Pic2Split - Michelle Chen

Overview

A web-first AI bill splitter for group dining. When the check arrives at the table, scan the receipt, assign dishes, split tax and tip fairly, and share a link. Under two minutes, no app, no account.

Speed 0× faster

Efficiency 0% less time

Saved 0 min per split

Scan result 0% more accurate

Pic2Split landing screen for scanning receipts and splitting group bills fairly

01 · Problem and Goals

The check arrives, and tax and tip turn a fun dinner into a math fight — this project set out to make every split fair, fast, and transparent

Infographic comparing even four-way split versus item-based split with proportional tax and tip, where the even split is unfair to light eaters

02 · Solutions

Five beats at the table, from check to fair totals in under two minutes

Five-step Pic2Split flow: open link, scan receipt, assign items, split tax and tip proportionally, share link with the group

Solution 01

Sign in with Google to get started fast

Pic2Split offers Google Sign-In, so the group can jump in with a single tap. Signing in also saves each person's billing data, so their details are ready the next time you split a bill.

Pic2Split home screen ready to scan a receipt after signing in

Solution 02

Scan the receipt with Gemini-backed OCR for accurate reads

Snap the receipt. PaddleOCR captures the image; Google Gemini parses items, tax, and tip to boost accuracy beyond raw OCR alone, so the group starts from clean line items instead of re-typing the bill.

Solution 03

Tap dishes to names, and shared plates split themselves

Tap a line item, pick who shared it, and each person's total updates live, all in a side-by-side window with the receipt photo beside the assignment list, so everyone can overview charges and confirm spend as they split. No calculator math at the table.

Solution 04

Tax and tip follow the food, not an even four-way split

Tax and tip distribute proportionally to each person's food, not an even four-way split, so everyone sees how their total was built.

Solution 05

Drop the link in the chat, and everyone pays and leaves

One link shows each friend their final number. They open it in the browser, pay their share, and the table moves on, with no app install.

03 · Design Process

We timed real splits, then designed for the two-minute window at the table

We timed real group splits with uneven orders and tax on one receipt, then designed Pic2Split to beat the two-minute window at the table.

Phase 01 · Research & Testing

Benchmarking & Baseline

Before designing Pic2Split, we benchmarked Scan & Split Bill (v2.1.3 Pro) with a heuristic evaluation and moderated usability test (6 participants; realistic group-dinner scenario with uneven orders and tax on one receipt). Timed splits showed where the competitor stalled and set our under-2-minute design target.

Split time: competitor vs Pic2Split target

Competitor

4 min avg

Pic2Split goal

<2 min

6 Participants

2.2 OCR satisfaction

2.0 Layout satisfaction

All satisfaction scores below 3/5 · AI trust 2.6 · biggest stall: tax & tip split

Phase 02 · Interaction Design

Core Flow Iteration

Pic2Split targets under 2 minutes, 2× faster than the 4-min baseline. A no-login start, Gemini-assisted OCR with a receipt-and-result review window, shared-dish tags, and proportional tax-and-tip math replaced the competitor's scan → confusion → guesswork loop.

Scan & Split Bill · tested flow

Open app Account setup before the table can start.
Scan receipt OCR captures line items from the photo.
Review OCR results Hard to trust or fix misreads before moving on. Stall point
Assign items Shared dishes and unclear layout slow the group. Stall point
Tax & tip split Manual math and unclear splits stall the group. Biggest stall
Share split Send totals once everyone agrees.

Flow time~4 min avg.

Pic2Split · redesigned flow

Open link No login, jump straight into the split. Fast start
Scan receipt Gemini-assisted OCR reads line items.
Review receipt + results Side-by-side check before anyone assigns. Trust fix
Assign items Tap to claim; tag shared dishes for the table. Clear UI
Tax & tip Proportional math runs automatically per person. No guesswork
Share link Drop totals in the group chat once everyone agrees.

Flow time<2 min target

Phase 03 · Wireframing

Wireframing & Systems

Every screen earns its place in the split flow.

Wireframes mapped every beat of the dinner scenario: wrong OCR, shared appetizers, proportional tax and tip, and the share screen friends see before they pay. Built on Tailwind CSS so every money step used the same clear, reusable components.

Style guide: logo, palette, typography.

Pic2Split low-fidelity wireframes for the full split flow — Wireframes before polish.

04 · Reflection

Fair splits need AI you can see, not just AI that's accurate

Accuracy matters, but trust comes from transparency: Gemini-assisted OCR shows the receipt beside every extracted line so the group can follow the process, review charges, and fix mistakes before anyone pays, instead of blindly accepting a black-box total.

05 · Summary & Impact

From four minutes to under two: fair splits, live on the web

Timed usability sessions on Scan & Split Bill averaged 4 min per group split. Pic2Split's design target is under 2 min, which is 2× faster, 50% less time, and roughly 2 min saved every time friends settle the check. Proportional tax and tip on each person's food ended the fairness fights, and light eaters no longer subsidize big orders. Pic2Split is live on the web today: the awkward check moment becomes a quick link in the group chat, and everyone moves on.

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