Jig vs Tab

Feature Comparison

Receipt Scanning: AI vs Traditional OCR

The biggest technical difference between Jig and Tab is how they read receipts. Tab uses traditional optical character recognition (OCR) to extract text from receipt images. This works reasonably well for clean, well-printed receipts but can struggle with crumpled paper, poor lighting, unusual fonts, or handwritten additions.

Jig uses a modern AI approach powered by large language models. Rather than just recognizing characters, the AI understands the structure of a receipt — it knows what an item name looks like versus a price, it can distinguish tax lines from subtotals, and it handles messy or partially obscured text more gracefully. The result is generally more accurate parsing with fewer manual corrections needed.

Platform and Accessibility

Tab is a native iOS app, which means it is only available on iPhones and iPads. If anyone in your group uses Android or wants to split from a laptop, Tab is not an option for them.

Jig is a web app that runs in any modern browser. It works on iPhones, Android phones, tablets, and desktop computers. There is nothing to download from the App Store or Google Play. You just open the site and start splitting. This also means the shareable split link works for everyone regardless of what device they use.

Pricing and Accounts

Jig is completely free with no account required. There are no premium tiers, no per-receipt limits, and no feature gates. You get full functionality every time, including AI scanning, item assignment, proportional tax and tip distribution, and shareable links.

Tab offers a free tier with basic features and a premium subscription that unlocks additional functionality. You also need to create an account to use Tab, which adds a step before you can start splitting.

Sharing and Settlement

Both Jig and Tab offer Venmo integration for settling up. Where they differ is in how the split results are shared with the group.

Jig generates a permanent shareable link for each split. Anyone with the link can view the full itemized breakdown — which items were assigned to them, how tax and tip were calculated, and their total. This transparency builds trust and eliminates “why do I owe this much?” conversations.

Tab's sharing is more centered around the app itself, which means recipients may need the app installed to see full details.

When to Choose Jig

• You want to split a receipt right now without downloading anything
• Your group includes Android users or people on laptops
• You prefer not to create an account
• You want a shareable link that works for everyone
• You want completely free access to all features
• You value AI-powered receipt parsing for better accuracy

When to Choose Tab

• Everyone in your group uses iPhones
• You prefer a native app experience
• You want features beyond basic receipt splitting
• You do not mind creating an account

The Bottom Line

Both Jig and Tab solve the receipt splitting problem, but Jig offers broader accessibility (any device, any browser), stronger AI scanning, and a completely free experience with no account required. If you want the fastest, most frictionless way to split a receipt, Jig is the way to go.

See how Jig also compares to Splitwise and Venmo.