RoadReady is the most widely recognized app in this category and is officially referenced by several state DMVs. If your state's official form names RoadReady, using it is the path of least resistance. That said, if you're looking for alternatives — whether because of account migration issues, a preference for no-account apps, or because you need permit-test prep too — here's an honest look at the options.
Disclosure: we make PermitReady, which is one of the six. We have tried to write this so that a reader who should stay with RoadReady finishes it knowing that.
Before you switch: check your state
- Massachusetts — the RMV references RoadReady by name in official materials and also publishes a state log PDF. See the Massachusetts hours requirements.
- Wisconsin — WisDOT recommends RoadReady through its parent-supervised driving program.
- Ohio — Ohio runs its own state-built app, RoadReady Ohio. Use that one. It is a separate product from the Safe Roads Alliance app, and nothing on this page is a better fit for an Ohio family logging hours.
- Montana — the state log PDF names RoadReady as an option.
Outside those states, no agency requires a particular app. What they require is an accurate record and, usually, a parent or guardian certification.
The six options
1. PermitReady
Ours. A free iPhone and iPad app that does permit-test practice for all 50 states plus DC and supervised driving hours logging, with no account of any kind.
- Platforms
- iOS only (iPhone, iPad). No Android.
- Price
- Free with ads; optional $4.99 one-time purchase removes ads and the ad SDK. No subscription.
- Key differentiator
- Study and log in one app, with no account, no sign-in, no server, and full offline operation. Each drive is date, duration, condition tags (night, highway, rain, city, parking, heavy traffic), and optional notes, with a running total. Entries can be backdated, and the log is shared with a parent as a file over AirDrop, Messages, or Mail.
- What it doesn't do
- No Android. No telematics or automatic drive detection — every drive is typed in. No GPS, so no route data. No PDF affidavit or state-form generation. No in-app parent dashboard.
- Honest verdict
- Best for iPhone families who also need permit-test prep, or who want a log that cannot lock them out and does not need a signal. If nobody in your car will remember to open an app after a drive, an automatic logger genuinely serves you better.
2. RoadReady (the incumbent, included on purpose)
From Safe Roads Alliance, and the app most likely to be named in your state's materials. Listing alternatives does not make it the enemy.
- Platforms
- iOS and Android.
- Price
- Free.
- Key differentiator
- Automatic telematics logging — the app can detect and record a drive without anyone remembering to open it — plus paired teen and parent accounts so a supervising parent sees the log update in their own app. State-referenced in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, and Montana, with a separate state-built version in Ohio. PDF affidavit export in some states.
- What it doesn't do
- No permit test practice. Requires a data connection and two accounts, and the parent generally needs to install it too. Its App Store rating sits at 2.4 stars across roughly 12,000 lifetime ratings as of August 2026, and the company posted a banner about account migration difficulties during 2026.
- Honest verdict
- Best for MA, WI, OH, and MT families following state instructions; for Android households; and for anyone who wants drives logged automatically. If your state names it, start here.
Full PermitReady vs RoadReady comparison · RoadReady troubleshooting guide
3. OtoZen
A driving-safety app with a coaching angle, at otozen.com. It sits somewhere between a teen driving log and a family safety product.
- Platforms
- iOS and Android.
- Price
- Free tier with a paid premium plan — check current pricing on their site, as it changes.
- Key differentiator
- Real-time driving coach plus telematics-based trip recording, with feedback on driving behaviour (speeding, hard braking, phone handling) rather than just a total. Useful for parents who want to know how the driving went, not only that it happened.
- What it doesn't do
- Not a permit-test study app. Not referenced by state agencies as a supervised-hours log. Telematics means location permissions and a data connection, which not every family wants on a teenager's phone.
- Honest verdict
- Best for families whose main concern is driving behaviour and safety coaching, with the hours log as a secondary benefit. Confirm it produces a record in the format your state expects before relying on it for certification.
4. Moda
A log-focused iOS app at modadriving.com, built around the paperwork rather than the studying.
- Platforms
- iOS.
- Price
- $4.99 — verify current pricing on the App Store.
- Key differentiator
- Permit-log first, with the ability to generate forms from your logged hours — the step PermitReady deliberately does not do. If the output document is what you care about, that is a real advantage.
- What it doesn't do
- No permit-test practice. iOS only. Not state-referenced.
- Honest verdict
- Best for iPhone families who have already passed the permit test and want the tidiest path from logged hours to a printable document. Check that the generated form matches what your state actually accepts.
5. GoTime
A web-based driving log at gotimelog.com, for families who would rather not install anything.
- Platforms
- Web — works from any phone or computer browser, on any operating system.
- Price
- Check the site; pricing and plans change.
- Key differentiator
- No app store, no platform lock-in, and a parent on Android and a teen on iPhone can use the same record. Browser-based logs are also easy to print, which matters when a state wants paper.
- What it doesn't do
- No telematics. No offline use — a browser log needs a connection. No permit-test practice.
- Honest verdict
- Best for mixed-platform households and for families who actively do not want another app on a teenager's phone.
6. Paper log or your state's official PDF
The option that is always valid, and the one most likely to be the actual requirement.
- Platforms
- All of them.
- Price
- Free.
- Key differentiator
- No battery, no account, no migration risk, no outage, and in states like Massachusetts (RMV log PDF) and New York (form MV-262) it is the document the agency expects to see. A parent signature on paper is unambiguous in a way a screenshot is not.
- What it doesn't do
- No running total unless someone adds it up, no reminders, and it can be lost. Sitting in a glovebox for six months is its natural failure mode.
- Honest verdict
- Best for families who want simplicity, and mandatory for anyone whose state publishes a required form. Our printable log templates page has a generic sheet plus links to each state's official document.
Side-by-side comparison
| App | Platforms | Price | Account required | Telematics | Permit test practice | State-referenced |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PermitReady | iOS | Free / $4.99 ad-free | No | No | Yes — 50 states + DC | No |
| RoadReady | iOS, Android | Free | Yes (teen + parent) | Yes | No | Yes — MA, WI, MT; separate state app in OH |
| OtoZen | iOS, Android | Free / premium plan | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Moda | iOS | $4.99 | Check current app | No | No | No |
| GoTime | Web (any platform) | Check site | Yes | No | No | No |
| Paper / state PDF | Any | Free | No | No | No | Yes — where a state publishes a form |
Details for apps other than PermitReady were compiled from public sources in August 2026 and are not verified by their developers. Pricing, platform support, and features change — check each app's own site or store listing before deciding.
How to choose in one paragraph
If your state names an app, use that app. If you are on Android, your realistic choices are RoadReady, OtoZen, GoTime, or paper. If nobody will remember to log a drive manually, pick something with telematics. If you also still need to pass the permit test, PermitReady is the only one here that does both. If you want the record to be a document rather than an app, use your state's PDF and keep a running tally somewhere. Most families are well served by two of these: something that keeps the running total honest, and the state's own form for the signature.
Moving your hours between apps
Whatever you switch to, export or screenshot your existing log before uninstalling anything. Server-stored logs can become inaccessible along with the account, and a total you cannot substantiate is a problem a parent has to sign their name to. Our step-by-step switching guide covers exporting, reconstructing from totals when no export exists, and re-entering drives with correct dates.
Frequently asked questions
What's the best alternative to RoadReady?
It depends on the constraint. Android: OtoZen, GoTime, or paper. No-account and offline: PermitReady. Automatic logging: RoadReady or OtoZen. Form generation: Moda. Simplicity: your state's PDF.
Should I switch if my state recommends RoadReady?
Generally no. In Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Montana, and especially Ohio — which runs its own RoadReady Ohio app — following the official instruction avoids an argument you do not need to have at the counter.
Is there a driving log with no account?
PermitReady. No sign-in, no server, no password to reset, and it works offline. The trade-off is manual entry and no parent dashboard — a parent gets the log as a file instead.
Is there an Android alternative?
OtoZen and RoadReady both run on Android, and GoTime is browser-based. PermitReady and Moda are iOS only.
Does any state require a specific app?
No. Some recommend one and some mandate a paper form. What every state wants is an accurate record with a parent or guardian certification.
Will a DMV accept a log kept in a third-party app?
Where no specific format is mandated, an accurate record transferred onto the state's certification is standard practice. Where a form is required, use the form. Confirm with your agency — the state-by-state guide shows which states publish one.
Trademark, verification, and disclaimers
RoadReady® is a registered trademark of Safe Roads Alliance, Inc. PermitReady is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Safe Roads Alliance, Inc.
OtoZen, Moda, and GoTime are the products of their respective owners and are named here for comparison only. PermitReady is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by any of them, and none of them have reviewed this page.
Competitor information was compiled from public sources and last verified August 2026. Pricing, platforms, ratings, and features change frequently — check each product's own site before deciding.
PermitReady's driving hours log is a personal tracking tool. It is not a state form and has not been approved or endorsed by any state licensing agency. Check with your state's DMV, RMV, DPS, BMV, or equivalent agency for which log format they require, and use their official state form if one is mandated.
PermitReady is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or approved by any DMV, RMV, BMV, DPS, or state agency.