Frequently Asked Questions

We Settled is a mobile expense-splitting app designed to simplify shared finances among friends, roommates, and travel groups. When someone pays for a shared expense, they add it to the app specifying who participated and how to split the cost. The app automatically calculates running balances for everyone in the group, showing who owes whom and exactly how much. When you're ready to settle up, the app suggests the minimum number of payments needed to clear all debts, eliminating the confusion of tracking IOUs manually.

Creating a group is simple: tap the "+" button on the home screen, give your group a name (like "Goa Trip 2024" or "Apartment Expenses"), select an icon and default currency. Once created, you can add members in three ways: share a unique invite link via WhatsApp or any messaging app, scan a QR code in person, or add contacts directly from your phone. Each member gets their own profile in the group and can start adding and viewing expenses immediately after joining.

To add an expense, open your group and tap the "+" button. Enter the expense name (e.g., "Dinner at Olive"), the amount, and who paid. Then choose how to split it: equally among all members, specific amounts for each person, or by percentage. You can also select only certain members to include in the split. Add an optional note or photo of the receipt for reference. Once saved, the app instantly recalculates everyone's balances, and all group members can see the new expense in the group timeline.

Yes, We Settled offers flexible splitting options beyond equal division. Use "Split by Amount" when you know each person's exact share—perfect for situations like ordering different-priced items at a restaurant. Use "Split by Percentage" for proportional sharing, such as rent based on room sizes (one person pays 40%, another 35%, etc.). You can also exclude specific members from an expense entirely. This flexibility ensures fair splitting for any real-world scenario, from shared subscriptions to group travel with varying participation.

We Settled supports over 100 currencies worldwide, including INR, USD, EUR, GBP, AUD, CAD, SGD, AED, and many more. Each group has a default currency, but individual expenses can be added in any currency—perfect for international trips. The app automatically converts foreign expenses to your group's base currency using current exchange rates. For example, during a Europe trip, add expenses in Euros while your Indian travel group sees equivalent amounts in Rupees.

Tap the "Settle Up" button in your group to see optimized payment suggestions that minimize the total number of transactions needed. For example, if A owes B ₹500 and B owes C ₹500, the app suggests A pay C directly. When you make a payment via UPI, bank transfer, cash, or any method, simply record it in the app: select who paid whom and the amount. The balances update instantly for everyone. You can also add notes to payments like "Paid via Google Pay" for your records.

Absolutely! You can add "ghost members" by entering just their name and optionally their phone number. Ghost members are fully functional—they're included in expense splits, their balances are tracked, and you can record payments to/from them. When they eventually download We Settled and sign up with the same phone number, their account automatically links to the existing ghost profile. All their expense history and balances transfer seamlessly, so nothing is lost.

Recurring expenses automate regular shared costs like rent, utilities, or streaming subscriptions. Set them up once by creating an expense, then toggling "Make Recurring" and choosing the frequency: weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, or a custom schedule. The app automatically creates the expense on schedule with the same split configuration. You'll receive a notification when a recurring expense is added. You can pause, modify, or cancel recurring expenses anytime. This saves time and ensures regular shared bills are never forgotten.

Yes, expenses can be modified or removed. Tap on any expense to view its details, then use the edit button to change the amount, description, split method, or participants. Changes are reflected immediately in everyone's balances and the group activity feed shows an update notification. To delete an expense, use the delete option in the expense details. Deleted expenses are removed from balance calculations, and the action is logged so group members know something changed.

Your privacy and security are top priorities. All data is encrypted during transmission using industry-standard TLS encryption and stored securely on cloud servers with encryption at rest. We never sell your personal information to third parties or use it for advertising. Only members of your specific groups can see those group's expenses—there's no public visibility. You maintain full control over your data and can export or delete it anytime. We comply with data protection regulations to keep your information safe.

Yes, We Settled works offline! You can view your groups, balances, and expense history without an internet connection. More importantly, you can add new expenses while offline—they're saved locally and automatically sync when you're back online. This is especially useful during travel when connectivity is spotty. The app queues your offline changes and resolves any conflicts when syncing, ensuring nothing is lost. Other members see your offline-added expenses once sync completes.

To delete your account, go to Settings > Account > Delete Account. You'll be asked to confirm this permanent action. Once confirmed, your account enters a 30-day deletion queue during which you can recover it by logging back in. After 30 days, your personal profile data is permanently deleted from our servers. Your expenses in shared groups are anonymized (shown as "Deleted Member") so other members' balances remain accurate. This process complies with data privacy regulations and gives you full control over your information.