For gig workers and rideshare drivers, every mile counts — literally. The IRS 2024 rate of $0.67/mile means a $10,000+ deduction is possible with diligent tracking. We tested and compared the top mileage apps: QuickBooks Self-Employed for comprehensive accounting, Expensify for receipt-heavy workflows, and Zoho Expense for budget-conscious drivers. Plus, we cover specialized tools like Solo, MileIQ, and Stride as alternatives.
If you drive for Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, or any gig platform, your car is your office — and the IRS lets you deduct a big chunk of its cost. For 2024, the standard mileage rate is $0.67 per mile.1 That adds up fast: 15,000 business miles = a $10,050 deduction. But you can only claim what you can prove.
Platform-provided summaries (like Uber's annual tax summary) are a start, but they often miss deadhead miles — the miles you drive between trips or to a busy zone. Those miles are deductible too, and the IRS expects a contemporaneous log.2 A dedicated mileage tracking app does the logging automatically and gives you audit-proof records.
Here are the best mileage tracking apps for gig workers, ranked by what matters most: accuracy, ease of use, and integration with your tax filing.
If you want one app that handles mileage, income, expenses, and quarterly tax estimates, this is it. QuickBooks Self-Employed uses GPS to auto-track every trip, then classifies them as business or personal. At tax time, it runs a comparison between the standard mileage deduction and actual vehicle expenses so you can pick whichever saves you more.1
It also integrates directly with TurboTax, making the January–April transition seamless. The downside: the subscription is pricier than standalone mileage trackers, starting around $15/month. But if you're treating gig work like a real business, the accounting features justify the cost.
Best for: Drivers who want mileage tracking and full bookkeeping in one place.
Expensify is the industry standard for expense reporting, and its mileage tracking is surprisingly good for gig workers. The SmartScan feature lets you photograph a receipt and have it automatically categorized — a lifesaver if you're also buying gas, tolls, and maintenance.3
Where Expensify shines is the audit trail. Every trip logged includes a map, timestamp, and distance. You can set mileage rates manually (including the IRS rate) and generate IRS-ready reports in seconds. It's overkill if you only drive 20 hours a week, but if you're scaling into a small fleet or multi-platform operation, Expensify's approval workflows and policy controls are unmatched.
Best for: Gig workers transitioning into small business owners with receipt-heavy operations.
Zoho Expense offers a genuinely useful free tier — something rare in this category. You get automatic mileage tracking via GPS, manual entry via odometer readings, and integration with Zoho Books and other accounting platforms. The mobile app is clean and responsive.2
The paid plans are affordable (starting around $5/month) and add features like multi-currency support and approval workflows. For a solo gig worker who just needs reliable mileage logs without a monthly commitment, Zoho Expense is the smart pick.
Best for: Cost-conscious drivers who want free automatic tracking with room to grow.
The three apps above are the best all-rounders, but the gig economy has spawned several purpose-built tools you should know about:
Each of these is a solid alternative if the top three don't fit your workflow.
Most apps in this category offer GPS-based automatic trip detection. You install the app, grant location permissions, and it logs every drive. You then swipe to classify each trip as business or personal.
Manual entry (typing in odometer readings) is less convenient but more private — some drivers prefer not to have their location tracked 24/7. Apps like Zoho Expense and Solo support both methods.
Our take: Automatic tracking is worth the privacy trade-off for most gig workers. The IRS requires a log made "at or near the time of the drive,"2 and automatic apps satisfy that requirement effortlessly. Manual logs are easy to forget or fudge, which can trigger an audit.
The 2024 IRS rate of $0.67/mile covers gas, depreciation, maintenance, insurance, and registration. If you drive 20,000 business miles a year (common for full-time rideshare drivers), that's a $13,400 deduction.1
Compare that to the actual-expense method: you'd add up gas, oil changes, tires, insurance, lease payments, and depreciation, then multiply by your business-use percentage. For most drivers, the standard mileage deduction comes out ahead — but you need the log to claim it.
Platform summaries from Uber or Lyft only show miles driven while on a trip. They don't include miles driven to a surge zone, between trips, or heading home after your last ride. Those deadhead miles can add 30–50% to your deductible total.3 A dedicated app captures them all.
We evaluated apps on four criteria: automatic tracking accuracy, pricing (free vs. paid), integration with tax and accounting software, and real-world reviews from gig workers. Sources include hands-on testing by The Rideshare Guy, WBB Gig Taxes, and Money Pantry.1
Disclosure: Some links in this article are affiliate links. We may earn a small commission if you sign up through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend tools we've vetted and would use ourselves.
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