Questions people ask
What does it cost?
3 photographed receipts free to start, kept until you use them, and then 1 a month after that. Beyond that it is $2.99 a year — one payment, not a monthly subscription. Fixed amounts (parking, cash tips) are never metered, on any plan.
Do I need an account?
Yes, and it is free. You can be splitting a bill in under a minute.
Does everyone else need one?
Only if they want to see the split themselves. You can add people as names and settle up with them without them signing up for anything — the invite link is there for the ones who want their own view.
What happens to the receipt photos?
They are deleted automatically after 30 days, or 90 on the paid plan. The split stays correct forever; the photograph does not linger.
Does it work with screenshots, not just photos?
Yes. A Lyft receipt, an emailed order confirmation, a delivery summary — screenshot it and upload exactly as you would a photo of a till receipt. It goes through the same reader.
How does it handle tip when the receipt has none printed?
PayUp prefills a tip at 20% of the pre-tax subtotal — what US tipping etiquette actually asks for. Set your own default rate once in settings.
What if the receipt is read wrong?
PayUp shows you what it read and lets you correct it there and then, before anyone settles up on the wrong numbers.
Does it work without signal?
Trips you have opened are kept on your device with their receipts, and settle-up figures are worked out on the phone rather than fetched — so the answer to “what do I owe” is there with no connection at all.
Can I split something that never had a receipt?
Yes — fixed amounts. A taxi paid in cash, the parking, somebody covering the tickets. Type the name, say who paid, and split it evenly or type each person's share.
Is PayUp a payment app?
No. It doesn't move money or hold funds — it works out who owes whom. You settle up between yourselves however you already do.
Still have a question? Get in touch.