All smart gig drivers use mileage trackers, but they also need an app that offers other features to maximize their income while minimizing expenses. The best mileage trackers address the needs of gig drivers and tailor information to their specific areas of interest. However, most stop at tracking mileage and do no more.
Let’s take a look at two mileage tracking apps, Stride and Gridwise. We’ll reveal what each app can do, and compare features to determine which one best serves all the needs of gig drivers.
Here's what we cover:
What gig drivers need in a mileage tracking app
Getting a full and accurate account of the mileage you accrue while gig driving allows you to deduct a significant portion of your taxable income. The apps you drive for record only the distances you cover while you’re engaged in a ride or delivery trip. You also need to count the miles you travel in between trips as well as those you cover on the way to and from the area where you go to drive. That’s the reason most drivers have a mileage tracking app. But as you know, there’s more to gig driving and gig work than just tracking miles.
Mileage is not the only deductible expense drivers need to track. The things you buy to make your gig more effective, from new mats for your vehicle to the equipment you use to keep delivery food hot and cold, can also be deductible expenses*. It’s important that you keep track of all these things so they can be included in your itemization process at tax time.
On top of that, drivers need more than just information involving their expenses. It’s important to be aware of your earnings, and how they compare with your expenses. Then, you’ll want to know how to boost your profits, with features that help you decide the best times and places to drive, and keep you informed about issues that are essential to your gig-driving business.
Knowing where and when events will take place, what the weather will be like, when airport passengers will most urgently need rides, and how your earnings compare to those of other drivers are all pieces of information that make your job easier and more profitable. Gig drivers are very busy people and can’t always take the time to switch from one app to the next to gather all this information.
Also, drivers need to know they can secure support through affordable insurance, deals, and discounts that improve life for themselves and their families. That’s why it’s essential to find a tool that has all the services a gig driver needs, packed into one powerful app.
What you need to know about the Stride tax mileage tracker
Every app has a purpose, and these two are no exception. Both Gridwise and Stride are good mileage trackers. Keeping an account of the miles you drive for business allows you to take a large deduction off your taxable income. Learn more about tax deductions and mileage tracking in this Gridwise post.
Appstore rating: 4.8
Google Play Store Rating: 3.3
Stride’s mileage tracker, which is chiefly a financial app, is not designed specifically for gig drivers. The mileage tracker geared toward independent contractors of all types. This means that it lacks many of the features gig drivers need. By engaging Stride to track your miles while you drive for your gigs, you get a record of every mile you drive, which is only one of the things you need to maximize your earnings.
The Stride app allows you to connect to the bank account you use for business and keep track of your deductible expenses. It features a tax deduction finder, as well as connections to insurance plans, discounts, and deals geared toward independent contractors. The Stride app is free, but the insurance you choose will have costs attached. While some of the Stride Insurance plans are low cost, many are priced at levels you would expect through any insurance broker.
Almost all Stride Mileage Tracker reviews will tell you the same things. If all you want is a free mileage tracker, Stride can deliver.
As EntreCourier.com notes, there is a lot it doesn’t do. For instance, it doesn’t track your earnings as you drive. You have to enter them manually. When using Stride, your expenses have to be logged manually. And it doesn’t keep you on top of traffic, weather, events, or where to drive.
For additional fees these include
- health insurance
- dental insurance
- vision insurance
- life insurance
- accident coverage
- disability insurance
- features that help with organizing your finances to make tax preparation easier*
Discover Gridwise: The mileage tracking app and gig worker assistant
A quick look at Gridwise:
Appstore Rating: 4.9
Google Play Store Rating: 4.7
Gridwise is much more than a mileage tracker, and while it offers features that assist you at tax preparation time, it doesn’t stop there.
Gridwise is designed to be the gig driver’s personal assistant. It tracks all your gig driving miles and allows you to record other expenses, as well.
How Gridwise works
In addition to that, it provides traffic, event, and weather alerts that are crucial to drivers. Beyond what your individual apps might say about how much you’re making, Gridwise lets you track your actual earnings for every gig you drive.
Easy to read graphs enable you to see your driving trends, and how they compare to those of other drivers in your area. Gridwise users also gain access to affordable health and insurance benefits, deals, and discounts designed for gig drivers.
The Gridwise app offers a free version with all the Basic features, including access to Gridwise Benefits. Gridwise offers a diverse range of insurance and care plans—for your car, your phone, and for you and your family. See why Gridwise is a favorite among gig workers in our top 5 gig worker apps comparison.
Gridwise Plus members gain access to advanced features and additional insider information about where and when the best places and times to drive are, as well as more detailed reports in .csv format. Gridwise Plus members are also eligible for further discounts on the benefits and deals Gridwise offers.
Stride vs. Gridwise: Compare their features
Now that you have a basic idea of the differences between them, let’s look at a more detailed comparison.
| Features | Stride | Gridwise |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Free + subscription options |
| Mileage tracker |  | |
| Earnings tracker | Manual | Automatic |
| Expense tracker | Manual | Automatic, Manual & On/Off Tracker |
| Deductible expenses identification | | with additional cost via Keeper |
| Affordable health insurance plans | | |
| Telehealth |  | |
| Teletherapy | | |
| Dental and vision plans | | |
| Chiropractic coverage | | |
| Alternative medicine discounts | | |
| Life insurance | | |
| Disability insurance | | |
| Accident insurance | | |
| Gas savings | | |
| Tax help | | |
| Legal help | | |
| Credit and debt counseling | | |
| Where to Drive | | |
| When to Drive | | |
| Airport information | | |
| Events information | | |
| Weather alerts | | |
| Deals and discounts | | |
| Perks designed specifically for gig drivers | | |
Because Gridwise is a full-featured assistant, designed with features for gig drivers and gig workers, it beats Stride and other mileage tracking apps hands down. It offers features other apps don’t even realize that drivers, specifically, need.
Their dedication to making your job easier inspired the people behind Gridwise to offer an active support team. They can guide you through maximizing the utility of the Gridwise app—and your earnings. The app is as easy to use as it is comprehensive and supportive of your desire to maximize your gig earnings.
Here’s where you can learn more about Gridwise and mileage tracking:
- What’s the best mileage tracking app?
- Gridwise vs Solo: How they size up
- Mileage mistakes you don’t want to make
* Gridwise does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for information purposes only. It is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before filing your return.
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