Mileage guide
Free versus paid mileage tracking: which FlatMile tasks cost money?
By FlatMile ·
At a glance
FlatMile offers free automatic logging and typed manual entry, but free capture is not the same as full access to captured-trip details. A subscription or eligible trial unlocks captured-drive details and classification, and all app CSV and PDF exports require that access.
The free mileage templates and fictional sample files on this website are separate downloadable resources. Downloading a website template does not unlock app exports, and buying the app subscription is not required to use those website files.
Compare tasks rather than the word free
Use this task list to decide what you need:
| Task | FlatMile access model |
|---|---|
| Automatically capture drives | Free, with the required device setup |
| Type a manual drive entry | Free |
| See full details and classify newly held captured drives | Subscription or eligible trial unlocks them |
| Continue viewing previously unlocked drives after expiry | They remain unlocked |
| Export app CSV, PDF or full-log CSV | Active subscription or eligible trial required |
| Download the website template | Free website resource |
A drive begun with GPS recording is not the same as typing a manual entry. Captured drives saved without paid access can be held even when you started recording yourself. The distinction matters when comparing a manual spreadsheet workflow with live GPS capture.
Three fictional reader choices
Mina makes four business journeys a month and is comfortable keeping a spreadsheet. Mina downloads the free website template, records the facts and maintains independent copies. This requires a consistent manual routine; the file does not automatically detect journeys.
Owen wants automatic capture and expects to classify and export every week. Owen evaluates the subscription's full workflow, because seeing a limited captured-drive card will not satisfy the weekly reporting task. The trial checklist helps test that requirement before relying on it.
Rae has an old year of unlocked records and a subscription that has expired. Rae can still view previously unlocked drives, but needs effective paid access to produce a new app export. An earlier CSV saved outside the app remains a separate file and does not update with later corrections.
None of these examples determines which option is best for you. They show why a feature-by-feature comparison is clearer than assuming that either everything is free or every useful action is paid.
Include the work around the app
Account for the time needed to review purposes, repair missing entries, preserve a backup and prepare the recipient's file. Automatic capture does not determine whether a journey is deductible. A subscription cannot supply missing business context that only you know.
Check the actual offer shown in the app and by Apple rather than treating a screenshot or old article as the current price. Eligible trial availability and renewal terms matter alongside the feature list. This page does not quote a universal price or promise a trial to every account.
Choose a complete workflow
Write down what must happen by the end of each month: for example, “I need a reviewed CSV that my accountant can open.” Then check every step required to reach it, including export access. If you only need a manually maintained record, compare that complete routine with your available free tools.
Keep a usable copy of your own records either way. Read what happens after a subscription ends before depending on access to a future export. A clear boundary between logging, unlocking and exporting makes the cost decision easier to plan.