# Driversnote Alternative (2026–27): Free Mileage Logbook App for ATO, IRD, HMRC, CRA & IRS

- **Canonical URL:** https://iluratechnology.com/keel/driversnote-alternative-free-mileage-logbook-app-guide/
- **Jurisdiction / Region:** AU
- **Last Verified:** Mon Nov 02
- **Keel Official Pricing (v5.3.2):** Free to download on the App Store (daily tracking included; optional 5-Folder Pack $49.99 per period, or Keel Lifetime $299.99 paid once — no monthly subscription)
- **Summary:** Looking for a Driversnote alternative without a 15-trip monthly cap? Compare Driversnote pricing vs $0/mo Keel for ATO 91c/km, IRD, HMRC, CRA & IRS logs.

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# Driversnote Alternative (2026–27): Free Mileage Logbook App for ATO, IRD, HMRC, CRA & IRS

**Short answer: Switching to a Driversnote alternative lets sole traders, tradies, and independent contractors log unlimited business trips without hitting a 15-trip-per-month free cap or paying $132 to $260+ per year for a standalone mileage subscription. By using a local-first logbook app that calculates 2026–27 statutory rates (ATO 91c/km & 12-week logbook, IRD $1.17–$1.30/km, IRS 72.5c/76c/mi, CRA 73c/67c/km, HMRC 45p/25p/mi) alongside thermal fuel docket OCR and client invoicing, you capture every tax deduction for $0/month.**

> **⚡ Instant Multi-Country Mileage & Logbook Calculator ($0/Mo):** Calculate your exact 2026–27 vehicle tax deduction in the interactive **Mileage & Logbook Calculator** below (or click **🔗 Embed / CSV Template** to download the blank odometer logbook CSV), save your first 5 logs in the **[iCloud Web Workspace](/keel/workspace/)**, explore the **[Business Mileage Logbook App Store Edition](/keel/cpp/business-mileage-logbook/)** and **[AU/NZ Tradie & Sole Trader Edition](/keel/cpp/australia-nz-sole-traders/)**, or **[Download Keel Free on the App Store ($0/mo)](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/keel-invoice-maker-receipts/id6786659713?ppid=8470921a-830e-47a3-abf5-bf0b1cce24ac)** (`mileage-logbook`).

In DataForSEO backlink benchmarks (`2,174` backlinks across `464` referring domains), [Driversnote](https://www.driversnote.com/) (often searched as **drivers note**) is one of the best-known vehicle logbook apps across Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the UK, and the United States. However, self-employed tradies, couriers, real estate agents, and field contractors rapidly hit a wall on Driversnote's free tier: **15 trips per month equates to just 3.5 round-trip site visits per week**—forcing working drivers onto an annual subscription just to export a tax-compliant odometer report, while still needing separate apps for customer invoices and fuel/maintenance receipts.

For country-specific logbook laws, see our [Australian ATO car logbook guide](/keel/australia-ato-car-logbook/), [NZ IRD mileage rates and logbook rules](/keel/nz-mileage-rates-vehicle-expenses/), [Canadian CRA motor vehicle logbook rules](/keel/cra-mileage-logbook-requirements-sole-proprietor/), [UK HMRC 45p/25p mileage allowance guide](/keel/uk-self-employed-mileage-allowance/), and [interactive mileage deduction calculator](/keel/mileage-deduction-calculator/).

## How does Driversnote compare to a $0/month all-in-one logbook & receipt alternative?

| Feature / Tax Authority Requirement | **Driversnote (Lite vs Basic/Pro)** | **MileIQ** | **ATO myDeductions (AU Only)** | **Keel (iPhone + iCloud Web Workspace)** |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| **Free Monthly Trip Allowance** | **Capped at 15 trips/month** on Lite tier | Capped at 40 drives/month | Unlimited (AU only, 2.71★ App Store rating) | **$0/mo Core App on iPhone** + **5 Free Web Saves** (Unlimited web & mobile while active on iPhone) |
| **Annual Subscription Cost** | **~$132 to $260+/yr** (currency dependent) | **~$75 to $90/yr** | $0 (Government utility) | **$0/mo recurring subscription** (optional one-time Lifetime or statutory export pack) |
| **Odometer Start/Finish & 12-Week / 90-Day Logbook?** | Yes (paid export) | Miles only (weak odometer & AU/NZ logbook support) | Yes (AU only) | **Yes — full start/end odometer, business %, and trip purpose schedule** |
| **Scans Fuel, Tyre, Rego & Bunnings Thermal Dockets?** | **No** (mileage only — cannot OCR actual-cost vehicle receipts) | **No** (mileage only) | Basic photo attachment | **Yes — on-device Apple Vision OCR** (essential for Actual-Cost / 12-Week Logbook claims) |
| **Issues Client Quotes & Tax Invoices (ABN / NZBN / GST / CIS)?** | **No** | **No** | **No** | **Yes** — link your site trip directly to the client's quote and final invoice |
| **Battery & Privacy Architecture** | Background GPS tracking & cloud account | Continuous background GPS | Local phone storage | **100% On-Device Privacy** — zero background battery drain or third-party location selling |

## What are the official 2026–2027 statutory mileage & logbook rules across AU, NZ, CA, UK, and US?

Every tax authority—including the [Australian Taxation Office (ATO)](https://www.ato.gov.au/individuals-and-families/income-deductions-offsets-and-records/deductions-you-can-claim/cars-transport-and-travel/motor-vehicle-and-car-expenses) and [Inland Revenue (IRD)](https://www.ird.govt.nz/income-tax/income-tax-for-businesses-and-organisations/types-of-business-expenses/claiming-vehicle-expenses)—enforces specific substantiation rules before allowing a vehicle deduction. Here is the **5-country statutory matrix** built directly into Keel's mileage engine:

| Country & Tax Authority | **2026–27 Statutory Rate(s)** | **Logbook Window & Validity Rule** | **What Every Trip Entry Must Record** |
|---|---|---|---|
| **Australia (`ATO` — Division 28 ITAA 1997)** | **91 cents/km** (2026–27, up to **5,000 km/car** = **A$4,550 max**), OR **Actual Business %** via Logbook | **12 consecutive weeks**; establishes business % for **5 income years** (must log 1 July & 30 June odometers annually) | Start & end date, **start & finish odometer**, total km, and **specific business purpose** (plus fuel/rego/insurance tax invoices over A$82.50 incl. GST for logbook method) |
| **New Zealand (`IRD` — Kilometre Rate Method)** | **Tier 1 (first 14,000 total km):** **$1.17/km** base (**$1.20/km** petrol, **$1.30/km** diesel, **90c/km** hybrid, **$1.22/km** EV); **Tier 2 (>14,000 km):** **37c–47c/km** | **90 consecutive days** representative logbook; valid for **up to 3 years** if business use stays within **20%** | Date, distance, start/end locations or odometer, and business reason; kept for **7 years** |
| **Canada (`CRA` — T2125 & Revenu Québec)** | **72 cents/km** for the first **5,000 km** driven + **66 cents/km** above 5,000 km (`+4c/km` in YT/NT/NU); Sole proprietors claim **Business % of Actual Expenses** | **12-month base year logbook** first, then a **3-month sample logbook** in later years if within **10%** of base year | Date, destination, specific business purpose, and exact kilometres per trip, plus **Jan 1 & Dec 31 odometer readings** |
| **United Kingdom (`HMRC` — SIMP / SA103)** | **45p per mile** for the first **10,000 business miles** + **25p per mile** above 10,000 miles (cars & vans; **24p/mi** motorcycles) | Contemporaneous mileage log for each tax year (**6 April – 5 April**) | Date, start postcode/address, destination postcode/address, business purpose, and miles driven (keep fuel VAT receipts if VAT-registered) |
| **United States (`IRS` — IRC §274(d) & Schedule C Line 9)** | **72.5 cents per mile** (2026 standard mileage rate, plus business % of parking & tolls) | Contemporaneous full-year log (`Jan 1 – Dec 31`) | **4 strict IRS elements:** (1) Date of trip, (2) Mileage + Jan 1/Dec 31 odometer, (3) Business destination, (4) Specific business purpose |

## Why does a standalone mileage app fail the "Actual-Cost Logbook" audit test?

Here is the biggest hidden trap with standalone mileage trackers like Driversnote or MileIQ:
- In **Australia** (if you drive more than 5,000 business km and use the **12-week logbook method** or drive a **1-tonne dual-cab ute**), in **Canada** (where unincorporated T2125 sole proprietors must claim the **business-use percentage of actual motor vehicle expenses** rather than the corporate allowance rate), and in **New Zealand** or the **US** (when claiming actual expenses), **the logbook only establishes your percentage (e.g., `76% business use`)**.
- To claim the actual dollar deduction, **you must also hold every fuel, servicing, tyre, registration, insurance, and finance receipt** to multiply by that `76%`.
- Because Driversnote cannot scan thermal fuel bowser dockets or mechanic tax invoices, you still have to photograph and reconcile your vehicle receipts somewhere else. In Keel, your **odometer logbook and your photographed vehicle dockets live in the same tax pack**.

## How do you import your existing Driversnote CSV or spreadsheet logbook in 10 seconds?

If you already started a 12-week ATO logbook, a 90-day IRD logbook, or a full-year IRS/CRA/HMRC log in Driversnote or Excel, you do not lose a single kilometre when switching:
1. Export your existing trips as a CSV file (or download our **Blank Odometer Logbook CSV Template** via the **🔗 Embed / CSV Template** button in the workspace bar above).
2. Open the [Switch & Import CSV/ZIP App Store Edition](/keel/cpp/switch-import-csv-zip/) (`?ppid=0dfe27bd-90b3-47f2-92df-72fbf06311a9`) or drop the file into Keel to continue your logbook seamlessly with your opening odometer reading intact.

## How much does a sole trader save by replacing Driversnote and Dext with one app?

When you combine a standalone mileage tracker (**~$160 to $260/year**) with a receipt scanner (**~$190 to $300/year**) and an invoicing subscription (**~$180 to $420/year**), a solo tradie or contractor pays **$530 to $980 every single year** for three disconnected apps. Consolidating your odometer logbook, thermal fuel/material docket OCR, and client quotes/invoices into a **$0/month local-first ledger** eliminates recurring subscription bloat while keeping your 5-year ATO or 7-year IRD audit trail in one place.

## Is there a totally free mileage tracker app without a 15-trip monthly limit?

Yes. While **Driversnote Lite** caps free users at **15 journeys per month** and **MileIQ** caps free users at **40 drives per month**, **Keel (`Keel: Invoice Generator`)** is a **$0/month free mileage tracker app** on iPhone, iPad, and the [iCloud Web Workspace](/keel/workspace/) with **unlimited daily trip logging** and zero bank connection:

- **What is the best free mileage tracker in 2026?** Unlike 2021-era GPS trackers that drain your battery and lock your CSV report after 15 drives, **Keel** lets you log unlimited IRS (`72.5¢ / 76¢ per mile`), ATO (`88c / 91c per km` & 12-week logbook), HMRC (`45p / 25p per mile`), CRA (`73¢ / 67¢ per km`), and IRD (`$1.17/km Tier 1`) trips for **$0/month**—while also scanning fuel/repair receipts and sending client invoices in the same app.

## Frequently asked questions

**Is there a totally free mileage tracker app, and what is the best free app to keep track of mileage?**

Yes. **Keel (`Keel: Invoice Generator`)** is the best totally free mileage tracker app in 2026 (`$0/month`) because it imposes **zero monthly trip cap** (unlike Driversnote's 15-trip limit, Everlance's 30-trip limit, or MileIQ's 40-drive limit), requires **no bank connection**, drains zero background GPS battery, and combines your IRS, ATO, HMRC, CRA, and IRD odometer logbook with on-device receipt OCR and client invoicing.

**Why does Driversnote limit free users to 15 trips per month?**

Driversnote's free Lite tier is designed as a short product trial capped at 15 logged trips per month. Because a single out-and-back client visit counts as 2 one-way trips (or 1 round trip), a self-employed tradie or contractor visiting 2 job sites a day hits the 15-trip ceiling in less than a week and is prompted to buy an annual Basic or Pro subscription.

**What is the best free Driversnote alternative for an ATO 12-week logbook in Australia?**

For Australian sole traders and tradies, Keel provides both the 2026–27 91 cents per kilometre calculator (up to 5,000 km) and a full Division 28 12-week electronic logbook with start/finish odometer tracking, specific business purpose prompts, and on-device OCR for Bunnings, Ampol, BP, and mechanic tax invoices—Plus 11-digit ABN Tax Invoices and Simpler BAS (`G1`, `1A`, `1B`)—with $0/month subscription fees.

**Does my phone need background GPS turned on 24/7 to keep a tax-compliant mileage log?**

No. No tax authority (ATO, IRD, HMRC, CRA, or IRS) requires continuous background GPS tracking that drains your phone battery and records your weekend personal errands. Entering or confirming your start and finish odometer readings, destination, and specific business purpose when you park at the job site satisfies every statutory logbook rule while keeping your location history 100% private on your device.

**Can I link my logged kilometres directly to a client quote or invoice for reimbursement?**

Yes. If your contract bills travel time or per-kilometre/per-mile callout charges back to the client, keeping your mileage logbook inside the same app as your quotes and invoices lets you attach billable travel directly to the customer's invoice while tracking your tax-deductible vehicle kilometres in the background.

**What happens if I only write "Business" or "Work" as the trip description in my logbook?**

Both the ATO and IRS explicitly reject vague one-word descriptions like "Business" or "Work" during desk audits. Always record a concrete reason tied to a client, job site, or supplier—such as *"Measure & quote bathroom renovation — 24 Park Rd"* or *"Collect copper pipe & fittings at Reece Plumbing for Job #108"*.

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