I built a restaurant bill splitting app — here’s how it works (SplitMalple)

Vishal Shetty — Mon, 06 Apr 2026 05:42:06 +0000

Splitting a restaurant bill sounds simple… until it isn’t.

You’ve probably been there:

Someone pays more than they should
Others underpay
And it ends with confusion or awkward conversations

I’ve faced this multiple times — and that’s what led me to build SplitMalple.

💡 How the idea started

The idea came up during a restaurant outing.

A friend casually said:

“Why don’t you build an app for this?”

That one line stuck with me.

Also, the name SplitMalple comes from my native language Tulu, where “Malple” means “to do” — making it simple, personal, and action-focused.

⚡ The problem

Splitting bills in groups is rarely fair:

People order different items
Some dishes are shared
Equal splitting doesn’t make sense

So what do we usually do?

Open a calculator 📱
Do manual math 🧾
Or just “adjust later” 😅

None of these are ideal.

🚀 The solution — SplitMalple

SplitMalple makes bill splitting simple, fair, and stress-free.

Instead of guessing, it lets you split based on actual consumption.

🔥 What it does

Add food items with price and quantity
Assign items to specific people
Handle shared items easily
Automatically calculate who owes what
Generate a clean summary
Share the final split instantly

It also enhances the experience by fetching food images dynamically using APIs.

🎥 Demo

Instead of explaining, here’s a quick look at how it works in real time:

🧠 What I learned while building this

1. Real-world problems are messy

Handling shared items, edge cases, and fairness is more complex than it seems.

2. UX matters more than logic

Even if calculations are correct, the app must feel effortless.

3. Small features can make big differences

A simple share feature significantly improved usability.

4. Building in public helps

Sharing progress keeps you accountable and helps you improve faster.

🌐 Try it out

👉 https://splitmalple.vercel.app

💭 Final thought

Great meals bring people together.
Fair bills keep them that way.

Pay only for what you actually ate.

Forem: Vishal Shetty