How we put this together: we compared what each company publishes on its own website, and checked the details on November 5, 2026. We haven’t tested these products ourselves, and the links in this article aren’t affiliate links. Prices and plans change, so confirm them before you sign up. This is general information, not personal financial or tax advice.
If you earn money on the side, good records can reduce your tax bill and make filing much less stressful. The IRS says to keep your records and receipts during the year, and it’s much easier to do that as you go than to reconstruct a year’s worth of drives in April. Our guide to how side income is taxed covers the rules, and this article looks at the tools.
The quick comparison
| Tool | Free plan | Paid plans | Main strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| MileIQ | 40 drives a month | $13.99 a month or $11.66 a month billed annually | Automatic mileage tracking |
| Everlance | Up to 30 automatically detected trips a month, plus unlimited manual trips | From $10.99 a month or $89.99 a year | Mileage and expense logs |
| Wave | Starter plan with invoicing and bookkeeping records | Pro at $19 a month or $190 a year | Invoicing and bookkeeping |
| QuickBooks | 2 invoices, 5 mileage trips and 2 receipts a month | Lite listed at $20 a month, with an introductory offer | Bookkeeping with a wider set of features |
MileIQ
MileIQ focuses on mileage. It tracks drives automatically, lets you swipe to classify them, and generates reports. The free plan may be enough if you make only a few business drives, while regular drivers are likely to hit the 40-drive limit.
Everlance
Everlance combines trip tracking with expense reports, receipt uploads and CSV or Excel exports. Its Professional plan, at $19.99 a month or $119.99 a year, adds bank and card integration along with self-employed tax features. Starter comes with a seven-day trial, and the company says it requires a credit card.
Wave
Wave is more about running a small business than tracking miles. Its free Starter plan includes invoicing, estimates and unlimited bookkeeping records. Pro adds automatic bank imports and payment reminders. Receipt capture is a paid add-on, and card payments carry processing fees, so check those if you plan to take payments.
QuickBooks
QuickBooks offers mileage tracking by phone GPS, receipt capture, profit and loss reports and invoicing. The free plan has tight limits. Lite removes the limits on receipts and mileage. It’s advertised at $10 a month for the first three months and $20 after that, so budget for the full price.
What should you record?
Whichever tool you choose, try to capture the following:
- the date, destination and business purpose of each drive
- miles driven for business, and your vehicle’s total miles for the year
- receipts, with a note saying what each purchase was for
- fees charged by the platforms you work through
- income from each source, including payments that don’t come with a Form 1099
The IRS’s standard mileage rate for 2026 is 72.5 cents per business mile through June 30 and 76 cents from July 1. At those rates, a missed 20-mile round trip is worth about $15 of deductions, so small gaps can add up. A deduction lowers your taxable income, so it isn’t the same as saving that amount in tax.
How to choose
- Mostly driving? Start with a free mileage app and see whether you hit its limit.
- Sending invoices? A bookkeeping tool may be more useful than a dedicated mileage app.
- Only a few expenses? A spreadsheet and a folder of photographed receipts may be enough.
- Comparing the cost? Paid plans can be a business expense, but they still need to pay for themselves. Check with a tax professional if you’re unsure what you can deduct.
Before you commit, export a sample report and make sure it contains the details you or your tax preparer will need. Check that you can get your data out if you switch tools later too.
