Mileage tracking can be a nightmare. Here’s a roundup of the 5 best mileage tracker apps that make business travel easy for professional services firms.
Updated 7/24/2023
Mileage tracker apps are a valuable tool for business owners and their teams, especially those in professional services. That’s because the nature of your business often requires you and your employees to track travel for reimbursement so that you can bill the cost to clients or deduct the expenses from your own tax return.
But the logistics of a mileage tracker can be a nightmare. Manually recording time, travel distance, the purpose of the trip and all the other pertinent details is a cumbersome task. And even if you’re the most organized person, it’s easy to forget something.
The good news is, there’s an app for that! In fact - there are many mileage tracker apps designed specifically to make business travel an ease.
When searching for the best mileage tracker app for your firm, several key factors should be considered to ensure it meets your business needs effectively.
First and foremost, accuracy is paramount; look for an app that utilizes advanced GPS tracking technology to precisely track and record mileage. Seamless integration with your firm's existing systems and accounting software is crucial to streamline data management.
The app should be user-friendly and offer intuitive features that make mileage logging effortless for employees. Customizable reporting options, invoicing, time tracking, and the ability to categorize trips based on different business purposes are essential for generating comprehensive expense reports. Apps that are able to track rideshares such as Uber and Lyft are also beneficial.
Security and data privacy should not be overlooked, ensuring that sensitive information remains protected. An expense tracker is also helping so you don’t have to rely on manual tracking and gives you much better ease of use.
Lastly, opt for an app that offers reliable customer support and regular updates to guarantee a smooth and reliable experience for your firm's mileage tracking needs.
Ready to take a look at some of the best mileage apps available? Here’s a roundup of the 5 best mileage tracker apps for professional services firms.
BQE CORE is a fully integrated suite of intuitive tools that provides back office automation to power front office insights, making firm management more agile, informed, and data-driven. Originally designed for architects and engineers, by an architect and an engineer, the software has grown to be the tool of choice for other professional services industries.
BQE CORE’s app includes free mileage tracking. As the app records your drives, the trips are automatically uploaded to BQE CORE’s dashboard where they can be filtered and converted into expenses. You can also classify trips as personal or business and choose which times your app records miles (e.g. only during business hours).
Unlike many other options, the BQE CORE mileage tracker app completely integrates with your project management and accounting software.
When you go to a project site and stay there, with BQE CORE’s system, your time on site is automatically recorded so you can convert that time to a time entry. You don’t need to remember where you were. Now with BQE CORE’s mileage tracker, you don’t need to remember how you got there either! There isn’t another mileage tracker on the market that integrates with your projects to the same level of BQE CORE.
Unlimited tracking FREE for all BQE CORE users!
TripLog is a cutting-edge, GPS-based solution designed to streamline mileage tracking for your team. Its sleek and modern interface comes packed with robust features, including route planning, a shared company address book, and effortless trip classification, making it the ultimate tool for managing mileage and expenses.
With TripLog's seamless integration with Google Maps, bid farewell to inaccurate mileage calculations forever. Your company can now rely on precise and reliable data to ensure precise reimbursement and expense tracking.
TripLog lets you have multiple cars and drivers on one tracking system. The platform is unique because it lets users choose how they track miles (manual, automatic, Bluetooth, etc.). The account administrator can set up variable rates, per diems, and track fuel prices. But the free version only allows users to manually track miles, which defeats the purpose of an automatic mileage tracker app.
Free plan: No automatic mileage tracker, limited to five vehicles
Basic plan: $2/month
Premium plan: $5.99/month
Enterprise pricing: $15.00 a user/month
QuickBooks Self Employed offers a digital mileage log, dedicated to effortlessly tracking and categorizing your work-related journeys.
By utilizing this mileage tracker app, QuickBooks Online guarantees real-time recording and seamless organization of your business mileage, eliminating the risk of losing or forgetting essential data. When tax season arrives, rest assured that you'll have all the necessary details readily available to claim your well-deserved mileage deduction confidently. Simplify your mileage management with the QuickBooks mobile app and ensure accurate deductions without the hassle.
While you can track miles in QuickBooks for businesses, it’s a manual process. The only automatic mileage tracking app option that QB offers is through QuickBooks Self Employed.
The automatic tracker works in the background of your smartphone and records your travel via GPS, or you can manually add mileage. But the real selling point is the built-in functionality with QuickBooks accounting platform.
If your firm has very few employees and uses QuickBooks, this might be a good option. But if you plan to expand or add employees, you’ll want to pick a mileage tracker app that can support your growth.
Self-employed QuickBooks account: starts with a basic plan at $15.00/month
Hurdlr is a business expense and mileage app tracker app that help you capture your business expenses and receipts, claim every deduction.
Hurdlr allows you to track any expense, which is beneficial if you’re looking for something more than just a mileage tracker app. However, it’s mostly marketed towards freelancers and contractors. While the app includes integrations with UpWork, Airbnb, and a few real-estate specific platforms, it doesn’t specifically cater to professional services firms.
Basic plan: Free for single users, but does not include automatic mileage tracker
Premium plan: $10.00/month
Mile IQ is probably the most well-known app out of this bunch. It can recognize frequent trips, which allows you to flag regular routes and locations. And once you flag a route, it’s automatically classified. You can also set work hours and customize shifts so that anytime you drive during those times your miles are tracked. The app runs in the background on your phone to track business drives.
MileIQ also offers reporting from the mileage tracking app. Click on "Send Report" for basic reporting, or use the web portal for more advanced features.
One of the major drawbacks of this mileage tracker app is that the system only tracks miles. Unlike some of the other apps listed, it doesn’t have a combined expense-tracking program or advanced accounting capabilities.
Trial: Free, but limited to 40 trips
Premium version: $59.99/year
Using a mileage tracking app offers numerous advantages for firms, making it a valuable tool for effective expense management and improved productivity.
Firstly, these apps provide accurate and automated mileage tracking, eliminating the need for manual record-keeping and reducing the chances of human error. With precise mileage data at their fingertips, employees can easily generate detailed expense reports and timesheets, saving valuable time and ensuring the reimbursement process is smooth and efficient. This leads to increased employee satisfaction as they no longer have to grapple with the hassle of tracking mileage manually.
Secondly, mileage tracking apps enhance cost control and financial visibility for the firm. By capturing every business-related trip, companies can analyze and optimize their travel expenses, identify cost-saving opportunities, and make informed decisions to streamline operations. These apps also integrate seamlessly with accounting software, enabling real-time updates of expense data and ensuring accurate financial reporting. This level of transparency empowers firms to stay compliant with tax regulations and allows for better financial planning and budgeting. Ultimately, embracing a mileage tracking app leads to improved efficiency, reduced administrative burdens, and enhanced financial insights, making it a wise investment for any business looking to boost productivity and maintain a strong financial footing.
Manual mileage entry is risky. You’re bound to forget sometimes. And forgetting miles means losing money. BQE CORE’s mileage tracking app was designed with professional services firms in mind. Start tracking miles with ease, click below to start your free trial of BQE CORE.
BQE University is a hub of brilliant thought leaders in the architecture, engineering, and professional services industry. Each article offers a unique approach to education that emphasizes the importance of developing a business-thinking mindset for your firm. Their valuable knowledge and insights helps transform your business from a mere service provider to a thriving organization that consistently delivers projects that satisfy clients and generate profits. By learning from the experts at BQE, you can build a better firm and achieve your professional goals.
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