Real-Time Collaborative Claiming in Telegram Mini Apps
How dinner tables claim dishes simultaneously via WebSocket synchronization, smart default splits, and proportional tax/tip allocation.
Zero-Friction Telegram Onboarding
Standalone apps like Splitwise fail in real life because getting 6 people around a dinner table to download an app and register is an exercise in frustration. SplitBill opens as an instant Telegram Mini App right inside the trip's group chat. Users are authenticated instantly via HMAC validation of Telegram initData.
Live WebSocket Sync & Smart Defaults
When a receipt is scanned, all members can open the Mini App simultaneously. Tapping a dish claims it and immediately displays your avatar to everyone at the table over WebSockets. If two people shared a pizza, it splits 50/50. Smart defaults can pre-split shared items, so members only need to deselect what they didn't consume.
Proportional Surcharges & Placeholder Members
Taxes (VAT), service charges, and tips are never assigned as flat fees; they are automatically allocated proportionally to each guest's subtotal. If a friend does not have Telegram, they are added as a placeholder member: companions can claim dishes on their behalf and record their cash repayments with full audit trails.