Comparison

Garmin eLog™ vs Simple E

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

Head to head
About

Garmin eLog™

This app works with a compatible electronic logging device to help commercial drivers meet ELD compliance requirements. It accurately records and stores Hours of Service data locally on your smartphone, with no subscription fees required.

Highlights
  • ELD compliance
  • Hours of Service (HOS) tracking
  • Local data storage
  • Wireless record transfer
  • Easy setup
  • No subscription fees
Read full description

** Users must own the Garmin eLog™ compliant ELD (FMCSA-registered electronic logging device). The Garmin eLog is ready right out of the box, and supports 9-pin J1939 and 6-pin J1708 diagnostic ports to fit nearly any truck. It’s simple to set up and there are no subscription fees. Take the easy route to ELD Compliance! The free, easy-to-use Garmin eLog™ app may be downloaded to your compatible smartphone to complete your ELD compliance solution. The Garmin eLog compliant ELD solution accurately records and tracks Hours of Service (HOS), then securely stores it locally to your smartphone— never in the cloud. Garmin eLog allows your records to be wirelessly transferred to your compatible smartphone for viewing by you anytime. Note: Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life. We listen to your feedback. The teams at Garmin are working continuously to improve the Garmin eLog system. If you experience any issues or problems, please reach out to our Product Support team at support.garmin.com.

About

Simple E

This app helps drivers and motor carriers comply with FMCSA regulations by recording Hours of Service (HOS) information. It captures engine data, is tamper-resistant, and transfers standardized data to safety officials.

Highlights
  • FMCSA regulation compliance
  • Hours of Service (HOS) recording
  • Engine data capture
  • Tamper-resistant design
  • Data transfer to safety officials
Features
Read full description

The Simple E-Log solution is designed so drivers and motor carriers can stay in compliance with FMCSA regulations and that drivers can use our system as their sole means of recording HOS information and ensuring compliance. The Simple E-Log ELD will capture engine data through integral synchronization. The device will be tamper-resistant to deter unauthorized alteration of data. The Simple E-Log solution, certified by the providers, will meet or exceed performance requirements as well as transfer standardized data to authorized safety officials. **NOTE: 1.IOS Users need to manually TurnOn ELDWifi to establish a connection with the App. 2."Continued use of GPS running in the background can dramatically decrease battery life." Please have the iPhone connected to the Charger during Application usage. 3. Application consumes the Internet usage, when the application stored the Local user Logs send to Application's Server.

Screenshots

Garmin eLog™1 screens
Simple E4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: Garmin eLog™ at 4.2 against Simple E's 2.5. Garmin eLog™ also leads on ratings volume (445 vs 2). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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

Garmin eLog™ holds the better App Store score, 4.2 against 2.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Garmin eLog™ has 445 ratings behind it against 2, so its average is the more settled of the two.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 13, 2026 and September 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences · 8 level
Garmin eLog™ versus Simple E: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterGarmin eLog™Simple E
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.2 (445 ratings) — better2.5 (2 ratings)
Positive reviews68.9% of reviews—
Number of ratings445 — better2
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFreeFree
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS11.011.0
Further details — not scored
Size43 MB88 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperGarminSimple Elog Inc

Customer experience

Garmin eLog™

All ratings445 ratings
Positive80.9%
Neutral2.5%
Negative16.6%
Written reviews132 reviews
Positive68.9%
Neutral4.5%
Negative26.5%

Simple E

All ratings2 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative50.0%

Bugs and requests

Garmin eLog™

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Disconnects from device/phone
  • Deletes driver/admin profiles
  • Inaccurate odometer/location tracking
  • Crashes and freezes
  • Issues with log editing

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add shift timer
  • Improve log editing functionality
  • Provide IFTA reporting option
  • Enhance location and odometer tracking
  • Improve stability and reduce crashes

Simple E

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

Garmin eLog™

No in-app purchases

None

Simple E

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Garmin eLog™ free?
Garmin eLog™ is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Simple E free?
Simple E is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Garmin eLog™ or Simple E?
Garmin eLog™ is rated higher. Garmin eLog™ averages 4.2 out of 5 from 445 ratings, while Simple E averages 2.5 from 2 ratings.
Do Garmin eLog™ or Simple E have ads?
Neither Garmin eLog™ nor Simple E shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Garmin eLog™ or Simple E?
Garmin eLog™ ships an update every 2 months, and Simple E every 2 months. Most recently, Garmin eLog™ was updated on October 13, 2026 and Simple E on September 30, 2026.

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