6 Best Mileage Tracker Apps for Small Businesses in 2023
This article is part of a larger series on Accounting Software.
The best mileage tracker app should efficiently log and track business mileage and expenses automatically and categorize trips easily as business-related or personal. It should also strike a balance between affordability and features. With that in mind, we have compiled the six best mileage tracker apps for small businesses:
- TripLog: Best overall mileage tracker
- Hurdlr: Best for self-employed individuals
- Everlance: Best for growing companies
- MileIQ: Best for affordability for simple mileage tracking
- MileageWise: Best for IRS-proof mileage logs
- QuickBooks Online: Best for QuickBooks users
Quick Comparison of the Best Mileage Tracker Apps
Free Plan | Pricing of Personal Plans | Pricing of Business or Team Plans | Users Included | Automatic Tracking | Bank or Credit Card Integration | Route Planning | Capture Receipts | Clock-in -out Timesheets | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
40 free drives per month | $5.99 per user, per month | $10 per user, per month or custom priced | 1 plan per user | Paid plans only | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | Add-on | |
Unlimited manual tracking | $10 per month | $200 per year or custom priced | Unlimited | Paid plans only | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | |
30 free drives per month | $8 or $12 per user, per month | $12 per month or $398 per year | Unlimited | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | ✓ | |
40 free drives per month | $5.99 per user, per month | $5 to $10 per user, per month | 1 plan per user | ✓ | N/A | N/A | ✓ | N/A | |
N/A; 14-day free trial | $9.99 per vehicle, per month | $69.99 per vehicle for one year to $399.99 per vehicle for three years | 1 plan per vehicle | ✓ | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
N/A | N/A | $30 to $200 per month | 1 to 25 | ✓ | ✓ | N/A | ✓ | N/A | |
TripLog: Best Overall Mileage Tracker
Pros
- Offers a free plan for a single user
- Multiple tracking options for different needs
- Includes daily trip viewing and route planning to enable users to see their trips and plan routes for future trips
- Comprehensive app environment as it connects with TripLog’s expense tracking, time tracking, and schedule apps
- Generates IRS-compliant reports for claiming allowable expenses
Cons
- Add-ons like TripLog Drive will yield higher upfront costs since the device is priced separately
- Lower-priced versions don’t include helpful features like accounting software integration, mileage policies, and admin console
Pricing & Plans
Individuals
- Lite: Free—good for one user for up to 40 trips per month—accessible via app only
- Premium: $5.99 per user, per month—all Lite features, plus multiple tracking options and expense tracking
Business
- Teams: $10 per user, per month—includes route planning, bank and credit card integration, Xero and QuickBooks Integration, and mileage policies
- Enterprise: Custom pricing—all Teams features plus multi-level approval hierarchy, custom tags and fields, and over-reported mileage flagging
You can get a free trial of TripLog’s Premium plan for 15 days.
Add-on:
- Time & Scheduling: Additional $4 per user, per month—timesheets, shift scheduling, leave, and paid time off (PTO) management
Hurdlr: Best for Self-employed Individuals
Pros
- Premium plan includes accounting and invoicing features
- Includes an expense tracker with automatic expense tracking for habitual or recurring expenses
- Simple bookkeeping feature best fits freelancers with minimal inventory management needs
- Will calculate your quarterly estimated tax payments
- Hurdlr University—a great learning tool for first-time users
Cons
- GPS tracking isn’t available in the free plan
- Doesn’t offer route planning and daily driving summaries
- Pricing plans can be expensive for self-employed individuals with minimal mileage tracking needs
Pricing & Plans
- Free: Includes manual tracking and basic reports
- Premium: $10 per month—includes unlimited auto-mileage tracking, auto-expense tracking, and real-time tax calculation
- Pro: $200 per year—includes all Premium features, plus annual income tax filing through TaxSlayer, full double-entry bookkeeping, and advanced reports
- Enterprise: Custom quote—designed for larger enterprises that need live training and advanced features, such as mileage tracking with artificial intelligence (AI)-based automation
Everlance: Best for Growing Companies
Cons
- Free plan supports unlimited users
- Can set specific mileage rates for different purposes
- In-app customer service assistance for Premium plan accounts
- Contains an expense tracker, reimbursement system, and tax-saving tool
Cons
- Lacks a clock-in/clock-out timesheet for employees
- Can’t connect credit card and bank account in the Free plan
- No route planning feature
Pricing & Plans
Self-employed
- Free: 30 free automatic trips per user, per month, manual start and stop tracking, expense tracking with receipt uploads, and IRS-compliant exports
- Premium: $8 per month billed monthly or $5 per month billed annually—includes unlimited automatic trip tracking for unlimited users, bank and credit card integration for expense tracking, trip classification with work hours and commute, deduction finder, custom Excel and PDF exports, and deduction finder
- Premium Plus: $12 per month billed monthly or $10 per month billed annually—includes all Premium features, plus customized one-on-one training and VIP customer support
Premium and Premium Plus includes a seven-day free trial.
Businesses
- Free: 30 free automatic trips per user month—includes features like unlimited receipt uploads, reimbursement reports, customizable report approval workflows, and a central admin dashboard
- Business: $12 per month or $118 per year with unlimited trips for unlimited users—includes features such as custom Excel and PDF reports, VIP customer support, and live admin and user training
- Fixed and variable rate (FAVR) program: $398 per year—includes all Premium features, plus advanced functionality like enterprise resource planning (ERP) integrations and dedicated account manager
MileIQ: Best for Affordability for Simple Mileage Tracking
Pros
- Simple and innovative user interface
- Affordable, especially for occasional or part-time drivers
- Driving classifications to classify trips based on purpose, location, or time
- Ideal for Microsoft 365 Business subscribers
Cons
- No automatic tax deduction computation
- Inefficient power consumption when tracking location in the background
- Lacks an expense tracker
Pricing & Plans
For Personal
- Free trial: Free for up to 40 trips per month
- Unlimited: $5.99 per user, per month, unlimited trips
For Teams
- Lite: $5 per driver, per month—includes free team creation and unlimited plan for all drivers
- Teams: $8 per driver, per month—includes Lite’s features plus detailed reports, custom rates, dedicated onboarding, and premium support
- Teams Pro: $10 per driver, per month—includes Teams’ features plus personalized support, multiple admits, simple invoicing, and custom reimbursement rates
MileageWise: Best for IRS-proof Mileage Logs
Pros
- Past mileage log recovery and reconstruction
- Built-in IRS auditor for spotting inconsistencies and errors in mileage logs
- IRS-proof mileage logs
- FreshBooks integration
Cons
- No bank or credit card integration
- Cannot integrate with QuickBooks or Xero
- No expense tracking features
Pricing & Plans
- Small Monthly: $9.99 per vehicle, per month
- Small: $69.99 per vehicle for one year
- Bronze: $199.99 per vehicle for one year
- Silver: $319.99 per vehicle for two chosen years
- Gold: $399.99 per vehicle for three chosen years
QuickBooks Online: Best for QuickBooks Users
Pros
- Mileage tracker built into the QuickBooks app—free for existing users
- Comprehensive bookkeeping system—easy to track and account for mileage expenses
- Option to choose between actual expense instead of standard rates for tax deductions
Cons
- Requires subscription to QuickBooks Online, which is expensive especially if you don’t need accounting features
- Not a standalone mileage tracker
- Lacks a tax deduction finder
Pricing & Plans
The mileage tracker is built into the QuickBooks app and is free with any of the following subscriptions:
- Simple Start: $30 per month for one user only
- Essentials: $55 per month for three users only
- Plus: $85 per month for five users only
- Advanced: $200 per month for 25 users only
How We Chose the Best Mileage Tracker Apps
We ranked the best mileage log apps based on their affordability, ease of use, and the availability of the essential mileage tracking features we like to see, including automatic mileage tracking, bank and credit card integration, expense receipt capture, and route planning. Based on our methodology, we evaluated each mileage tracker app across the following criteria:
20% of Overall Score
All the mileage tracker apps (except QuickBooks) offer a free plan or version, so we evaluated pricing based on the affordability of the paid plans, taking into account the number of users included and the number of trips you can track per month.
35% of Overall Score
The ideal mileage tracking app should have the essential features needed to track business mileage and expenses, such as automatic tracking, route planning, bank and credit card integration, and a clock-in/clock-out timesheet for employees.
20% of Overall Score
The best mileage tracker app should have an intuitive user interface and good customer service.
15% of Overall Score
We conducted a subjective analysis of each mileage tracker app based on features, accessibility, ease of use, available reports, and popularity.
When To Use a Mileage Tracker
A mileage tracker can be used to project tax deductions, control mileage costs, and plan for future expenses. Not all individuals or businesses need to use a mileage tracker, but the need arises when the:
- User intends to deduct mileage expenses for tax purposes: The IRS has strict requirements for documenting business mileage. Taxpayers must keep a detailed log of trips showing the date, number of miles, and purpose of the trip.
- Company has a high volume of mileage expenses and reimbursements: If your line of business involves delivery, or if you provide gas allowance to employees, a mileage tracker makes reimbursements easier, faster, and more accurate.
- User’s job is driving (like a rideshare or company driver): Individuals registered to drive for Uber or Lyft can use a mileage tracker to track their daily route, maximize earnings, and reduce tax liability.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Are there free mileage tracking apps?
All of the mileage tracker apps in our list have free plans, except for QuickBooks Online. The free versions are suitable for occasional drivers needing mileage deductions. But if you want a comprehensive mileage tracker for your business, TripLog offers many features suitable for a small business setup.
Do I need a mileage tracker for my business?
That depends on the nature of your business. If you deliver products to customers or meet with clients, you need a mileage tracker to monitor your mileage and fuel expenses, as well as determine tax deductible amounts.
What’s the best way to track my mileage?
GPS tracking is the most accessible way to track mileage since smartphones have GPS capabilities and cellular service. Through this feature, you can track mileage accurately, regardless of the route you’ve taken, and maximize your mileage tax deductions. However, GPS tracking consumes smartphone batteries, especially if you leave it running in the background. As such, it’s best to always charge your smartphone while using this feature.
Bottom Line
Each mileage tracker app in our guide has its own strengths and weaknesses, so the best option greatly depends on your particular requirements. Overall, TripLog is our best recommendation because of its flexibility and complementary features.