Understanding Roles in HalfHalf
Learn what each HalfHalf group role can do, when to use it, and how roles keep shared expenses clear.
Roles help a HalfHalf group stay organized without giving everyone the same controls. They are useful for roommates, trips, families, travel groups, and any setup where some people should manage settings while others only need to view expenses.
Here is how each role works in practice.
Owner
The owner is the person in charge of the group. There can only be one owner. The owner can manage admins, transfer ownership, and make the highest-level group changes.
Use this role for whoever created the group or handles keeping it active long term.
Admin
Admins can manage most group settings. They can rename the group, update the group picture, manage categories, change the currency, edit or delete expenses, and manage people with lower permissions.
Use admin access for people you trust to help maintain the group. For example, two roommates might both be admins so either one can update categories, fix an expense, or adjust group details when plans change.
Writer
Writers can add expenses, invite people, create guests, and update their own profile picture. They can also edit or delete their own expenses shortly after creating them.
This is the best default role for active group members. If someone regularly pays for groceries, dinners, fuel, tickets, or shared supplies, writer is probably right.
Reader
Readers can view expenses, balances, history, pictures, and the member list, but they cannot add or change expenses.
Use reader access when someone should stay informed without editing the record. It is good for a person who only needs visibility, or for a group member who should not accidentally change shared data while still checking balances.
Guest
Guests are placeholders for splitting expenses. They do not use the app, cannot view the group, and cannot perform actions.
Use guests for people who were part of a bill but do not need an account. For example, you can include a visiting friend in one dinner split without inviting them to the group.
Removed
Removed members no longer have access to the group, but their name can remain in past expenses and history. This keeps older records understandable.
They can rejoin later if they receive a valid invite code.
Which Role Should You Choose?
Most groups work well with one owner, one or two admins, writers for regular participants, readers for view-only access, and guests for occasional placeholders.
The goal is simple: give each person enough access to participate, without making the group harder to manage.