Free credits and paid tabs
How free credits work and when you need to pay for a tab.
How it works
Every new user gets 3 free credits. Each credit lets you join one tab for free.
When you create a tab or are added to one, the tab is either free (uses credits) or paid (no credits needed).
Free tabs
On a free tab, every member uses one of their free credits:
- When you create a free tab, 1 credit is used from your account.
- When someone is added to a free tab, 1 credit is used from their account.
- If a member has no credits remaining, they cannot be added. The tab must be paid instead.
Credits are not refunded if a member is removed from a tab.
Paid tabs
On a paid tab, no one uses any credits. The tab creator pays a one-off fee of £2.99 and the tab is available for everyone.
Paid tabs have no time limit — they stay open for as long as you need them.
If you run out of free credits, creating a paid tab is the way to continue using Settled Up.
Free tab time limit
Free tabs have a 3-month time limit from the date they are created. After 3 months, the tab is automatically archived and becomes read-only.
This means you can still view expenses, balances, and ledgers, but you cannot add new expenses or record payments.
Paid tabs are not affected by this limit.
Comparison
| Free tab | Paid tab | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 1 credit per member | £2.99 (creator pays) |
| Member credits | Used on join | Not used |
| Time limit | 3 months | No limit |
| At expiry | Auto-archived | N/A |
Checking your credits
You can see how many free credits you have remaining on the My tabs screen. When you try to create a new tab, you will be told if you need to pay.