๐Ÿ”ง Built for Trades Professionals

The Complete Business App for Independent Contractors

Track every job-site mile, supply run, and estimate. Manage revenue, expenses, and profit in one app. IRS-compliant mileage logs and Schedule C reports built in. Free 14-day trial.

โœ“ No credit card required โœ“ IRS-compliant logs โœ“ Works offline

๐Ÿ“Š Independent Contractor โ€” Example Tax Savings

Between job sites 14,000 mi
Supply runs (Home Depot, etc.) 8,000 mi
Customer estimates & errands 8,000 mi
Total business miles 30,000 mi
IRS rate (2026) ร— 72.5ยข/mile
Tax Deduction $21,750

Most Independent Contractors Lose Thousands in Mileage Deductions

You drive between job sites, run for parts, estimate new projects, and pick up materials all day โ€” but without an automatic mileage tracker, those deductible miles disappear at tax time.

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No One Logs Your Miles for You

You're a one-person business. Nobody's tracking miles for you. Every supply run, every job-site visit, every estimate โ€” if you don't record it, it never happened. Most contractors guess at year-end and lose 30%+ of their actual business miles.

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Paper Logs Don't Survive Audits

The IRS requires a contemporaneous mileage log โ€” meaning recorded at the time, not reconstructed in December. A GPS-based tracker with date, location, and business purpose for every trip is the gold standard if you're audited.

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Revenue Isn't Profit

After fuel, materials, tools, insurance, and licensing โ€” how much did you actually earn last month? Without expense tracking and a real P&L, you're guessing. Most independent contractors have no idea what their true profit margin is.

Everything an Independent Contractor Needs โ€” in One App

TrakMiles Pro replaces your mileage log, expense tracker, revenue spreadsheet, and tax prep software โ€” all on your phone, all working together.

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Automatic GPS Mileage Tracking

Detects when you start driving and records every trip โ€” between job sites, supply runs, customer estimates, even the bank deposit. No buttons, no forgetting. Every mile logged with date, location, distance, and purpose.

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Vehicle Auto-Detection (Multi-Vehicle Pros)

Drive a work truck during the week and a personal vehicle on weekends? TrakMiles pairs with your truck's Bluetooth and auto-tags every trip in the right vehicle. No more "wait, was that the truck or the car?" at tax time.

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Revenue & Customer Tracking

Log payments by customer, track deposit dates, and see your actual revenue by week, month, or year. Compare performance across periods and know exactly where your income comes from.

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Expense Management with Categories

Track tools, equipment, materials, fuel, insurance, license renewals, and every other business expense. Categorized for Schedule C automatically. Receipt photos stored securely with each entry.

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Profit & Loss Reports

See your real profit โ€” revenue minus all expenses โ€” by week, month, quarter, or year. Know whether you're actually making money on each job or just staying busy.

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Schedule C Tax Preparation

Maps your mileage tracking and expenses directly to IRS Schedule C line items. Compares standard mileage vs actual expenses to ensure you always claim the larger deduction. Export to PDF or CSV for your accountant.

๐Ÿ”ง Miles Independent Contractors Can Deduct

๐Ÿ—๏ธ Between Job Sites
Every drive from one customer's job to the next, all day long
๐Ÿ›’ Supply Runs
Home Depot, Lowe's, specialty supply houses, paint shops, lumber yards
๐Ÿ“‹ Customer Estimates
Site visits to estimate new jobs โ€” even if the customer doesn't book
๐Ÿฆ Banking & Errands
Customer deposits, picking up specialty parts, post office runs
๐ŸŽ“ Training & Licensing
Continuing education, code-update classes, license renewals
โœ… TrakMiles Captures All of These
GPS tracks from the moment you leave to when you return โ€” every mile, automatically

How Much Are Your Business Miles Worth?

At the 2026 IRS rate of 72.5ยข per mile, every untracked trip is money lost forever.

72.5ยข
IRS rate per mile (2026)
$21,750
Deduction at 30,000 miles
$4,785
Tax saved at 22% bracket
30,000
Avg contractor business miles/year
๐Ÿงฎ Calculate My Exact Deduction

Free calculator โ€” no signup required

Independent Contractor Tax & Mileage Questions

Everything plumbers, electricians, HVAC techs, and trades pros need to know about mileage tracking and business expenses.

Can independent contractors deduct mileage?
Yes. Self-employed independent contractors โ€” plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, painters, carpenters, mobile mechanics, and other trades โ€” can deduct all business miles at the IRS standard mileage rate of 72.5 cents per mile for 2026. This includes driving between job sites, supply runs, customer estimate visits, bank deposits, and any other business travel. If your home is your principal place of business, driving from home to your first job of the day may also qualify. Read our IRS mileage log requirements guide for details.
What business expenses can independent contractors deduct?
Deductible expenses include tools and equipment, materials inventory, fuel and vehicle maintenance, parking and tolls, general liability and commercial vehicle insurance, license renewals, continuing education, marketing (truck signage, business cards, web hosting), cell phone (business-use portion), home internet (business-use portion), accounting and software subscriptions, work uniforms with logos, and home office expenses if applicable. All require receipts and contemporaneous documentation. See our complete deductions guide for the full list.
How many business miles does a typical contractor drive?
Solo independent contractors typically drive 25,000 to 40,000 business miles per year, depending on service area and job density. Contractors covering multiple counties or with multiple service vehicles drive more. At the 2026 IRS rate of 72.5ยข/mile, that's a tax deduction of $18,125 to $29,000 โ€” worth $4,000 to $6,400 in actual tax savings at the 22% bracket. Use our free calculator to see your exact number.
Do independent contractors need to make quarterly estimated tax payments?
If you expect to owe more than $1,000 in federal taxes for the year, the IRS requires quarterly estimated payments. For 2026, the deadlines are April 15, June 15, September 15, and January 15 (2027). Self-employment tax alone is 15.3% of net earnings. Most contractors should set aside 25-30% of net business income for taxes. TrakMiles Pro tracks your P&L in real time so you always know where you stand. Read our quarterly tax payments guide.
Standard mileage rate or actual expenses โ€” which is better for trades?
For contractors driving a half-ton work truck (F-150, Silverado 1500, Ram 1500) or smaller, the standard mileage rate (72.5ยข/mile for 2026) is usually simpler and produces a larger deduction. For heavier work trucks (F-250, Silverado 2500, Ram 2500 or larger โ€” over 6,000 lb GVWR) the actual-expenses method often wins because of bonus depreciation rules. TrakMiles Pro's Schedule C Helper calculates both methods and shows you which saves more. Read our full comparison guide.
Is TrakMiles Pro free for independent contractors?
TrakMiles Pro offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required. After the trial, a monthly ($4.99/mo) or annual ($34.99/yr) subscription provides unlimited GPS mileage tracking, Vehicle Auto-Detection, revenue and customer tracking, expense management, P&L reports, time clock, and Schedule C tax prep โ€” built for self-employed professionals who drive for business. One app replaces your mileage log, expense tracker, and tax prep software.

๐Ÿ“ฌ Free Tax Tips for Independent Contractors

Mileage tracking reminders, deduction guides, and quarterly deadline alerts โ€” free, no spam.

๐Ÿ”ง Free tax tips for independent contractors โ€” no spam, ever.
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