MileIQ vs Yellowcell mileage log (honest compare)

MileIQ is a phone app that auto-captures drives with GPS and asks you to classify them. Yellowcell’s free Excel mileage log is a spreadsheet you own: trip date, purpose, miles, and 2026 IRS rates that flip on July 1. Neither replaces the other for every freelancer — the right pick depends on trip volume and whether you already live in Excel.

Quick side-by-side

	MileIQ	Yellowcell Excel log
Capture	Automatic GPS + swipe classify	Manual entry (or paste from your own notes/CSV)
2026 split rates	App-dependent — verify mid-year updates in the product	Date-aware: 72.5¢ then 76¢ business (Notice 2026-10 / Ann. 2026-11)
Export for tax prep	Reports / CSV (often plan-gated)	Native spreadsheet columns you can zip to a preparer
Cost model	Free tier then subscription (check current MileIQ pricing)	Free .xlsx · optional $19 kit with invoice + expenses
Ownership	Account + app relationship	File on your disk
Best if	Dozens of short trips; you forget to log	Low–medium volume; already in Excel / Sheets

MileIQ is a trademark of its owner. Features and prices change — verify on MileIQ’s site. This is a shopper comparison, not an attack piece and not tax advice.

Where MileIQ tends to shine

Client visits and errands stack up and you cannot remember every mile
You want phone reminders to swipe business vs personal
Phone-first workflow beats opening a laptop after each drive
You are fine with a subscription once the free tier runs out

Where a Yellowcell Excel log tends to shine

You want columns that match how you hand miles to a preparer (date, purpose, miles, rate, amount)
2026 mid-year rate change — date-aware formulas beat a single “cents” cell you forget to update
You share one file with a bookkeeper and do not want another login
You want $0 for mileage alone, with an optional one-time invoice kit later

Excel will not auto-detect drives. If GPS capture is the job, a spreadsheet is the wrong primary tool — not a “cheaper MileIQ.”

Honest middle ground

Some freelancers use MileIQ (or another GPS app) for capture, then paste monthly totals into a spreadsheet that applies Jan–Jun vs Jul–Dec rates. That keeps convenience without trusting the app alone for deduction math. Others log only client trips in Excel and skip apps entirely. Both paths are normal.