Pay-once vs subscription mileage apps (UK)
UK mileage apps mostly differ in five ways: whether you press Start or they detect drives automatically, whether you pay once or subscribe, whether you need an account, whether export is locked, and whether your data sits on your phone or in the cloud. None of these is right for everyone, so here’s an honest run-through.
Full disclosure: I make Quidometer, which is a press-Start, pay-once, no-account app, so I’m not neutral. I haven’t named any other apps or prices here; check each app’s own App Store page.
The approaches, side by side
| Question | One approach | The other |
|---|---|---|
| Recording trips | You press Start and stop. Nothing is recorded unless you ask. | The app notices you’re driving and logs the trip in the background. |
| Paying | Pay once (or free, with a one-off unlock). | A monthly or yearly subscription. |
| Account | No account. Open the app and go. | Sign up with an email or login. |
| Exporting | Some apps never lock export. | Some apps keep export behind a paid plan. |
| Where your data lives | On your phone. | In the company’s cloud. |
Which does better at what
Recording trips
Auto-detect. It catches the trips you forget. Press Start avoids recording trips you didn’t mean to log.Paying
Pay once costs less over time if you keep using it. A subscription can come with ongoing extras, such as online services.Account
No account, for privacy. An account, if you want your log on several devices or shared with a team.Exporting
Check before you start logging: your records are only useful if you can get them out.Where your data lives
On the phone, for privacy. Cloud, for backup across devices and web dashboards.
Where auto-detect apps do better
Plainly: if you make lots of short trips and know you’ll forget to press a button, an app that detects drives automatically will probably give you a more complete log with less effort. Quidometer won’t record a trip you didn’t start; you’ll be adding it by hand. Apps with accounts and cloud storage also do better if you need your log on several devices or shared with a team.
Where Quidometer sits
I made Quidometer for people who’d rather be in charge of what gets recorded. You tap Start trip, drive, and slide to stop. Location is used only between Start and Stop of a trip you started. There’s no account, your trips stay on your iPhone, CSV and PDF export is never locked, and it has no adverts. It’s free to download with 30 free business trips (personal trips are always free), then a one-off £24.99 Lifetime unlock. No subscription. iPhone only, iOS 17.0 or later.
Whichever app you use, the rates are the same: see HMRC mileage rates 2026–27.
View Quidometer on the App Store