TripLog Review: Features, Pricing & Alternatives 2023

TripLog offers two optional devices that you can use for tracking your mileage. You need to subscribe to a paid plan to purchase these devices.

1. TripLog Drive ($79.99): This device is powered by your car’s USB port and uses very little battery and data. TripLog Drive connects to your phone automatically and then transfers the GPS data for processing.

• Powered by your vehicle’s USB port
• Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (BLE) technology
• Built-in GPS
• Storage for offline recording
• Start and stop tracking with the push of a button on the device

2. TripLog Beacon ($19.99): This is a USB device that complements the mobile app for more accurate tracking. Simply download the app, activate the iBeacon auto-start option, and plug the device into your car’s USB port. Tracking starts when it detects that you’ve started your car.

• Powered by your vehicle’s USB port
• Autostart with Bluetooth iBeacon

TripLog offers a 30-day return policy on its devices from the day the item is delivered.

Time & Scheduling (Add-on): For an additional $4 per user, per month, you’ll get

• Clock-in and out features
• Timesheets
• Project tracking
• Leaves and paid time off (PTO) management
• Scheduling

Employers and administrators can manage their company’s trips, vehicles, and app users from the web dashboard. The TripLog dashboard gives you access to all the app’s features, including mileage tracking, expense tracking, reports, credit card integration, and timesheets. You can add trips and users, view maps, and adjust settings. The web dashboard also provides you with an option to download the mobile app:

TripLog Web Dashboard

TripLog offers six different options for automatic mileage tracking:

1. MagicTrip: With MagicTrip, TripLog can track your driving in the background automatically. It starts tracking automatically within the first two minutes of driving and stops automatically if you’ve been idle for five minutes, or whatever time period you specify. MagicTrip also responds with your Speed Threshold and automatically tracks if you’re reaching these thresholds. The advantages of this method are that it’s easy to set up, and it tracks in the background. MagicTrip is available only in the paid plans.
2. Vehicle Bluetooth: With this option, you only need to connect your smartphone to the vehicle’s Bluetooth. Tracking starts if you drive over the speed threshold while connected. An advantage of this method is that it only tracks when connected to Bluetooth.
3. TripLog Drive: This device is a dedicated device from TripLog. It has built-in GPS, and tracking doesn’t involve smartphone use. An advantage of this method is that it doesn’t use your phone’s battery and data resources.
4. TripLog Beacon: This device uses Bluetooth technology but boasts of its moderate battery consumption. Beacon starts tracking when driving over the speed threshold and while connected to the smartphone Bluetooth. An advantage of this method is that it doesn’t use your car’s Bluetooth, so you can connect your vehicle’s Bluetooth to other devices without interrupting tracking.
5. Plug-n-Go: If you’re in the habit of plugging in your smartphone while driving, the Plug-n-Go feature will also allow you to track while your device is charging. Unplug your phone, and the tracking stops. An advantage of this method is its minimal battery consumption.
6. OBD-II Scanners: This is a device that connects to your vehicle’s onboard diagnostics scanner (OBD) connector and transfers data via Bluetooth.

In addition to setting your preferred tracking method, there are other important adjustments you need to make:

• Timeout and Speed Threshold: The Speed Threshold feature dictates when the app should start tracking. By default, it’s set at 5 mph or 8 km/h. It means that the app will start tracking automatically if you reach a minimum speed of 5 mph. The Timeout feature dictates when the app should stop tracking. For example, say you stop at a Starbucks on the way to work. If your Timeout is set at 15 minutes, the tracking won’t stop unless the car is idle for more than 15 minutes. If you expect heavy traffic, it’s best to set Timeout at a higher duration so that the app keeps on tracking even if you’re stuck in traffic:

Setting up Speed Threshold in TripLog

• Responsiveness: MagicTrip utilizes GPS to track your driving distance. To improve the accuracy of tracking, you can choose More Responsive. It means that the app will have to use GPS more often to track your location. As a result, it’ll use more battery and data. The opposite is true for Less Responsive. Adjusting responsiveness can help you accurately track nearby drives. For example, there’s a delivery that’s only two blocks away. Due to the relatively short distance, more responsive tracking yields more accurate tracking information:

Setting Up Responsiveness in TripLog

TripLog also allows you to add vehicles for efficient tracking. You can also set a default vehicle so that you don’t always have to choose when recording a trip.

In manual tracking, you’ll need to enter the starting point and endpoint of your journey. For Lite plan subscribers, manual tracking is the only option available. TripLog will compute the distance automatically. You’ll also need to input the time. We don’t recommend using manual tracking because accuracy will always be an issue here.

TripLog calculates fuel economy based on the fuel transaction information that you enter into the app. It calculates the total, average price, and fuel economy to help you reduce fuel consumption.

One of the reasons TripLog is our overall best mileage tracker app is because of its added expense tracking feature. You can add different kinds of expenses associated with your miles. We like this feature because it’s easier to relate and pinpoint expenses. For example, you can add a Meals and Entertainment expense if you meet with a client. To record tolls and parking, click on the trip and edit it.

TripLog classifies a trip as business or personal in a single swipe. Swipe right to classify the trip as business and left as personal. Alternatively, you can click on the item and choose the appropriate category.

Through the app, drivers can submit mileage and other expenses to be processed. Approving expenses happens on the Web Dashboard. Only account administrators and approvers can access this dashboard. This feature is available starting with the Premium plan.

To approve expenses, go to the Mileage tab to see the list of submitted expense reports from drivers. The approver can either approve or reject an expense. Either way, the approver will have to leave a comment for the submitter:

Approving Mileage Expenses through the Web Dashboard (Source: TripLog Tutorial Videos)

Once approved, TripLog can generate a report for payroll. This report will be used as reimbursement documentation to be included in the submitter’s next paycheck. By clicking Schedule Pay All, reimbursements will be scheduled, and the submitter will be notified.

Another great feature of TripLog is route planning. This feature enables you or your company drivers to plan trips using the shortest routes. The route planning feature is integrated with Google Maps. With this feature, you can establish an optimal route that incorporates up to eight destinations. When planning routes, the app starts with your current location. You can then add up to eight stops. The app will create a round trip that brings you back to your point of origin automatically.

TripLog generates reports on vehicle tax deductions, nonvehicle-related tax deductions, profit and loss, and time spent on each location. TripLog has a default report template—but in any of the paid plans, you can modify the template by removing or adding elements. Reports from TripLog are IRS-compliant, and you can submit them as supporting documents for your allowable deductions. You have the option to download or email reports in HTML, CSV, or PDF format.

Users of both the mobile app and the web dashboard can enjoy reporting features for mileage expense tracking. TripLog’s reporting feature can help with tax filing, especially if you’re claiming allowable expenses.