The asymmetric unit of the title molecular salt, C10H16N+·C10H5N4O7
− (trivial name: N,N-diethylanilinium 2,4-dinitrophenylbarbiturate), comprises two anion–cation units. In the anions, the dinitrophenyl ring and the mean plane of the barbiturate ring [planar to within 0.011 (2) and 0.023 (2) Å in the two anions] are inclined to one another by 41.47 (9) and 45.12 (9)°. In the crystal, the anions are linked via strong N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains propagating along [10-1]. Within the chains, adjacent inversion-related anionic barbiturate entities are joined through R
2
2(8) ring motifs. The cations are linked to the chains via N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. The chains are linked via a number of C—H⋯O interactions, forming a three-dimensional structure.