Feature

Ask about an expense where the expense is.

A note says what an expense was for. A comment thread settles the “wait, why is this €240?” before it turns into a group-chat argument. Both live on the expense itself, on every device, free.

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The problem

The context lives in the wrong app

The expense is in the splitter; the explanation is forty messages up in the group chat, between a meme and a change of plans. Two weeks later somebody opens the balance, sees a €240 they don’t recognise, and the whole thread has to be reconstructed from memory.

Dolio keeps the explanation next to the number: a note that describes the expense, and a comment thread for the questions about it.

How it works

Two things, one place

1
Write the note
Open any expense and add a note — the booking reference, what the receipt covered, why it was split that way. Any member can add or edit it, up to 1,000 characters.
2
Comment when there’s a question
Anyone in the group can post a comment on the expense. Each one shows who wrote it and when, so “wasn’t it €200?” gets answered on the record, up to 1,000 characters at a time.
3
Everyone sees what’s new
Unread comments are marked on the expense, in the expense list and on the group card. Open the thread and the marker clears — for you, not for the others.

Real example

The cabin deposit that looked wrong

Mara pays the €240 deposit for the cabin and adds it to the group, split four ways. She drops the booking reference and “refundable until 3 Sept” into the note so nobody has to ask her for it later.

Jonas opens the expense and thinks the deposit was €200. Instead of messaging Mara privately, he comments on the expense. Mara answers in the thread — €40 cleaning fee, it’s in the note. Priya sees the unread marker on the group card that evening, opens the thread, and the question is already closed. When the refund comes back, the reference is right where the expense is.

Use cases

Where notes and comments earn their keep

Trips with deposits and refunds

Booking references, cancellation dates and what a lump sum actually covered — in the note, findable months later when the refund lands.

Housemates and recurring bills

The meter reading behind this month’s gas bill, or which weeks a guest stayed. Comment on the bill instead of hunting for the message.

The one expense someone disputes

Ask on the expense, get the answer on the expense. The rest of the group sees the thread; nothing has to be relitigated at settle-up.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Who can write or change the note?

Any member of the group, from the expense view. There is one note per expense, up to 1,000 characters; the last edit wins and the note doesn’t show an author. If you want an attributed record, use a comment.

Can I edit or delete a comment?

You can delete your own comments; nobody else can delete them for you. Comments can’t be edited — post a follow-up instead — so a thread always reads the way it was written.

How do I know there’s something new?

New comments show an unread marker on the expense, on its row in the expense list and on the group card. Opening the thread clears it for you. Posting a comment marks the thread read for you as well.

Can ghost participants comment?

No — a comment needs a signed-in member. Ghost participants take part in splits without an account; if one of them later claims their identity, they can join the thread like anyone else.

What happens to comments if the expense is deleted, or someone leaves?

Comments stay with the expense: delete it and restore it later, and the thread is still there. If a member leaves the group, their comments remain and are shown as written by a former member.

Is this a Pro feature?

No. Notes and comments are on the free plan, on web, iOS and Android, since August 2026. Attachments and mentions inside comments aren’t supported — a comment is plain text.

Ghost participants

Ghost participants let you split expenses with people who haven't signed up — your kids, an out-of-town friend, a temporary roommate. They can claim their identity later, or stay anonymous forever.

Learn more →

Receipt scanning

Dolio Pro reads your receipt with AI — merchant, total, and every line item — and drops a ready-to-split, itemized expense into your group. No more typing twelve lines at the dinner table.

Learn more →

Keep the “why” next to the number.

Notes and comments on every expense — free, on every device.

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