Comparison

SHIPSMobile vs McLeod Driver Sidekick

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

SHIPSMobile

This app allows drivers to submit trip, delivery, and safety documents directly from their mobile device. Submitted documents are optimized for quality and automatically integrated into billing and settlement workflows. It also provides drivers with a portal for document deadlines and settlement information.

Highlights
  • Submit trip and delivery documents
  • Upload safety and driver documents
  • Automated document optimization
  • Integration with billing workflows
  • Driver portal for deadlines and settlements
  • Document quality monitoring and alerts
Features
Read full description

Ships Mobile™ is an integrated smart-application that allows drivers to submit trip, delivery, safety documents and driver documents from the point of service using their mobile device. Once submitted, documents are optimized for image quality and automatically entered into the billing and settlement workflow and other business centric processes based on your business rules. Included with the application is the Learning Management Tutorial that is a self-guided tutorial that educates the driver on the features and functionality of the application prior its use. Now drivers will be familiar with the application before launching it for the first time. Also drivers will have access to the Ships Mobile Driver Portal via your company website. The Driver Portal will becomes the driver’s automated personal assistant. It keeps the driver informed of needed documents and cut-off or expiration deadlines along with pending and final settlement information. The assistant will monitor the images received and alert the driver to missing or late documents or to re-image documents that failed quality audits. Ships Mobile solution can be configured to capture various documents such as OS&D or compliance documents including CDL, insurance and DVIR. What better way to keep your drivers informed, increase your retention rates and increase profits!

About

McLeod Driver Sidekick

This app connects drivers to their back office, streamlining billing and improving satisfaction. It offers a clear dashboard for assignments, messages, load details, and pay history. Drivers can easily manage documents, view routes, and track freight information.

Highlights
  • Home screen dashboard with assignment details
  • Filterable message center
  • Detailed load tracking with stops, map, and freight info
  • Document scanning and image capture
  • Pay history and settlement details
  • Profile management with credential reminders
Features
Read full description

Driver Sidekick is an all-new app connecting drivers to the back office, expediting billing, and enhancing driver satisfaction. It features an updated, intuitive look and feel, a home screen “dashboard” view, and a dedicated set of permissions to ease implementation. Driver Sidekick is designed for drivers. They can easily see their current assignment and can use the filterable list views to quickly locate the information they desire. Home Screen On the Home Screen, the Current Assignment card welcomes the driver and provides load details, stop information, and appointment details and mileage to the next stop. The buttons visible beneath the card allow drivers to scan a document, create a new message, request time off, or run a Driver History Report. Drivers can review their most recent settlement details. Custom links allow the home office to curate employee communications, safety videos, links to vendor partners, benefit providers, and more. Messages Sidekick’s Messages center makes it easy to filter messages sent and received, read and unread. The app sends confirmation messages with tappable thumbnails to review scanned images for easy reference. Loads In the Loads section, Sidekick allows you to filter loads based on whether they’re available, in progress, or delivered. Each load type is color coded for consistency. The detail view for each load includes the following tabs: Stops, Map, Freight, and Images. The Stops tab displays key information about each stop on the load along with the load’s total miles. Drivers can see the stop’s average location rating and review the location after a visit, answering your custom questions. If freight is damaged, they can submit an OS&D claim, capturing photos of damaged freight and providing details as needed. The Map tab allows drivers to see plotted commercial routes. The Freight tab displays weights, measures, and commodity information, along with safety training links for that commodity. The Images tab displays a badge with a count of missing required images and allows drivers to review previously scanned documents. This way, drivers can easily see if a load is missing a required image from Rendition Customer because that missing document’s icon will be red. Drivers can also capture signatures, scan documents, and either take freight photos or upload them from the device’s photo library. Pay The Pay screen makes it easy for drivers to see their pay history and pending settlements. The list of paid settlements includes the check number, date and amount and is linked to the Settlement Summary PDF from LoadMaster. The Pay section is configurable. You can disable paid settlements, pending settlements, or the Current Check Card on the Home Screen. Settings Drivers can view their profile, which includes important dates like the driver’s work anniversary and the expiration of the driver’s physical and other certifications. You can enable automatic reminders to renew these credentials in LoadMaster. These reminders are sent to the driver as “push” notifications even when the app is not running on the driver’s device. If necessary, drivers can create a Motor Accident report that includes details and photos from the accident scene. The Support tab contains critical device and app data and a convenient button to request McLeod Support. Driver Sidekick requires McLeod LoadMaster version 22.2 or newer.

Screenshots

SHIPSMobile4 screens
McLeod Driver Sidekick4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: McLeod Driver Sidekick at 44% against SHIPSMobile's 2%. McLeod Driver Sidekick also leads on rating (4.5 vs 1.8) and ratings volume (1.8K vs 52). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

McLeod Driver Sidekick holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 1.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: McLeod Driver Sidekick has 1.8K ratings behind it against 52, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 2% of SHIPSMobile's written reviews are positive against 44% of McLeod Driver Sidekick's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

SHIPSMobile ships an update every 6 weeks, McLeod Driver Sidekick fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on October 20, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
SHIPSMobile versus McLeod Driver Sidekick: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterSHIPSMobileMcLeod Driver Sidekick
PriceFreeFree
Rating1.8 (52 ratings)4.5 (1.8K ratings) — better
Positive reviews1.7% of reviews44.4% of reviews — better
Number of ratings521.8K — better
Update frequencyEvery 6 weeksFortnightly — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.5.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size109 MB33 MB
Age rating4+17+
DeveloperEBE TechnologiesMcLeod Software

Customer experience

SHIPSMobile

All ratings52 ratings
Positive13.5%
Neutral5.8%
Negative80.8%
Written reviews60 reviews
Positive1.7%
Neutral8.3%
Negative90.0%

McLeod Driver Sidekick

All ratings1,758 ratings
Positive87.8%
Neutral3.0%
Negative9.3%
Written reviews18 reviews
Positive44.4%
Neutral5.6%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

SHIPSMobile

Reported bugs

57 issues
  • Stopped working
  • Message details not pulled
  • Read number showing messages exist but can't be accessed
  • App freezes
  • Messages won't load
Show 52 more
  • Dismiss all doesn't work
  • Doing damage to battery
  • No notifications
  • Crashes when adding organization
  • App freezes
  • Glitching since last update
  • Can't send paperwork, continues to load and quits
  • No way to update or change passwords
  • Requires full access to gallery instead of selected items
  • Words are cut in half
  • Won't let me login
  • Won't access driver portal
  • Won't retrieve settlements
  • Circles for lining up are flimsy
  • Messages never get marked as read
  • Load information is chaotic
  • No option to send DOT inspection
  • Cannot authenticate login
  • Accumulates data in cache, taking up gigabytes
  • Rescan often needed
  • When sending batch, backs out of screen
  • Sent 15 pages, company received 1
  • Lost accept button on iOS 16
  • No button to confirm image after cropping
  • Cannot submit paperwork
  • Doesn't work with iOS 16, cannot send pictures
  • No button to confirm picture after iOS update
  • Only works while on WiFi
  • Kicks out of app when trying to send trips
  • App closes before sending files
  • Won't accept company code
  • Paperwork is grainy and refused by brokers
  • Cannot override flash to get a good picture
  • Says error when trying to send batch
  • Can't log in
  • Load numbers not selectable, must be entered manually
  • Border cropping does not work
  • Load buttons not working
  • Can't click on loads
  • Can't login after new update
  • Requires location of phone to operate
  • Picture capture quality terrible
  • Not working right
  • Update sucks
  • Can't click on loads
  • Need to enter loads manually
  • Take pictures before getting them from phone
  • Can't send bols anymore
  • Every update makes performance worse
  • Not letting me send bols
  • Can't open messages
  • Can't open driver portal

Requested features

7 requests
  • Allow scanning of multiple sheets at once
  • Ability to save copies of scans easily and retrieve them
  • Upload PDF files
  • Store past X batches for resending
  • Always on Flash in iOS
Show 2 more
  • Keep a record of files sent on the phone
  • Camera flash to stay on for the whole batch

McLeod Driver Sidekick

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

SHIPSMobile

No in-app purchases

None

McLeod Driver Sidekick

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is SHIPSMobile free?
SHIPSMobile is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is McLeod Driver Sidekick free?
McLeod Driver Sidekick is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, SHIPSMobile or McLeod Driver Sidekick?
McLeod Driver Sidekick is rated higher. SHIPSMobile averages 1.8 out of 5 from 52 ratings, while McLeod Driver Sidekick averages 4.5 from 1.8K ratings.
Do SHIPSMobile or McLeod Driver Sidekick have ads?
Neither SHIPSMobile nor McLeod Driver Sidekick shows ads.
Which is updated more often, SHIPSMobile or McLeod Driver Sidekick?
SHIPSMobile ships an update every 6 weeks, and McLeod Driver Sidekick fortnightly. Most recently, SHIPSMobile was updated on October 20, 2026 and McLeod Driver Sidekick on October 27, 2026.

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