Comparison
Spreadsheet or notes app vs a vehicle tracker app
A spreadsheet works until the second vehicle, the lost receipt or the phone you forgot to back up. A dedicated app trades the spreadsheet's flexibility for a few things that matter at the pump and the garage: logging in seconds, fuel economy worked out for you, reminders, and a record that survives a new phone. Here is an honest comparison of what you gain and what you give up.
| Criterion | AutoVault | Spreadsheet |
|---|---|---|
| Logging a fill-up | Scan the receipt or type four fields; 10 to 20 seconds | Open the sheet, find the row, type date, odometer, litres, price; a minute or more on a phone |
| Fuel economy | Calculated per fill and trended automatically | Your own formulas; easy to break when rows are inserted |
| Cost per km | On every entry | Another formula to maintain |
| Service reminders | Push notification before the next service date | None, unless you add calendar events by hand |
| Several vehicles | Separate profiles, filterable dashboard | Separate tabs or files; totals need manual consolidation |
| Units and currency | Per vehicle; entries keep the unit they were logged in | Whatever you type; mixed units go unnoticed |
| Backup and new phone | Account sync; sign in and it is all there | Only if the file lives in cloud storage and you remember where |
| Flexibility | Fixed fields for fuel and service | Track anything: tolls, insurance, parking, custom notes |
| Export and analysis | Not yet | Full control: pivot tables, charts, sharing a link |
| Cost | Free | Free |
Last checked 2026-10-24. Spreadsheet column reflects a typical Google Sheets or Excel log maintained by hand. Prices vary by region and change; the store listing is authoritative. Found something out of date? Email support@slowforgestudio.com.
Choose AutoVault if
- You want logging to take seconds at the pump, not minutes.
- You own more than one vehicle, or a two-wheeler and a car.
- You want service reminders without maintaining a calendar.
- You have lost a log before when changing phones.
Choose a spreadsheet if
- You need custom categories (insurance, tolls, parking) today.
- You want pivot tables, your own charts or to share a link with someone.
- You already have years of data in a sheet and log rarely.
FAQ
Questions about this comparison
Can I import my spreadsheet into the app?
Not yet. Import and export are on the roadmap. Today you start fresh in the app; many people keep the old sheet as an archive and log new fill-ups in the app from the next tank.
Does the app track expenses other than fuel and service?
Not yet. The app tracks fuel fill-ups and service or repair visits with costs. Insurance, tolls and parking are not categories today.
Is a spreadsheet more accurate?
No. Both are as accurate as the odometer readings you enter. The app removes formula errors and shows economy between full fills only, which is the method that gives a correct figure.
Other comparisons
- AutoVault vs FuelioHow AutoVault compares with Fuelio on price, receipt scanning, reminders, sync, export, languages and fuel prices, from the public store listings.Read
- AutoVault vs DrivvoA factual comparison of AutoVault and Drivvo: price and ads, vehicle limits, receipt scanning, reminders, expense categories, sync, export and languages.Read
- AutoVault vs Simply AutoHow AutoVault compares with Simply Auto on price and ads, sync, vehicle limits, trip logging, export, receipt scanning and Hindi support, from the public listings.Read
Get AutoVault free
Free on iOS and Android, in English and Hindi. Version 1.0.2, updated 2026-08-01. No ads, no paid tier.
Prefer a link? Open the download page.