How to split a bill by item with Venmo's new receipt scanning

Quick answer: In the Venmo app, tap the V to start a payment, choose Scan receipt, take or upload a photo of the receipt, assign each item to the person who ordered it, then send. Venmo adds each person's share of tax and tip and sends the payment requests for you. The feature started rolling out Nov. 9, so if you don't see it yet, update the app and use the manual split steps below.

The skim

• What it does: Venmo reads the receipt, lists the items, and splits tax and tip in proportion to what each person ordered.
• Availability: PayPal says receipt scanning "is rolling out now, and will be widely available in the coming weeks."
• No scan button yet? You can still request different amounts from several friends in one go with Pay/Request.

Before you start

• Update Venmo from the App Store or Google Play. PayPal says receipt scanning is part of Venmo's new app and works "regardless of mobile device."
• Have the receipt handy. PayPal says you can take a photo of the receipt or upload one you already have.
• Know who's paying for what. The people you're charging need Venmo accounts so they can get your requests.

How to split a bill with Venmo receipt scanning

These steps come from PayPal's Nov. 9 announcement. The menus may look slightly different while the feature rolls out.

1. Open Venmo and, from the home screen, tap the V to start a payment, just as you would for any payment. (Business Insider, which tried it, found the option in the Pay/Request tab.)
2. Tap Scan receipt.
3. Take a photo of the receipt, or upload one. Venmo itemizes it automatically.
4. Check the items and totals against the paper receipt before you go any further.
5. Choose the people you're splitting with.
6. Assign each item to whoever ordered it, and adjust as needed. PayPal's examples: assign a round of drinks to yourself if you're treating the table, or give dessert only to the people who ordered it.
7. Review each person's total. Venmo adds each person's share of tax and tip.
8. Send the payment requests.

If you don't see Scan receipt yet: split it manually

Venmo's help center has two older ways to split costs that work today:

1. Request from several people at once: tap Pay/Request, search for your first friend, tap the + next to their name, add everyone else, then tap Next. Venmo splits the total evenly between them and you, but you can edit each person's amount. Add a note and tap Request.
2. Split a purchase you already made through Venmo: go to the Me tab, tap Transactions, pick the purchase and tap Split. Choose people, add any tip, adjust amounts, then tap Review Requests and Send Requests.

With the manual methods you have to work out tax and tip yourself, which is exactly what receipt scanning automates.

Caveats

• It's a gradual rollout. Not everyone has it yet, and PayPal hasn't given a date for full availability beyond "the coming weeks."
• Check the scan. Business Insider's test found Venmo read its lunch receipt accurately and matched Splitwise's totals, but that's one receipt. Smudged, folded or long receipts are worth double-checking.
• A request isn't a payment. Money only arrives once each person accepts the request.
• Notes are shared. When you request from several people at once, Venmo says the same note is visible to each of them.

Troubleshooting

• No Scan receipt option: update the app and check again over the next few weeks. Use the multi-person request in the meantime.
• An item or price is wrong: fix it at the assign step before sending. PayPal says you can "adjust as needed."
• Someone hasn't paid: go to Me > Transactions and look under Pending. From there you can remind them, which sends a new notification, or delete the request.

FAQ

Does it work on Android and iPhone? Yes. PayPal says it works for everyone in the group regardless of mobile device.

Can I split evenly instead? Venmo's multi-person request splits a total evenly by default, and you can still edit individual amounts.

What about ongoing shared costs, like rent? PayPal points to Venmo Groups, which tracks shared spending over time so everyone can settle up later.

Steps are from PayPal's announcement and Venmo's official help pages, read Nov. 10, 2026. Skimwire did not test the feature. Sources: PayPal newsroom: Venmo launches receipt scanning (Nov. 9, 2026); Venmo Help: Sending & Requesting Money; Venmo Help: Splitting & Sharing Purchases; Business Insider; The Verge.