ATO Mobile Apps: 3 Key Features That Set the Best Ones Apart

Any Australian driver who’s serious about maximising their tax savings needs an ATO-compliant logbook.

Otherwise, they risk submitting inaccurate records that could not only get their deductions rejected but they may also get penalised in some cases.

Yet, a good car logbook app is hard to come by. It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack; there are plenty of unreliable apps out there.

You need a logbook that captures all the information that the ATO requires when claiming your deduction.

Some of the records the ATO requires include odometer readings at the start and end of the logbook period, odometer readings at the beginning and end of every journey, and the destination and purpose of each trip.

You must also show your work-related percentage use for the car you’re claiming for.

So, ATO mobile apps must:

• Record all your trips to obtain accurate business kilometres and total kilometres travelled
• Have provision for recording fuel expenses and vehicle running costs such as registration
• Easily export your records at tax time to make filing returns easier for your accountant

The following table compares the presence of ATO-compliant features in 4 logbook apps at a glance.

Let’s explore each of the following ATO-compliance aspects in detail.

1. An ATO-Compliant App Must Record All Trips Without Fail

To keep a compliant logbook, the ATO requires drivers to maintain odometer readings at the beginning and end of the claim period as well as details about the trip destination, the purpose of each trip, and odometer readings at the start and end of each trip.

Additionally, you must cite the total kilometres travelled during the logbook period.

Keeping odometer readings at the beginning and end of the trips and indicating the purpose of every trip will help you categorise business-related trips and personal travels.

By doing so, you can easily calculate your business percentage use and claim only for business-related expenses.

But to accurately track your kilometres, you must use a logbook app that will not miss a single trip. So can you count on the apps below to help you track your trips accurately, every time?

GOFAR

The GOFAR device and logbook app works by detecting when the engine starts running and recording your trips. It accurately records your kilometres even if you forget your phone.

It also ties in two benefits any motorist would surely enjoy:

• The app automates your work-related car expenses.
• It works alongside an OBD2 port adapter to get you the biggest tax refund possible.

So, how does it work? The app connects to your car computer and transmits your driving data automatically. You only need to install the device and let the app work in the background.

With the GOFAR device and app, recording your kilometres is stupidly simple.

Great app and loving the device. It’s going to make tax time so much easier. App notifications are annoying though, so I’ve turned those off. Liz Johnston, Verified Customer, May 2022

Driversnote

Driversnote has an automatic tracking feature that begins logging kilometres once your vehicle achieves a certain speed. According to Google Play Store reviews, the app doesn’t work sometimes which leads to inaccurate trip logging.

This is less effective compared to the GOFAR app device which automatically picks up when your car begins moving.

However, you can improve Driversnote automatic tracking by getting an iBeacon which you then place in your car.

It’ll help you record your preferred kilometres anytime you enter and leave the car. With the iBeacon, you never have to worry about missed trips again.

LBM Fleet

With LBM Fleet, drivers can accurately record all trips including off-road usage to maximise your fuel tax credit tax claims.

However, LBM Fleet is geared more towards businesses that run a fleet of transport cars and therefore need a centralised place to consolidate information from the various departments—human resources, finance, and more.

By putting all the information in one place, it’s easy to know what cars need servicing and update driver schedules.

Travel Logs

Travel Logs provides two ways of logging trips; one of which results in an estimate of the kilometres travelled while the other reports the actual number of kilometres. It’s really up to you to choose the one you like.

To get an estimate, simply turn on the GPS feature in your device and determine the start and end location of your trip. The GPS uses the information you input to calculate the distance travelled.

On the other hand, you can use real-time GPS tracking for accurate distance logging.

The app moves beyond the basics and allows you to log the following trip details as well:

• Odometer readings at the start and end of the trip
• The trip dates
• The reasons you made the trip
• Trip type i.e. business or personal
• Type of vehicle

2. The ATO-Compliant App Must Allow You to Record Vehicle Expenses

To make accurate claims for your car using the logbook method, the ATO requires you to maintain the following car expense records:

• Amount spent on fuel either through receipts or an estimate based on the odometer readings
• Receipts of other car expenses including registration and insurance
• The purchase price of your car to be able to work out the depreciation

It’s essential to calculate your total expenses as you’ll multiply this by your business use percentage to determine the deduction amount.

Now how do GOFAR, Driversnote, LBM Fleet, and Travel Logs stack up when it comes to recording expenses?

The GOFAR app allows you to track and record your fuel expenses with the fill-up log feature.

Additionally, it includes an expense claim summary feature where you can quickly access your expenses and be able to reconcile them for tax returns.

It also has a handy feature that reminds you to pay your registration, and insurance, and take your car for servicing and avoid any fines.

On Driversnote, you can get an estimate of your fuel usage once you choose to show your odometer readings. You can also add notes to your recorded trips, like any expenses incurred.

LBM’s expense tracking feature is pretty basic as it only indicates the fuel usage for your vehicle as you go.

Travel Logs works similarly to Driversnote in that one can calculate fuel expenses from the odometer readings recorded by the logbook.

However, Travel Logs also includes a vehicle expense tracking feature that allows you to monitor vehicle expenses. Moreover, the app includes a section where you can input your vehicle maintenance and servicing expenses.

When it’s all said and done, GOFAR and Travel Logs emerge as the top contenders for the best apps to help you track your vehicle expenses.

3. It Must Include a Feature That Allows Easy Export of Trip Details at Tax Time

Usually, tax time can be a stressful time for most people given all the details required to claim your deductions.

If you have an ATO mobile app that records all your trips and helps you to record your vehicle running expenses then that makes it a lot easier for you.

But if you have a logbook app that also allows you to export your reports too, tax time becomes a breeze for you and your tax accountant.

All you have to do in this case is forward your logbook information which has all the information the ATO requires about your trips—total kilometres travelled, business kilometres (since you’ve classified trips as either personal or business), and odometer readings or fuel expenses.

With all the required information at your tax accountant’s fingertips, it’s easy to work out your business use percentage and the right claim amount to make.

One of the best ATO mobile apps that achieve this full-circle moment is the GOFAR logbook.

Come tax time, all you need to do is log into the application, export the expense report and information on all your trips, fill-ups, and tags to CSV or through PDF and share this with your accountant via email.

Both Driversnote and Trip Logs allow users to download reports via PDF or CSV format, which you can share to facilitate claim deductions from the ATO.

On the other hand, LBM Fleet showcases logbook reports for download and distribution when necessary.

You can’t go wrong with any of these applications in terms of downloading reports, however, GOFAR surpasses them all in terms of all the extra features it provides and the intentionality behind it.

Why Choose GOFAR Over Other ATO Mobile Apps for Keeping a Logbook?

Getting the best products in the market on your radar will be helpful when finalising your purchase.

And when you’re looking for an ATO-compliant logbook, you can’t go wrong with the apps discussed here. However, if you want the best option—records all your trips, records running vehicle expenses, and can easily export your log information at tax time—get GOFAR.

GOFAR allows you to claim your business travel deduction with a happy-go-lucky attitude. It records your business kilometres even if you forget to take your phone (a feature unique to GOFAR).

Does exactly what I need, and best of all I don’t need to remember to log my business trips, it’s automatically logging every trip! Wish I got this sooner! Mel B, Verified Customer, Feb 2022

It also:

• Makes classifying your trips as easy as making a swipe on your smartphone
• Automates your location tagging for repeated trips
• Lets you choose the most lucrative logbook period so you can maximise your tax return

In addition to these logbook keeping benefits, the GOFAR ray device helps you save on fuel by prompting you to drive more efficiently.

That’s not all, though. With the OBD2 port device, you can save on car repair and maintenance as it alerts you when something isn’t right with your car, explains exactly what the problem is, and how to rectify it.

Makes collecting log book data for the ATO a piece of cake. Can’t fault it. Does what it is supposed to do. Definitely worth the small cost to avoid having to record every trip for the ATO which I find overly time consuming. Angus Knight, Verified Customer, Oct 2021