Neutral comparison
MileIQ vs Stride
Both are single-job mileage trackers, so this really comes down to price and free-tier limits. MileIQ is the paid incumbent. Stride is free and monetized through insurance enrollment.
Side-by-side
| MileIQ | Stride | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Paid (about $8.99 to $13.99/mo) | Free (no in-app purchases) |
| Free tier | 40 drives total, then a paid wall | Free, ongoing |
| Apple Watch app | No | Yes (with Live Activities) |
| App size | 122.5 MB | 114.9 MB |
| Scope | Mileage tracking plus Teams admin tier | Mileage tracking plus health-insurance enrollment |
| Teams / fleet tier | Yes | No |
App size, language, Apple Watch, Teams, and scope figures sourced from public App Store and marketing pages, fetched 2026-05-02. Pricing changes often. Confirm on each app's App Store listing before relying on a number.
MileIQ
The recognized, paid mileage tracker with a Teams tier. The name your accountant most likely knows.
Strengths
- Strong name recognition with accountants
- Mature swipe-to-classify workflow
- Teams tier for multi-driver billing
Watch out
The 40-drives-total free tier runs out quickly, and you're paying a subscription for a job Stride does for free.
Best for
Drivers who value the recognized name and a Teams option, and don't mind paying for it.
Stride
A fully free tracker from Stride Health, with an Apple Watch app, monetized through insurance rather than subscriptions.
Strengths
- Free forever, with no trial wall
- Apple Watch app with Live Activities
- No paywall to hit mid-year
Watch out
Tracking is more manual than MileIQ's, and the app routes you toward health-insurance enrollment.
Best for
Cost-conscious drivers who want a free tracker and don't need a Teams tier.
Which should you pick?
Pick Stride if you want to pay nothing and don't need fleet features. Pick MileIQ if the recognized name, a more polished classify flow, or a Teams tier are worth a monthly fee.
A third option
If mileage is the actual job, TruMile
There's a middle path between free-but-manual and paid-but-heavy. TruMile auto-classifies trips with saved routes and pattern learning, ships at 19.8 MB, and gives you 40 auto trips a month free before a flat $7.99/mo. No 40-drives-total cliff like MileIQ, and less manual than Stride.
See how TruMile compares to each app →FAQ
Is MileIQ worth paying for when Stride is free?
It depends on what you value. MileIQ has a more polished classify workflow, a Teams tier, and a name accountants recognize. Stride does the core job of logging miles for free. If price is your only criterion, Stride wins.
What is MileIQ's free tier?
MileIQ's free tier is 40 drives total, not 40 per month. Once you pass that, classifying more trips requires a paid subscription. Stride has no equivalent cap.
Does either have an Apple Watch app?
Stride does, with Live Activities. MileIQ does not list an Apple Watch app as of 2026.
Track every business mile, free for 40 trips a month.
No email. No credit card. A focused 19.8 MB mileage tracker with an IRS-ready export.
Download free on the App Store