Last Updated: October 13, 2025
Gig work has changed how millions of people earn a living. Whether you’re driving passengers, delivering groceries, or bringing dinner to someone’s door, your phone is your workplace. Apps like Uber, DoorDash, and Instacart made it possible to turn a car, scooter, or even a bicycle into a source of income.
But for all the freedom that comes with gig work, there’s also a catch. Drivers are responsible for tracking their business miles and paying their own taxes. Every trip you take can help reduce your tax bill — but only if you have accurate records to prove it.
In this guide, you’ll learn which apps dominate the industry, how to manage your taxes and reimbursements, and how to track make the most of your mileage deductions.
Table of Contents
How Smartphones Revolutionized Gig Work
Before gig apps, side jobs were mostly word-of-mouth or posted on overcrowded job search sites. You might needed to juggle emails and phone calls for arranging contracts and shifts.
Now, all it takes is a tap. Smartphones have turned transportation, delivery, and shopping into flexible, on-demand income streams. Real-time GPS data, smart routing, and digital payment systems allow gig workers to work independently and make quick decisions. You can see the best times to log in, which areas pay more, and how much you’ve earned that day — all in one app. This flexibility has created a new kind of worker — one who switches between platforms to make the most of their shifts and maximize earnings.
But the same technology that makes gig work easy also tracks one of your biggest tax deductions: mileage. When used correctly, mileage data can save gig drivers hundreds or even thousands of dollars at tax time, but later on that.
The Most Popular Gig Platforms
These apps dominate the U.S. gig economy. They’re the most downloaded, most trusted, and offer some of the best earning potential for independent drivers and delivery partners. Each one operates nationwide, giving you the flexibility to work where and when you want. Some overlap in how they function, but every platform brings its own perks — from ride requests and grocery runs to restaurant deliveries and package drop-offs. Together, they give gig workers a wide range of options to build income their way.
Tips for Gig Work Success
Being successful in the gig economy means balancing flexibility with smart habits. Here are a few key tips:
- Plan your schedule: Focus on busy hours — morning and evening commutes, lunch, and dinner rushes.
- Use multiple apps: When one app is slow, switch to another. It keeps income steady.
- Track your income and expenses: Keep tabs on your earnings, gas, and maintenance costs.
- Protect your vehicle: Regular oil changes, tire checks, and clean interiors go a long way.
- Track your mileage every day: It’s easier to stay accurate than to recreate months of data at tax time.
Small, consistent steps lead to big savings when tax season rolls around.
Taxes and Mileage Reimbursements for Gig Workers
Understanding Gig Worker Taxes
Gig workers are independent contractors, not employees. That means you’re responsible for reporting your income and paying both income and self-employment taxes. When you earn at least $400 in a year, you must file a tax return.
You’ll receive a 1099-NEC or 1099-K form from your gig platforms. These show your total earnings, but they don’t subtract expenses — that’s up to you. The more expenses you track, the less tax you’ll owe.
Your biggest deduction? Usually, mileage.
Mileage Reimbursement and Deductions
For 2025, the IRS standard mileage rate for business use is 70 cents per mile. Let’s put that in perspective: If you drive 20,000 miles for Uber and DoorDash combined, that’s $14,000 in deductible mileage. At a 22% tax rate, that could mean more than $3,000 in savings.
Mileage Tracking: Why It Matters
To claim your mileage deduction, you need solid proof. Notes and spreadsheets aren’t enough, plus they are messy and error-prone.
Common Mileage Logging Challenges
- Forgetting to write down odometer readings
- Missing stops
- Mixing business and personal trips.
- Losing notebooks/spreadsheets
Even one missed week can cost you hundreds. That’s why most gig drivers use automatic mileage trackers. They detect your trips in real time and record them accurately.
But My Gig App Already Tracks Miles — Why Do I Need Another?
Gig apps only track your “online” miles — the ones you drive during active deliveries or rides. But the IRS lets you deduct all business miles, including “off-the-clock” ones: fuel stops, car maintenance, supply runs, and driving between work zones.
A dedicated mileage tracker captures every eligible mile and collects data from all your gig apps in one place. No missed miles, no double work — just complete, IRS-ready records.
MileageWise App: Built for Gig Drivers
The MileageWise app gives gig drivers a simple, reliable, and private way to record every mile. It’s more than a tracker — it’s your mileage safety net.
Mobile App for Mileage Tracking
- Automatic Trip Detection: Track every drive hands-free — perfect for delivery and rideshare shifts.
- Easy Start & Stop: Begin tracking in seconds so you can focus on accepting requests and driving, not setup.
- Works Without Ads: Enjoy clean, ad-free tracking that respects your time and privacy.
- Backup Mileage Capture: Accurately detects your trip start and end points — even when other apps miss them.
- Route Options: Record exact driven routes or use optimized distance settings — you choose.
- Navigation Compatibility: Access Waze for directions from MileageWise: log your trip and plan your route with just a few taps.
- Expense Sync: Keep fuel, parking, and toll expenses alongside your mileage for easy tax prep.
Dashboard for Organized Mileage Logs
- Google Timeline Import: Recover untracked drives from your Google Maps data — ideal for busy weeks or preparing a mileage log for an audit.
- AI Mileage Rebuilder: Automatically fills in missing trips and recontructs past drives from fragmented sata – according to your needs.
- IRS Compliance Check: Built-in auditor reviews your logs for complianceand flags anything that might cause IRS issues.
- Bulk Trip Import: Bring in your past or regular routes straight from Excel or CSV — save time and skip the manual typing.
- Smart Trip Management: Group, tag, and edit multiple trips at once to keep your mileage history neat and ready for tax season.
Try MileageWise for free for 14 days. No credit card required!
Automatic Mileage Tracker App
AI Logs & Google Timeline Import
Real-World Example: How Much You Could Save
Let’s say you drive for DoorDash and Uber Eats, averaging 150 miles per day, five days a week.
- That’s about 3,000 miles per month or 36,000 per year.
- At 70¢ per mile, you could deduct $25,200 from your taxable income.
- With a 22% tax rate, that’s over $5,500 saved — just by keeping accurate mileage logs.
Now imagine missing 20% of your trips because you forgot to log them. You’d lose over $1,000 in deductions. That’s why automatic tracking isn’t a luxury — it’s essential.
Conclusion
Gig work gives you freedom, but managing your taxes and mileage doesn’t have to be stressful. The key is staying organized, keeping reliable records, and using the right tools.
The MileageWise app does the heavy lifting for you — tracking every mile, generating IRS-ready reports, and protecting your deductions. Whether you drive for Uber, DoorDash, or any other gig platform, you deserve to make every mile count.
FAQ
What are the most popular gig worker apps?
The most popular gig apps for drivers include Uber, DoorDash, Lyft, Instacart, Amazon Flex, Grubhub, Shipt, and Spark Driver. These platforms have the widest coverage, the highest demand, and consistent earning opportunities across the U.S.
Can I work for multiple gig apps at the same time?
Yes, many drivers use multiple apps to stay busy during slow periods. For example, you can switch between Uber and DoorDash or pair Instacart with Amazon Flex. A mileage tracking app like MileageWise makes it easy to log trips across all platforms in one place.
How much can gig drivers earn per week?
Earnings vary by city, time of day, and app. Most full-time gig drivers report $800 to $1,200 per week before expenses. Smart route planning, multi-apping, and consistent mileage tracking help boost net income by reducing tax costs.
What expenses can gig drivers deduct on taxes?
Gig drivers can deduct gas, maintenance, car insurance, parking fees, phone bills, and especially mileage. The IRS allows a 70¢ per-mile deduction for 2025. Keeping an accurate mileage log ensures you claim every eligible mile.
What if I didn’t track my mileage this year?
If you missed tracking, you can still reconstruct past trips using MileageWise’s Google Timeline import feature. If your Timeline is missing, the AI Wizard helps rebuild accurate, IRS-compliant logs, even with fragmented data.
Are gig drivers considered self-employed?
Yes. Gig workers are independent contractors responsible for their own taxes. That means tracking mileage, recording expenses, and filing using forms like the 1099-NEC or 1099-K. MileageWise helps keep all your records organized for easy reporting.
| MileageWise | Other Mileage Tracker Apps | Other GPS Based Trackers | Excel | Tax Professional | |
| Mobile App for Ongoing Tracking | |||||
| Web Dashboard to Manage Trips | |||||
| Imports Trips and Locations from Google Timeline | |||||
| Lifetime Deals Available | |||||
| Average Reported Business Mileage Deduction | $12,000 | $710-$8500 | $400-$5,700 | $200-$2,000 | |
| Average Time Creating Retrospective Mileage Log (Yearly) | 7 minutes | 180 minutes | 180 minutes | 180 minutes | N/A |
| AI Wizard Mileage Log Generator for Retroactive Mileage Recovery | |||||
| Produces IRS-Proof Mileage Logs | |||||
| Free Phone Support with Live Agent | |||||
| Mileage Log Preparation Service | |||||
| Data Accessible in the Cloud |
