How much to tip, and what each person pays
Free tip calculator: pick 10, 15, 18 or 20 percent or your own, split the tip and the bill between any number of people, and see each share to the cent.
You want two answers at the end of a meal: how much is the tip, and what does each person pay once it is added. The tip calculator above gives both at once. Pick a percentage, enter the bill and the number of people, and it shows the tip, the total with tip and each person’s share, rounded so the shares add up exactly.
It is free, runs in your browser and stores nothing. Below you will find a quick way to do the arithmetic in your head, a table of common tips, and a fair way to split the tip when orders were not equal.
How to use the tip calculator
- Type the Bill total.
- Choose a tip: No tip, 10%, 15%, 18% or 20%. For any other rate, type it in Other %, for example 22.
- Set Number of people. Leave it at 1 if you only want the tip amount.
- Read the Tip, the Total with tip and Each person pays.
- Tap Share result to copy the split or send it to your group.
Worked example: a $64.50 bill for two
Two friends have lunch and the bill is $64.50. Here is what each tip choice costs them.
| Tip | Tip amount | Total with tip | Each of 2 pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $6.45 | $70.95 | $35.48 and $35.47 |
| 15% | $9.675, rounded to $9.68 | $74.18 | $37.09 |
| 18% | $11.61 | $76.11 | $38.06 and $38.05 |
| 20% | $12.90 | $77.40 | $38.70 |
How the rounding works. The tip is rounded to the nearest cent. The total is then shared in whole cents, and any cent that is left over goes to one person. At 10%, $70.95 is 7,095 cents, which does not divide by two, so one person pays $35.48 and the other $35.47. The note under the result tells you this, so nobody has to guess.
Work out a tip in your head
You do not always have a phone in hand. These shortcuts get you within a cent on the $64.50 bill:
- 10%: move the decimal point one place left. $64.50 becomes $6.45.
- 20%: double the 10%. $6.45 × 2 = $12.90.
- 15%: 10% plus half of it. $6.45 + $3.225 = $9.675, so $9.68.
- 18%: 20% minus 2%. $12.90 − $1.29 = $11.61.
Which tip, and on which amount
There is no single right percentage. In the United States, 15 to 20 percent is the usual range at a sit-down restaurant. Elsewhere, look for a service charge on the bill first and follow local habit.
| Situation | What most people do |
|---|---|
| Sit-down restaurant, US | 15% to 20% of the bill |
| Service charge or automatic gratuity on the bill | No extra tip, choose No tip |
| Large group, no service charge added | 18% to 20%, agreed before you order |
| Counter service or takeaway | Optional, often a small amount |
Before tax or after tax? On a $100 subtotal with $8 tax, an 18% tip on the subtotal is $18.00 and the total is $126.00. On the total with tax it is 18% of $108.00, which is $19.44, and the total is $127.44. The difference is $1.44, which is 18% of the tax. To tip on the subtotal with the calculator, work out the tip yourself, add it to the total, and choose No tip.
Splitting the tip fairly when orders differ
Splitting the tip evenly is fine when everyone ordered about the same. When they did not, the fair rule is simple: everyone tips the same percentage of their own order.
On the $64.50 bill, say Maria’s food was $40.00 and Tom’s was $24.50, with an 18% tip.
| Person | Order | Tip at 18% | Pays |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maria | $40.00 | $7.20 | $47.20 |
| Tom | $24.50 | $4.41 | $28.91 |
| Total | $64.50 | $11.61 | $76.11 |
The tips add up to the same $11.61 as an even split, but Tom no longer pays tip on Maria’s steak. You can get each line from the calculator by entering each person’s order with 18% and 1 person.
When a calculator is not enough
The calculator handles one bill at a time. When tips are part of a longer story, such as a trip with a dinner every night, or a group where different people paid for different meals, Half Tab keeps them all in one group. Each expense can be split equally, by exact amounts, by shares or by percentage, and the app shows the fewest payments to settle up at the end. It works offline on iPhone and iPad and is available in 21 languages.
More calculators and guides
- The restaurant bill splitter for a whole table, with the drinks question answered.
- The main split bill calculator.
- The travel expense splitter for meals on a trip.
- Our guide on how to split a restaurant bill, including tax and service charges.
Split bill calculator questions
How much should I tip at a restaurant?
In the United States, 15 to 20 percent of the bill is the usual range at a sit-down restaurant, with 18 to 20 percent common for good service. In many other countries a service charge is already on the bill or tips are smaller, so check the bill and the local habit first.
How do I calculate a 15, 18 or 20 percent tip quickly?
Move the decimal point one place to the left to get 10 percent. Double it for 20 percent. Add half of the 10 percent for 15 percent. Take 2 percent off the 20 percent for 18 percent. On $64.50: 10% is $6.45, 20% is $12.90, 15% is $9.68 and 18% is $11.61.
How do you split a tip between people?
If everyone shared, add the tip to the bill and divide the total evenly, which is what the calculator above does. If orders were very different, each person tips the same percentage of their own order, so the tip is split in proportion to what they ate.
Do you tip on the amount before or after tax?
Tipping on the subtotal before tax is the traditional rule, tipping on the total with tax is slightly more generous. On a $100 subtotal with $8 tax, an 18% tip is $18.00 before tax or $19.44 after tax. Either is fine if the table agrees.
Should I tip if there is already a service charge?
Usually not. A service charge or automatic gratuity is the tip. Choose No tip in the calculator and split the total. Add something extra only if you want to reward service that went beyond it.
More free calculators
Stop doing the maths in the group chat
Download Half Tab for free and let the app keep the running total for every trip, flat and dinner.