pulls out items, checks the totals, and prepares the card stack.
How accurate is the bill scanner?
On clear photos of bills or checks, items and totals are recognised with very high accuracy. Our AI also checks tax, discounts, and service charge vs tip so things add up. When it is not sure, you see review flags before anyone claims an item.
Does Tab.team read line items automatically?
Yes. Our AI gives you one card per item (names, quantities, and prices), ready to claim or assign. Display names can be translated or cleaned up for your language while keeping the original receipt text available.
What happens if the receipt is hard to read?
Blurry, dark, or non-receipt images may fail safely. Partial reads are flagged for host review when items and totals do not add up or tax is unclear, so you fix issues before splitting, not after paying the wrong amount.
Can I edit item names or amounts?
Yes, but you will rarely need to. The host can fix a misread item or add/remove one in the master list when our AI or the receipt is wrong. Most sessions go straight from scan to claiming.
Does Tab.team check the numbers on the bill?
Yes. Our AI checks subtotals, tax, service charge, tip, discounts, and the grand total against what is printed on the bill or check. If things do not add up, you see a review prompt before you split.
Can I use Tab.team offline?
Not at the moment. You need a connection to scan, sync with your group, and save the session. Offline support is on our wish list.
What happens to my receipt photo?
Images are used to extract items for your session. We do not use them for advertising. See our Privacy Policy for retention and security.
Is there a catch?
No hidden fees for guests joining a split. Tab.team is free today; if that changes, we'll say so clearly upfront.
Will guests ever be charged?
No. Guests open your link or QR in the browser. They are never asked to pay to participate.
Will Tab.team stay free?
We're focused on fair, simple splits that stay free for hosts and guests today. Any future change will be communicated clearly.