Key Points
Trying to decide between a mileage app and a plain paper notebook? Most people find mileage apps are generally more reliable, easier to maintain (because they track drives automatically), and save them time and money.
While keeping a mileage notebook in your car feels simple — it also means relying on your memory to write down every drive. This can cause you to lose out on tax savings or reimbursements. Paper mileage logs can also become illegible, stained, or worn out over time, which makes them less than ideal for long-term record-keeping.
The verdict? Writing down a few drives here and there may work for some, but anyone who needs to track mileage regularly should consider a mileage tracking app, like MileIQ.
Deciding between a mileage app and paper log
Going the paper mileage log route means you'll need to remember details about every drive and write it down, likely as soon as you arrive at a destination, so you don't forget.
But people do forget. Because for the majority of us, driving is not the main part of the job. And forgetting in this case can lead to missing out on hundreds of dollars in deductions (or mileage pay if your employer reimburses you).
The benefits of a paper mileage log
The main advantage of a paper mileage log is that it's very cheap to get started and doesn't require any special tools or knowledge. You can often find these on sale for less than $5.
A paper mileage log should also satisfy the IRS requirements for documentation if you ever face a dreaded audit. However, it needs to be legible, complete, and provide accurate information for every recorded drive.
The disadvantages of a paper mileage log
There are many downsides to using a paper mileage log. The three main ones center around time, ease of use, and recordkeeping.
Time
Jotting down your mileage after every trip takes up more time than you think. Remember, you technically have to track every trip to be able to differentiate between business and personal miles.
Sure, it may only take a minute after you've stopped your car but that's for every single trip, every single day. That time really adds up over the course of the year.
Ease of use
It seems pretty easy to scribble down your trip information but it can be tougher than it seems. Remember, you'll have to write down details of every single trip, every single time. This is true even if you're running late or feel overwhelmed by something else.
Recordkeeping
Though the IRS accepts paper mileage logs as adequate documentation, that doesn't mean it's ideal. You or your tax pro will have to decipher your writing at the end of the year to calculate your deduction.
A paper mileage log is easy to lose or to destroy with a tipped-over cup of coffee. You don't have to submit it when you claim your deduction but you do have to keep your mileage log anywhere between three to five years after you've claimed the deduction.
Are you confident your paper log won't get lost or destroyed in the next five years?
The benefits of MileIQ and other mileage tracking apps
MileIQ is used by millions of drivers because it automatically tracks, logs, and calculates the value of your mileage. Which are all things you'd be required to do yourself if you used a notebook mileage log.
Automatic drive tracking
You don't have to remember to start and stop tracking, simply drive as you normally would and MileIQ will notify you when it tracks a drive, including all the needed details, like dates, location addresses, and route map.
If you forget your phone at home, you can always add a drive manually.
Maximum mileage savings
Your miles are worth a lot of money. But, that's only if you're properly tracking all of them. A paper mileage log means you may be forgetting to take a deduction for the miles you deserve.
The average driver using a paid version of MileIQ logs $6,900 a year in potential deductions/reimbursements — which is almost 80 times more than the cost of subscription.
Simple and low-effort
MileIQ is extremely easy to use. When it comes time to classify, you can use the app to quickly swipe right for business or left for personal. You can also automate this process by setting Work Hours.
Secure, complete, and compliant mileage logs
MileIQ creates sharable, secure mileage reports for you. You can tap to create a weekly, monthly, and yearly report in the app and save it for your records or send it to your accountant or manager for approval.
Because your data is securely stored in the cloud, you never have to worry about losing your mileage log. It will stay there for any future audits you may face. Even if you lose your phone, you'll always have access to your drives via a web portal at mileiq.com.
Mileage apps for driver reimbursement
MileIQ is also a powerful time and money-saving tool for driver managers. Letting employees track drives automatically instead of in a paper log (which you'll need to puzzle out later) saves everyone time.
An automatic mileage log also keeps your team accountable while protecting their privacy (drives classified as private are never shared with managers). It's also a great way to avoid over-paying employees for mileage they didn't actually drive, further helping you tamp down costs.
To learn more about mileage tracking and reporting for employers, check out MileIQ for Teams.
The disadvantages of MileIQ
You do have to own an Android or iPhone to use MileIQ. For those without a smartphone, a mileage-tracking app would not be a feasible solution.
And while MileIQ is always free for up to 40 drives a month, every month, to get the most mileage savings, you may want to purchase the Unlimited plan (which as the name implies, allows you to track an unlimited number of drives).
The average Unlimited driver makes up for the cost of subscription in mileage savings after about two weeks.
What other drivers say about MileIQ
MileIQ is a top-rated app for mileage tracking in the Apple App Store (4.8 stars). Here's what a few of our drivers say about tracking mileage with MileIQ vs a paper log:
- "It's simple and effective, with a clean UI, and has nice sorting, tagging, and personalization options. Well worth the nominal subscription fee for anybody who does lots of work-related driving." - Zachary Schneider.
- "Today is the first day of using MileIQ and I love it! My tax preparer told me about it last night when I did my taxes since this is the first year of my small business and I can't believe how helpful it's going to be instead of writing down all the mileage!" - Katie Finnegan.
- "I love it! I'll actually have paperwork in front of me for the mileage I've driven for work so I can file it properly at the end of the year for my taxes" - Matthew Washington
