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Tool Spotlights: Mileage & Receipt Tracking Apps for Business Owners and Real Estate Investors
By Monique Verlaan profile image Monique Verlaan
3 min read

Tool Spotlights: Mileage & Receipt Tracking Apps for Business Owners and Real Estate Investors

Whether you’re a real estate investor, a sole proprietor, or a small business owner, keeping accurate records of mileage and expenses is essential. Trips to properties, client meetings, supply runs, and even coffee shop strategy sessions all add up, and the CRA expects you to track them properly.

Your smartphone can make this painless. With the right apps, you can automate mileage logs, capture receipts on the go, and generate reports ready for tax season. Below, we highlight some of the best apps available for iOS and Android (both free and paid) to help you stay organized.

(This article is not sponsored, and we do not receive any compensation for mentioning these apps.)

Free (or Nearly Free) Options

Stride (iOS & Android)

  • Best for: Simple, no-cost mileage tracking
  • Stride is popular among gig workers but works just as well for landlords and investors. It automatically logs mileage via GPS and categorizes trips. The receipt-capture feature is basic but functional.
  • Cost: Free

Everlance – Free Plan (iOS & Android)

  • Best for: Those who want mileage + receipt tracking in one place
  • Everlance’s free tier lets you manually track mileage, snap pictures of receipts, and categorize expenses. The automatic mileage tracking is limited on the free plan, but for occasional property trips, it gets the job done.
  • Cost: Free (with paid upgrades for auto-tracking and unlimited trips)

Shoeboxed (Mobile Receipt Scanner)

  • Best for: Receipt organization
  • Shoeboxed lets you scan receipts into digital format, categorize them, and export data into spreadsheets. The mobile app is handy for investors managing multiple renovation or staging expenses.
  • Cost: Free limited plan (paid tiers expand storage and integrations)

Google Drive or OneDrive + Your Phone’s Camera

  • Best for: DIYers who don’t want another app
  • Not a tracking app per se, but using your phone’s camera to snap receipts and storing them in a dedicated cloud folder can be surprisingly effective. Tag by property or month for quick access later.
  • Cost: Free with your existing Google account

Wave Receipts (iOS & Android)

  • Best for: Canadian small business owners who want free, simple receipt tracking
  • Wave is a Toronto-based company offering free accounting software. The Wave Receipts app lets you snap pictures of receipts and sync them directly into the Wave accounting platform. Great for those who want a Canadian solution without paying monthly fees.
  • Cost: Free

Paid Options Worth Considering

While free apps are great, some investors or business owners may benefit from a small monthly investment in automation and reporting.

Note: Pricing below is typically listed in USD on the App Store/Google Play. Canadian users may see slightly different amounts depending on exchange rates and billing currency.

MileIQ (iOS & Android)

  • Best for: Frequent drivers
  • Owned by Microsoft, MileIQ runs in the background to automatically log every drive. Swipe to classify trips as personal or business. Reports are CRA-ready for tax season.
  • Cost: Free for 40 drives/month; unlimited version around $7–$10/month

Expensify (iOS & Android)

  • Best for: Investors with multiple properties and higher transaction volume
  • Expensify combines mileage, receipt scanning, and expense categorization into one sleek app. Integrates with QuickBooks, Xero, and more—perfect if you work with a bookkeeper.
  • Cost: Free basic plan; paid from ~$5/month

Everlance Premium

  • Best for: All-in-one mileage + expense automation
  • The paid plan offers unlimited automatic mileage tracking, bank connection, and advanced reporting. For investors regularly on the road, this saves a ton of manual work.
  • Cost: ~$8–$10/month

Pro Tip: Don’t wait until year-end to organize receipts. Snap and categorize them as you go. Consistency is the real money-saver.

Bottom Line

For many business owners and investors, free apps like Stride, Everlance’s basic version, or Wave Receipts (a Canadian-based option) are more than enough to cover mileage and receipts. If you’re managing multiple properties, driving often, or want to connect everything to your accounting software, a paid solution like MileIQ or Expensify may be worth the upgrade.

No matter which tool you choose, the most important step is consistency. Capture receipts as you go, track mileage on every business-related trip, and you’ll thank yourself when tax time rolls around.

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